G
Good Doctor HST
Guest
I was just wondering the other day about how the U.S. sets up "Democracy" in countries, then sets up "Free Elections" so the people can select their leader, and all seems right..... as long as the free people select who they're supposed to. Otherwise, the plug is pulled on aid and trade, bombings, gruesome things all around (Keep your eyes on Palestine)
As I was re-reading "The Indispensible Chomsky" a couple days ago, I came across some related material (rigged elections overseas, U.S. supporting dictators...; Chomsky brings up NSC 1/1: The very first National Security Council directive, set up by George Kennan, a Truman strategist (a Karl Rove on steroids). Its title: "The Inauguration of Organized Political Warfare". The victim in this case... a rebuilding Italy. Some of its tenents to ensure fascist control:
(info from http://www.uscanada.org/Mistry1.html)
Indeed, the tactics utilised in Italy illuminate the range of initiatives Pol War involved and clearly represents the first example of its employment:
· Overt initiatives: Truman Doctrine, ERP, Western Union, political alliance with DC and PSLI.
· Covert initiatives: Clandestine money transfers to Italian parties for campaigning purposes, secret shipment of arms to bolster internal Italian security forces to help put down strikes, protests, and demonstrations (also offer to send military experts to train Italian security forces in case of an insurrection attempt).
· ‘White’ Propaganda led by Voice of America, USIS, AUSA, celebrating extent and generosity of American aid packages to Italy, and spreading ‘the truth’ to counter the ‘falsehoods’ of Communist propaganda. This is sustained by US Ambassador James Dunn who makes speeches while touring the country in a bid to redress the lack of US publicity.
· ‘Black’ Propaganda circulating falsehoods or half-truths intended to harm the PCI and put their campaign on the back foot.
· US aid ships arrive in Italian ports accompanied with great fanfare and publicity, ‘friendship train’ touring the country making highly publicised stops (both of which feature talks by Ambassador Dunn), a Hollywood variety show broadcast on state TV designed to appeal to Italian voters to reject the PCI, radio broadcasts by famous Americans and Americans of Italian heritage that do likewise.
· Psychological Impact: Threat to ban Italian immigration to the US if voters chose the PCI, Warnings of the termination of US aid (food and money) if Communists win elections, Letter writing campaigns organised by prominent Italian-American communities.
· Collaboration between the USG and essentially autonomous actors. This ranged from working with private banks and American Labour (AFL, CIO) to covertly channel money to anti-Communist Italian groups and penetrate the Italian Labour market, to a ‘religious alliance’ with the Vatican promoting a schism between the ‘Christian West’ and ‘Atheist East’.
Almost 60 years later, Kennan's dreams of total hegemony continue to soar....
As I was re-reading "The Indispensible Chomsky" a couple days ago, I came across some related material (rigged elections overseas, U.S. supporting dictators...; Chomsky brings up NSC 1/1: The very first National Security Council directive, set up by George Kennan, a Truman strategist (a Karl Rove on steroids). Its title: "The Inauguration of Organized Political Warfare". The victim in this case... a rebuilding Italy. Some of its tenents to ensure fascist control:
(info from http://www.uscanada.org/Mistry1.html)
Indeed, the tactics utilised in Italy illuminate the range of initiatives Pol War involved and clearly represents the first example of its employment:
· Overt initiatives: Truman Doctrine, ERP, Western Union, political alliance with DC and PSLI.
· Covert initiatives: Clandestine money transfers to Italian parties for campaigning purposes, secret shipment of arms to bolster internal Italian security forces to help put down strikes, protests, and demonstrations (also offer to send military experts to train Italian security forces in case of an insurrection attempt).
· ‘White’ Propaganda led by Voice of America, USIS, AUSA, celebrating extent and generosity of American aid packages to Italy, and spreading ‘the truth’ to counter the ‘falsehoods’ of Communist propaganda. This is sustained by US Ambassador James Dunn who makes speeches while touring the country in a bid to redress the lack of US publicity.
· ‘Black’ Propaganda circulating falsehoods or half-truths intended to harm the PCI and put their campaign on the back foot.
· US aid ships arrive in Italian ports accompanied with great fanfare and publicity, ‘friendship train’ touring the country making highly publicised stops (both of which feature talks by Ambassador Dunn), a Hollywood variety show broadcast on state TV designed to appeal to Italian voters to reject the PCI, radio broadcasts by famous Americans and Americans of Italian heritage that do likewise.
· Psychological Impact: Threat to ban Italian immigration to the US if voters chose the PCI, Warnings of the termination of US aid (food and money) if Communists win elections, Letter writing campaigns organised by prominent Italian-American communities.
· Collaboration between the USG and essentially autonomous actors. This ranged from working with private banks and American Labour (AFL, CIO) to covertly channel money to anti-Communist Italian groups and penetrate the Italian Labour market, to a ‘religious alliance’ with the Vatican promoting a schism between the ‘Christian West’ and ‘Atheist East’.
Almost 60 years later, Kennan's dreams of total hegemony continue to soar....