Opinion Written by Graham Rucker
The idea that a government would attack its own country may, to some, seem absolutely absurd. ‘False Flag’ operations by most are often denounced, chopped up and thrown into the bucket of conspiracy theories; although it has been applied in and to many acts of terrorism throughout foreign and domestic history. This notion is undoubtedly a controversial assertion, coupled with too many examples that are egregiously extreme and total nonsense, ‘false flag’ tactics have been employed in warfare and espionage for a long time and at the very least recorded since World War II.
Some of the most famous ‘false flag’ operation are perhaps Operation Gladio code-name for a NATO operation in Italy during the Cold War and Operation Susannah aka the Levon Affair. Operation Gladio was conceived and birthed, in essence, when the UK and the US decided to create and carryout paramilitary actions in post-war Europe to counter the Soviet invasion through guerrilla warfare. It is widely speculated that the Gladio and the CIA played a part in the Years of Leads in Italy and terrorists attacks during this time.
Operation Susannah was carried out in Egypt during the Summer of 1954. Some Egyptian Jews were recruited by the Israeli military intelligence to carry out the ‘false flag’ operation by planting bombs inside Egyptian, American, and British-owned civilian targets, centers and common spaces. The attacks were to be blamed on the Muslim Brotherhood, Egyptian Communists and others with the aim of creating an environment full of violence and instability to provoke and cause the British government to retain its occupying troops in Egypt’s Suez Canal zone. The operation caused no casualties, except for one operative, Philip Natanson, who died when a bomb he was handling ignited prematurely in his pocket. Also two members of the cell committed suicide after being captured and two more operatives were tried, convicted, and executed by Egypt.
Countries attacking themselves do exist. After Israel publicly denied any involvement in the incident for 51 years, the surviving agents were officially honored in 2005 by being awarded certificates of appreciation by Israeli President Moshe Katzav along with information confirming the coup which was later declassified by the US government. Also during WWII, British double agents were given access and allowed to fire-bomb a power station in the UK to protect their cover. Documents confirming this were recently declassified and released stating that agents took precautions to ensure no serious damage and or harm was caused. In West Germany, in 1978, secret services breached and bombed the outer perimeter of the Celle prison. A Red Army Faction group was initially blamed however it soon emerged that the government in fact, had orchestrated the attack.
These are a few examples of ‘false flag’ operations that prove governments hide under the blanket of ‘conspiracy theories’. We must consider all aspects and not blindly follow what the government says, sometimes it’s too real to sound real.
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