American Rhetoric: Movie Speech

"Page Eight" (2011)

MI5 Briefs the Home Secretary on PM Non-Disclosure Bombshell

Home Secretary Catcheside: Okay, what are the Americans up to?

Benedict Baron: The Americans are up to what we've always suspected they were up to.

Home Secretary Catcheside: This is different. This is proof. If this is true, they have prisoners all over the world who don't officially exist on black sites.

Benedict Baron: So it appears.

Home Secretary Catcheside: Unknown sites that don't exist either.

Benedict Baron: Not officially.

Home Secretary Catcheside: And these prisoners are telling them things which they then don't have the courtesy to tell us.

Benedict Baron: Well, worse than that. Specifically, the Americans are failing to keep us abreast of things that are happening on our own doorstep. Dangerous things.

Anna Hervé: If we're willing to trust intelligence obtained by torture.

Johnny Worriker: Quite.

Home Secretary Catcheside: Where did you get this?

Benedict Baron: Well, I thought that might be your next question.

Home Secretary Catcheside: It is my next question.

Benedict Baron: Thought it might be.

Home Secretary Catcheside: And don't give me any of that Jesuitical bullshit about not revealing your sources.

Benedict Baron: I can't reveal my sources.

Home Secretary Catcheside: Benedict, you and I can play the game --

Benedict Baron: Seems like we've already begun.

Home Secretary Catcheside:  -- but, at the end of the road, you work for me. Remember, the people don't vote for you; they vote for me. They don't like the people who work in the dark.

Benedict Baron: They don't know the people who work in the dark.

Home Secretary Catcheside: If they did, would they be reassured? My view is we go to the Americans.

Benedict Baron: No.

Home Secretary Catcheside:  We speak to the Americans direct.

Benedict Baron: No.

Home Secretary Catcheside:  We tell them we know what they know, that they have a network of sites where they're illegally detaining and torturing prisoners. We frighten them by naming the sites: Thailand, Afghanistan, Morocco, Poland, Romania. Show them we're not idiots. Why not?

Benedict Baron: Because.

Home Secretary Catcheside: Because what?

Benedict Baron: Because you're going to tell your allies that they've been lying to you. You have to think through the implications.

Home Secretary Catcheside: Are you saying I haven't?

Benedict Baron: You also have to remember that going back to the Americans might endanger my source. You'd need my permission.

Home Secretary Catcheside: What would you prefer me to do?

Benedict Baron: Right now?

Home Secretary Catcheside: Yes.

Benedict Baron: If it were my call --

Home Secretary Catcheside: Yes. Please, imagine that.

Benedict Baron:  Right now, I'd prefer you to do nothing.

Home Secretary Catcheside: If you want me to do nothing, why did you give me the file?

Benedict Baron: Because I don't want you to be able to say I didn't give you the file.

Home Secretary Catcheside: Further down the road?

Benedict Baron: Exactly. I answer to you.

Home Secretary Catcheside: You gave me the file so that I would do nothing?

Benedict Baron: Exactly. I gave you the file so that you would know everything.

Johnny Worricker: Makes sense.

Home Secretary Catcheside: Johnny Worricker thinks it makes sense.

Home Secretary Catcheside:  Johnny's an excellent judge. Weak on tactics occasionally, but strong on strategy.

Home Secretary Catcheside: Is that what you think? You back Johnny, do you?

Benedict Baron: Johnny's my best friend since Cambridge.

Home Secretary Catcheside: Well, then perhaps "best friend" can tell us what the argument for doing nothing is.

Johnny Worricker: The argument for doing nothing, Minister, is that as yet you know so little. And you shouldn't move until you know more.

Home Secretary Catcheside: Continue.

Johnny Worricker: One simple thing: Her Majesty's Government has always denied complicity in torture. You've stood up in Parliament many times, You've said it in the press. Changing the story is going to be embarrassing.

Home Secretary Catcheside: Well, it's only going to be embarrassing if people find out. I mean how will they find out? Why would this intelligence leave this room? Who here would leak it?

Jill Tankard: I hope that question answers itself.

Home Secretary Catcheside: I hope it does. I hope so, too. And anyway, remember, I thought the claims were true at the time. When I made the claims, I didn't know they were untrue.

Johnny Worricker: That may or may not be sufficient defense. These things can get messy, politically.

Home Secretary Catcheside: And.

Johnny Worricker: What?

Home Secretary Catcheside: You said "one simple thing." What's the second simple thing?

Johnny Worricker: Oh. I haven't talked to Benedict about this, Minister.

Home Secretary Catcheside: So? Does "best friend" need permission to speak?

Johnny Worricker: Very well, it's this. Has anyone actually read this thing? I don't mean cast your eye over it. I mean read it. Jill?

Jill Tankard: Yes, I believe I've read it.

Johnny Worricker: Home Secretary, you say you didn't know the Americans had these prisoners.

Home Secretary Catcheside: I didn't know.

Johnny Worricker: And you had no proof they'd been torturing them. I take your word. But perhaps someone else in your government did.

Home Secretary Catcheside: Someone else?

Johnny Worricker: Take another look at the bottom of page eight.

Home Secretary Catcheside: Page eight?

Johnny Worricker: Yes.

 Home Secretary Catcheside: What's on page eight?

Johnny Worricker: You haven't read it, have you? I thought not. Page eight, please. "American source quoted saying, 'Downing Street already knows about this.'" I imagine that's what's bothering Benedict.

There are two possibilities, aren't there? Either our source is wrong and the Americans lied to all of us, in which case, Downing Street is going to be furious; or, our source is right, and the Prime Minister knew everything all along, He just didn't bother to tell you. Now, I'm not sure which of those two possibilities you prefer.

Home Secretary Catcheside: It's been an interesting meeting.

Benedict Baron: Thank you. It has indeed.

Home Secretary Catcheside: I'm going to do as you suggest and leave this for a day or two.

Benedict Baron: Fine.

Home Secretary Catcheside: Johnny?

Johnny Worricker: Fine.