The BBC were not especially in support of the war - in fact, much of their problems stem from questioning the "dodgy dossier", resulting in the events of the
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hutton_Inquiry and it being made clear to them that the government and security services would not accept this criticism and would take revenge for it.
> smearing Corbyn for years egregious
This really has been egregious.
> internet conmen are charismatic
Half-baked theory, but I wonder if the prevalence of voice comms - Discord, Clubhouse and its twitter ripoff - in this space is used to enable charisma to ensnare victims.