He leans very heavily on the advice of intelligence officers in the new world of global terrorism, and cannot afford to fall out publicly with the security or secret intelligence services.

BBC: Is Blair off the hook?

Its coercive institutions, especially the secret police and intelligence services, worked very closely with those of the Soviet Union.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: 'Free' Czechoslovakia?: Shadows Over The Transition

Her latest hobby horse is her recent trip to Cuba for a visit with Raul Castro - Fidel's little brother who for decades ran the army, secret police, intelligence services and hard currency laundering operations.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy