According to the propaganda, one of the reasons Blair and his lying, toadying, government were exonerated so fully from any blame in the Hutton report was “evidence” provided by the chair of the JIC: John Scarlett. He stood up and proudly lied through his teeth….for the good of the country of course. To understand how someone can lie so blatantly with such conviction you have to understand nationalism. I don’t, and I can’t, but I know enough about nationalists to know that they are simple lifeforms, who see life in very simple terms. Even faced with hard logical contradictions, thier adhesion to the simple rules of nationalism simplify such paradoxes. Just go with the option that appears to be more “patriotic”.
In the case of Captain John Scarlett it was easy. I can just imagine the meeting he will have had with the cabinet office and MI6:
C: Ah John – sorry about this but we need to talk to you about something of great importance….
Captain: You mean….ENGLAND ?
C: (Gravely) Yes. And her majesty’s government.
Captain: Her majesty ? Good god!
C: I’m afraid we’re going to have to ask you to lie about that bastard Kelly.
Captain: But Kelly was a fine man.
C: Remember…the security of ENGLAND is at stake…and Kelly was jeopardizing it.
Captain: England…I see. Well of course.
Cabinet-office-gopher: And we may be able to bung you a few bob too if you get Tony off the hook…

Instead of anything so crass as a bung in a brown envelope, the, very grateful, government have made him the new head of MI6.