after reading about the Osama raid, and the SEVEN CIA men killed in the Camp Chapman attack, and William Buckley [ and many other news stories I've read within the past 5 years ] it seems like the present intelligence services forgot the basics of keeping their mouths shut/etc...if I'm not mistaken, Buckley would go to and from work alone, and he let the initial kidnapper get in the elevator with him, alone [ not street smart ]....if I'm not mistaken, they didn't release some secrets from WW2 organizations until 5o years later, where now, they give you the whole story of what happened...the Chapman attack is unbelievable!...I believe you have 'intelligent' agents, some political savvy , and they might know the culture, but they just aren't streetwise<>like checking your six, letting people know the information on a need to know only basis, being suspicious of everyone, etc...free to discuss Venlo, Nordpol, etc.....your thoughts on any intelligence area??
I believe some British intelligence data from the war is still classified, don't know about other countries.
Probably a combination of both! There's not a lot in here, but it might give you some idea- http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/842.htm