The Short Sword of State Sponsored Terrorism

Produced in 1992 for the BBC by Director Alan Frankovich, the three part documentary ‘Operation Gladio’ reveals ‘Gladio’ (Italian for Gladius, a type of Roman short sword) is a code name for a clandestine NATO “stay-behind” operation in Italy after World War II, set up ostensibly to conduct anti-communist resistance in the event of a Warsaw Pact invasion of Western Europe.

According to a well documented and extensively referenced Wikipedia article “Although Gladio specifically refers to the Italian branch of the NATO stay-behind organisations, “Operation Gladio” is used as an informal name for all stay-behind organisations, sometimes called “Super NATO”.

This BBC series “is about a far-right secret army, operated by the CIA and MI6 through NATO, which killed hundreds of innocent Europeans and attempted to blame the deaths on Baader Meinhof, Red Brigades and other left wing groups. Known as ‘stay-behinds’ these armies were given access to military equipment which was supposed to be used for sabotage after a Soviet invasion. Instead it was used in massacres across mainland Europe as part of a CIA Strategy of Tension. Gladio killing sprees in Belgium and Italy were carried out for the purpose of frightening the national political classes into adopting U.S. policies.”

Jeffrey Kaye in a Seminal post Sunday March 28, 2010 notes that “When the invasion never occurred, the networks were not dismantled, but took on a different mission: to keep the left from gaining power in any of these states, from Sweden and Belgium to France, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Turkey and elsewhere.”

Jeff goes on in his post to note that “The sensationalistic charges have fed a number of conspiracy theories, particularly those around the existence of “false flag” government operations. Some have indicated they see the 9/11 attacks in this light, though I can’t say I have the kind of evidence to make such an assertion. But one can understand how any individual might come to seriously mistrust the U.S. government after learning of the Gladio history, which is extensive and well-documented.”

“Among other canards the Gladio story can put to rest is the silly belief that no large scale conspiracies can exist, at least in a so-called open, democratic society such as ours. And yet, Gladio proves that is not true. In fact, since the revelations of the early 1990s, there has been practically no discussion of this crucial aspect of contemporary history by U.S. historians or policy makers.”

Operation Gladio – Part One – “The Ringmasters”

Watch parts Two and Three below the fold…

Operation Gladio – Part Two – “The Puppeteers”

Operation Gladio – Part Three – “The Foot Soldiers”

17 comments

Skip to comment form

    • Edger on March 31, 2010 at 15:27
      Author

    identified as a state sponsor of terror be invaded?

  1. Scene: President Obama holding prime time Q & A with reporters.

    Obama: “Yes, Jeremy Scahill, Democracy Now”

    Scahill:    “Mr President, you are very learned and knowledgeable person, could you share with us a brief rundown of some of the False Flag operations perpetrated by governments over the past century.”

    Obama:  ( sound of crickets chirping comes over loud speakers)

    • Edger on April 1, 2010 at 16:07
      Author

    orange

  2. But the only ones I would want to do so are not strong enough yet. Venezuela, or maybe Cuba.

    It never ceases to amaze me how they managed to brainwash us into thinking communism, socialism and leftism is bad. People power, rather than an elite class.

    sigh

    • banger on April 2, 2010 at 00:26

    Too bad such thinking is not allowed in polite society. It’s not just the media. People get really upset and want to change the subject when you mention things like that no matter how logical or clear the argument it is usually ignored or they agree but change the subject. Yet the implications of something like Gladio are enourmous as are the assassinations of the 60’s

Comments have been disabled.