We are the Hollow Men

Jack Straw, who was foreign secretary between 2001 and 2006, told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme that he did not know whether allegations UK security services were involved in the rendition of Libyan terror suspects were "credible".

In other interviews, he claimed that it was not possible for a foreign secretary to know about everything that was done by MI6.

And who would doubt him? But the issue is not whether the allegations were credible, but whether they were true. And the man of straw, having been responsible for giving directions to MI6 should know what they had been told to do, and one presumes, whether his directions had been carried out.

Straw goes on to say "At no stage did I ever authorise or turn a blind eye to unlawful practices by the Secret Intelligence Service in relation to torture, rendition or any other matter. To the very best of my knowledge it did not take place.".  Well it did take place because Abdul Hakim Belhaj was shipped from Hong Kong to Tripoli

And MI6's head of counter-terrorism Sir Mark Allen wrote to Moussa Koussa, the head of Libyan foreign intelligence who went on to become Muammar Gaddafi's foreign minister: "This was the least we could do for you and for Libya to demonstrate the remarkable relationship we have built over recent years. I am so glad. I was grateful to you for helping the officer we sent out last week."

This is the way the world ends

Not with a bang but a whimper.