USA as Exporter of Terrorism

One of the documents Wikileaks has released is a report from a CIA internal think tank. Its titled "A Red Cell Memorandum".   Fascinating because it openly speaks of the US as an exporter of terrorism.  Now, from Vietnam to Central America to the Middle East, this is probably not a big surprise.  But its so 180 degrees different from the propaganda line that most Americans see and hear that everyone should read this report.  If you believe in America as a free society of free individuals, with a government that represents those free individuals, then its your duty as a citizen to know what your government is doing.

Contrary to common belief, the American export of terrorism or terrorists is not a recent phenomenon, nor has it been associated only with Islamic radicals or people of Middle Eastern, African or South Asian ethnic origin. This dynamic belies the American belief that our free, open and integrated multicultural society lessens the allure of radicalism and terrorism for US citizens.

Of course, since its a CIA report, its not talking about the CIA having Saddam Hussein killing people in Baghdad back in his mis-spent youth. Nor is it talking about killer drones firing missiles. Nor any of those mysterious bombs going off in Iran these days. What its referring to is the history of groups like Zionists or the IRA using Americans in their operations.

And of course, since its the CIA, they view the biggest threat as American Freedoms. There's a whole section on this titled ....

American Freedoms Facilitate Terrorist Recruitment and Operations

Mostly, this just reveals the strange mindset within the CIA. You see this when the report moves on to the repercussions of the US being perceived as an exporter of terrorism.

Impact on Foreign Relations if US Seen as “Exporter of Terrorism” (S//NF)

If the US were seen as an exporter of terrorism, foreign partners may be less willing to cooperate with the United States on extrajudicial activities, including detention, transfer, and interrogation of suspects in third party countries. As a recent victim of high-profile terrorism originating from abroad, the US Government has had significant leverage to press foreign regimes to acquiesce to requests for extraditing terrorist suspects from their soil. However, if the US were seen as an “exporter of terrorism,” foreign governments could request a reciprocal arrangement that would impact US sovereignty.

Note the part about how the US is a "recent victim of high profile terrorism originating abroad." What's their idea of 'recent'? This report is 'recent', dated Feb 2010. But 9-11 is nine years ago now. 9-11 is two wars ago. Gawd knows how many drone strikes ago.

But, if anytime one gets a glimpse inside the US military or intel organizations, one sees that propaganda about 9-11 is still very prevalent. Our soldiers and operatives are hyped up to go kill the enemy by constant reminders of 9-11. Its a standard part of the propaganda that gets the US to be going abroad to kill and maim those who don't submit to corporate rule. So, its interesting the way it pops up here.

The CIA views 9-11 as a recent attack that is still getting the US sympathy from abroad. Pretty much everyone else views that as something a long time ago, and that US actions since, mainly in starting two wars, have long since removed any sympathy the US gets from the rest of the world. What shows up in this report is the CIA mindset where they believe their own propaganda. And yes, we pay many millions of dollars to have our own propaganda given backed to us as top secret intelligence. And its the end of democracy as we know it if any of this is made public.

The report discusses the impacts of the US being perceived as an exporter of terrorism by talking about how other countries might expect policies like rendition to go both ways. Of course, in a peaceful and just world, just that would happen.

Of course, one reason the report veers in this direction is probably the innate fear that most employees of the CIA have of someday being held accountable in a non-US court.

Interestingly, the report then sites as an example the case in Italy where ....

If foreign regimes believe the US position on rendition is too one-sided, favoring the US, but not them, they could obstruct US efforts to detain terrorism suspects. For example, in 2005 Italy issued criminal arrest warrants for US agents involved in the abduction of an Egyptian cleric and his rendition to Egypt. The proliferation of such cases would not only challenge US bilateral relations with other countries but also damage global counter-terrorism efforts.

Of course, the CIA thinks that kidnapping someone off the streets of Italy and sending them to be tortured in Italy is just an example of fine and upstanding international behavior. The notion that Italy might actually try to enforce there local laws against kidnapping is only viewed as 'obstructing US efforts'.

Of course, a group that came from overseas and started kidnapping American citizens off the streets to be taken away to be tortured in some terrorist cell's dungeons would be a great outrage.

What the CIA is really afraid of is a world where it has to obey the law.