Julian2 Posted September 14, 2008 Report Share Posted September 14, 2008 Le Carre: I considered defecting to Soviets. Le Carre: I considered defecting to Soviets * September 14, 2008 - 1:16PM British espionage writer John le Carre has admitted he was tempted to defect to the Soviet Union during the Cold War, in an interview with Britain's Sunday Times newspaper. The 76-year-old author, real name David Cornwell, famed for his Cold War spy-thriller novels, said he was not attracted to communism but was curious to find out what life was like on the other side of the Iron Curtain in the 1960s. "When you spy intensively and you get closer and closer to the border... it seems such a small step to jump... and, you know, find out the rest," the writer said. Asked if he was genuinely tempted, he replied: "Yes, there was a time when I was, yes." Le Carre worked for the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), Britain's external intelligence agency. But his career as a secret agent was wrecked by Kim Philby, a British double agent who blew the cover of many British agents to the KGB Soviet intelligence agency. His most well-known novel, "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" (1974), deals with a Soviet mole and is based on his experiences from the 1950s and 1960s, drawing on Philby's role. Le Carre was offered the chance to dine with Philby in 1987, by a Soviet intermediary, but turned it down. "I just couldn't do it... he was responsible for sending countless British agents to their deaths, to be killed -- 40 or more in Albania." Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faustian Posted September 14, 2008 Report Share Posted September 14, 2008 Wow, I didn't realise the extent of Philby's betrayal! What a c*nt!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian2 Posted September 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2008 Philby was one of the "Cambridge Four" who were supposedly recruited at University. When they were finally discovered it came out that the Soviets had had access to much vital information, some of which had come from the CIA which strained relationships between the two intelligence organisations for years. The discovery of double agent Aldrich Hazen Ames in the CIA ranks was considered to be a similar intelligence disaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.