The article is titled "Systemic Destabilization in Recent American History: 9/11, the JFK Assassination, and the Oklahoma City Bombing as a Strategy of Tension," and it looks at historical examples of the national security state committing what Lance deHaven-Smith calls "state crimes against democracy." Scott writes:
I wish to propose that America, as well as Europe, has also suffered from a similar series of false-flag structural deep events, including bombings, that have, in conformity with the same strategy of tension, systematically moved America into its current condition, a state of emergency.There are a few key terms here. One you should understand is "false flag." You should also understand from these readings what the "strategy of tension" is. How does the strategy of tension complicate the ability of the average person to define "the state"? In other words, Americans live under the cloak of democracy, but within that system is a massive apparatus that acts in secret and not always for "democratic" reasons; so, what do we mean when we talk about "the state"?
This is the last blog post before the midterm exam. I will wait until after the exam to post the next one.
This article talks about the idea that there are covert military operations designed to deceive the masses by suggesting that certain events were carried out by other entities or nations, rather than those actually responsible. In other words, certain entities are framing others for personal gain. This is accomplished by using tactics that aim to divide, manipulate and control public opinion, otherwise know as strategy of tension. Tactics such as fear, psychological warfare, disinformation and propaganda can achieve these strategic aims.
ReplyDeleteThe article suggests that the strategy of tension complicates the average persons ability to define “the state,” because of the confusion between the state and democracy. Scott says that, “Democracy is after all a form of the state in which the people’s freedoms and power is constitutionally guaranteed by the state.” So if the state is responsible for the people’s freedoms, who is to say whether the methods implemented to do so are for the peoples well being or not? If people feel that their personal freedoms are not being protected, but rather sacrificed for the state and its belief in “the greater good,” then this definition of State can be described primarily as a controller of democracy. However, I agree with Scott that there is a public state, “that is dedicated to fostering the welfare, rights and upward power of the people inside and outside government.” The distinction between the two is something that must be considered when talking about “the state.”
This article addresses the issue of secretive military and governmental actions against democracy. These incidents - bombings and in effect murders - shaped the view that Italian citizens attained and that some maintain still, that their government has wronged them. These tactics are dirty; using fear, indoctrination, and ignoring what they have done makes these right-wing extremists appear not only harsh and tyrannical, but cowardly as well. These bombings were staged to discredit the Italian leftists. Different approaches could have been taken. In a democracy, ideally opposing parties discuss their differences democratically, sometimes simply agreeing to disagree. These events - and many others - are not actually conspiratorial events. Guilt had been admitted while war criminals and politicians were being arrested. This is important information for the public to be aware of. If this has happened in the recent past, what might happen in the near future?
ReplyDeleteTurning the focus to more local events, many officials including structural engineers have expressed their concerns about the damage done simply by external forces in the Oklahoma City Bombings and 9-11.Being that the government will not speak on behalf of themselves in order to set the record straight, all of these concerns are considered conspiracy theories. I, for one, subscribe to the thought that there is more to the 9-11 story than just a tragic plane crash led by a terrorist group.
In conclusion, I agree with the author of this article. I believe that there is a face that government - not only USA's - shows to its public, and one that it wears behind closed doors. I believe that the government knows more than they admit to knowing, and in order to find out what they know, we must persist and insist that they share their knowledge. This being said, we have a responsibility to act in a respectable manner, exercising not only our rights, but our responsibilities first and foremost. This is democracy we are fighting for after all, something promised to us by those who are now robbing us of this freedom.
Strategy of tension is the ability of government to divide and manipulate the public opinion using propaganda and disinformation to achieve their strategic aims. This can bring into question exactly what is considered a “state.” Take the United States for example, it is a democratic country based around the people’s fundamental rights and freedom. However in the examples posed by Scott, he implies that the government seeks control of the people through catastrophic events such as the Oklahoma Bombing or 9/11 terrorist attacks. After the 9/11 attack, the American government created the Patriot Act in order to counter terrorist attacks. It allows the government and law enforcements to record communication such as phone calls and gathers foreign intelligence within the United States. When these decisions are made by and elite number of government people it could be considered false flag. Even though we are being made to believe that the citizens are making these decisions, it may be the manipulation of a small group of people appearing to represent the state. The state can often be referred to as a small elite group of people that control the government and the country on behalf of all the citizens as a “whole.” When strategic tension occurs it gives this ability to a small upper power through fear and manipulation. It is possible to consider the use terror management as a type of strategic tension. Often times when we refer to the state we are actually referring to the elite group of people calling the shots on behalf of everyone.
ReplyDeletePeter Dale Scott's relation between Italian and American governmental deception are interesting and seemingly valid. His approach to deciphering controversial historical events seems well informed, and in this sense becomes a much more believable conspiracy theorist (in comparison to people such as Alex Jones). The article is discussing the apparent manipulation of laws and regulations by means of so-called inside jobs. The article discusses the different allegations of use of terror management to achieve politically beneficial means. Examples being the 9/11 attack to be used to achieve new governmental policies. Horrific events are needed as a way to allow policies to be changed, as citizens are less likely to challenge these apparent security improvements or in a regular context unjust actions (war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan). Information provided in these contexts seem to answer far more questions than that of accredited information regarding large historic events, and i think that the public needs to start acknowledging these conspiracy theories, and challenging their own sacred beliefs. After reading this article I'm very interested in reading more written works by Peter Dale Scott.
ReplyDeleteThis article out lines more cases in which it seems the government is responsible for these "deep events". It seems alot like the reading of SCAD's. Here the actions or bombing that are taking place are creating fear in the public, in turn causing them to turn towards their government and believe what is happening to be that of one person acting irrationallly. Since the public is being manipulated using fear tactics It makes it difficult for the average person to define the state. They are being blinded by these events and consider the government to be the state, however, clearly what can be defined as the state are those who are behind these acts, and those with an intense amount of power.
ReplyDeleteThere is much more going on with the "State" than the average person realizes. For example, in Italy (as mentioned in the article) the US contributed to the bombings that occurred. Scott's idea of the desire, by the government/military, to keep the population controlled by the Strategy of Tension is attainable by "deep events". These deep events keep the population in a frantic mode, easily manipulated by those in control. By keeping the tension and the frantic mode, those in control can gain what they want by providing a scapegoat of that particular deep event. Society believes that the State is their head, and is what protects them. Based on this article, however, that is not always necessarily true. There is usually a bigger goal for the State, and it tends to cause chaos as a means of getting what it wants. This allows there to be an almost veil between what society thinks the State is and what the State actually is.
ReplyDeleteIt is confusing for an individual to define “the state” when activities conducted by state are not in the will or knowledge of the people. The reason confusion arises is due to the fact that “the state” is to conduct missions that are known and supported by the majority of its constituents not to take part in missions that citizens have no knowledge of. For a country to be democratic the government acts for the people, without the people’s will the government can no longer exist. Furthermore for a government to engage in secretive work that has no consent of the people results into undemocratic conduct. It’s difficult for an individual to comprehend the fact that the state they see themselves apart of is the state that conducts unethical missions. The state no longer means a governing power that acts upon the will of the people instead it’s an overwhelming power that undermines the people’s voice and acts for its own interest. Throughout this article this notion was shown, where the state used strategy of tension to carry out unjustifiable operations. The way in which the state tries to cover up or hide the operations conducted is another reason why it’s no longer a state of the people but of those in power. The state means a body of powerful individuals who are elected by citizens but behind closed doors conduct missions that are undemocratic and unethical.
ReplyDeleteThe article by Peter Dale Scott has connected all the “deep events” between Italy and America. The article by Peter Dale Scott has stated “deep events” in the states as governments performing secret operation that cause great destruction amongst people of the country and they blame on factors like terrorism, controversies arise because the governments are not able to answer to the citizens According to the article tension builds to what is “state” because of the mix up between state and democracy. He defines democracy as a form of a state in which people have been given freedoms and power. So in contrast democracy is responsible to safety of its citizens rather it is seen being sacrificed for personal benefits, so what state becomes group of elite people that control the government and the country on behalf of all the citizens as a “whole.” When strategic tension occurs it gives this ability to the powerful to take advantage of the fear among the people. It becomes very clear that the elite or powerful use terror tactics or “deep events” like 9\11, JFK assassination are used to keep control of the entire state in hand.
ReplyDeleteThis article is primary focused on the governments military and secret powers against democracy. Dale stated the "deep" events that could somehow link between Italy and the U.S. The main reason why people are confused is because "the state" is operating missions that only majority of constituents agree to but the public still have no knowledge. He defines democracy as a state which people are given freedom and have a significant voice. But the government to engage in secret missions is the opposite of a democratic country. In the article it also discusses how the state uses tension and terror to proceed with these unjustifiable actions. Therefore thats why we have a hard time defining and keeping the definition of the "state." In todays world a "state" is powerful individuals that are deceiving and are performing unethical and undemocratic acts.
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ReplyDeletePeter Dale Scott's hypothesis regarding 'deep politics' is certainly disconcerting and worrisome. The insinuation that governments of democratic nation states aid in the planning/support of these types of calamities based on ulterior political motives is not just morally and ethically wrong, its deprave. The 60's was a tumultuous time for the United States as a nation. The civil rights movement, the Vietnam war, the fear of Soviet Russia and the spread of Communism caused a great deal of civil unrest. It's relatively common knowledge that the C.I.A operates within the "grey" area of the law to perform it's duties. However, actively planning and carrying out bombings, coups, and toppling foreign governments for ones that are more favorable to the United States is fundamentally wrong. I think every citizen should question its governments ulterior motives when major events like those listed in the article take place.
ReplyDeleteThe strategy of tension is the State’s attempt to manipulate and deceive the public in order to legitimize and pass legislation that is slowly stripping away the rights and freedoms, which democracy is built from. Scott creates a very stark comparison between Italian events and relatively current American events. His attempt to describe how the Oklahoma City Bombing, 1999 WTC Bombing and 9/11 all relate back to the strategy of tension as used in Italy is a very provocative idea. Scott continues to discuss SCADs and how he believes that they are oversimplified theories as to what he believes are sometimes much more complicated situations. The strategy of tension used in Italy was to prevent communism to take hold of Italian government. Now, in America the strategy is used to guide citizens toward the realization that the government needs to maintain security at the cost of freedoms. He ends his article with a call to arms of sorts, He reminds us how Italy persevered and defeated the strategy of tension in their state through a cooperative and devoted push by media, politicians, courts and most importantly the citizens. He encourages us to not just accept what the state tells us, but to research the evidence and find the truth ourselves. He harkens back to the people who were killed trying to end the strategy of tension in Italy and that we must be brave and work together.
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ReplyDeleteI found this article to be quite interesting but not so much surprising in the sense that the government or in this case, the military too, might actually be somehow involved. It talks about how the authority is not as truthful as they may present themselves to be. When “Deep Events” occur, such as the bombing of the Piazza Fontana in 1969, tactics like propaganda is used to convince the citizens that the government/military is no way involved. Peter Dale Scott’s idea is that the government participates in such “deep events” in order to strike fear and to pretty much get what they want. In some of the most recent and tragic catastrophes like the 911 bombings of the Two Towers, many people were skeptical of the actual events that lead up to the bombings; and still today many people world wide blame the government of the United States. I do not feel that many lives need to be lost in order for the government to be “in control” of its own people. I find this causes nothing but chaos and mistrust in the government. In order for democracy to work in a country, people vote for what they want and the government follows through. But with such secretive missions, it’s difficult for the people to truly believe in the work of their government.
ReplyDeleteThe strategy of tension is a way for the government to separate and divide the public’s opinion by using propaganda and false information. What I like about this article is the delivery of the material and it shows examples of where "deep events" have happened and there is actual proof. It shows us that the US government had helped bomb places in Italy for the greater good of the US. It just shows you that there is two sides to governments. The noble trustworthy side they portray and the horrible side we only catch small glimpses of and rarely are those people brought to justice. How can we trust a government that has these secret forces that does not have to abide by the law at their fingertips? I think it is hard for the average person to define the state when the lines are blurred.
ReplyDeleteThe article talks about ‘strategy of tension’ which describes events used by the government to enact policies that drastically affects the general public and often times repress their rights. Scott states that ‘deep events’ which are caused by bombings, terrorists threats and other events that causes false flags result in the government taking it upon themselves to enact laws that suppresses their constitution. He insists that the shadow government or America’s covert agencies carry out or support these events which results in strategic predetermined actions by the government. Such talks of how the government works behind its curtains might confuse the average American as to how they view the ‘state’ in a broad perspective. It creates false beliefs that government actions are only results of such deep events to protect itself from the harm rather than the government carrying out these events to protect its interests. In the end, Scott differentiates the State and Democracy and how the State enacts democracy. I think that when we talk about the state, we talk about the government as a whole and how it uses its power to implement a so called democracy, a government for the people by the people. But as the government use its powers to implement legislation that affect its citizens without their consent, it is difficult to distinguish how the state guaranties democracy for its people. In the end, it is up to us to determine how these deep events affect us and our democratic rights rather than letting the government proceed in enacting laws that benefits a few rather than many.
ReplyDeleteIn this article, Peter Dale Scott expresses how far the government will go to gain more control over their people. We see this with the Oklahoma bombing and 9/11, after all these events the government looks to achieve a new policy. An example of this is after 9/11 where immediately after they are seeking a new policy, which would give them more control and not have people questions their actions. Peter Scott also talks about how the government uses tactics like fear, indoctrination and propaganda to manipulate the public. I do believe that the government has two faces, one for the public, which you can call the good side and of course their business face. This article makes you think lf the government is giving us freedom or taking it away.
ReplyDeletePeter Dale Scott sheds light on the undemocratic actions that have been taking place in the United States government, as well as in Italy. The use of “strategy of tension” facilitates the systematic dismemberment of the democratic rights of the country. As we learned in class, the use of an immediate external threat can act as a sufficient blindfold to keep people from seeing what it is the government is actually up to. It is disturbing thinking of how those who are responsible of upholding the rights of the people are slowly stripping them away. It also makes one question the future of such a country. Obviously those who are pulling the strings from behind the scenes are more that proficient at deflecting blame, otherwise more people would know about this. Or perhaps it is the inability of the people to accept something beyond their belief structure that is keeping them from seeing what is pretty much happening right before their eyes.
ReplyDeleteI am a big fan of the states in terms of entertainment like movies, tv shows, and sports. However, ever since doing my own research on conspiracy theories in jr. high I began to mistrust the government of the USA. Too many of their dealing are shady and too "perfect" for them to be coincidental. The cases in this article further enhance my suspicions and doubts about the true goal of their government. The similarity in MO between the Oklahoma bombing and 9/11 is astounding. I agree with the author when he said, "mobilize public opinion against the state." But, that is also a hard thing to do when the world leaders can easily influence our decisions with the "entertainment" I am so fond of from the US.
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