Re: worse
No, you are not alone, the Security Services are organisations like any other, be it Church, State, Charity or Commercial. They all suffer from their own internal politics, they all have their own momentum, and they are above all made up of fallible human beings.
In my experience, the best way to get management to fund your project is to wave lots of shiny things in front of the managers which play to their desired outcomes. Tell them they can achieve the stars, but they need to get on the road now, because it's a journey, and they like to be on-board for journeys.
We should not forget that the vast majority of people have no idea what their employees, peers and managers really do all day, they have little grasp of reality, and assume that because they have seen it on TV or in the Cinema it must be possible. No one, especially managers, likes to admit they do not understand something being presented, so often, rather than question a claim, they accept it, just in case they might seem stupid.
We should also remember that just because something seems possible, it doesn't mean someone is doing it, or for that matter even if it is definitely possible, they are doing it. So next time someone tells you X is happening, ask yourself, "How does that work then, Ted" and then How, much and how many.