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A former CIA spy has revealed his key role in the arrest of Nelson Mandela

thetimes.co.uk

31–40 of 297 posts

Re: A former CIA spy has revealed his key role in the arrest of Nelson Mandela

#31
post #9

> ...the world’s most dangerous communist... How fads change. Had it happened today, they would have called him a terrorist. Sadly, it's not really news that the U.S. only pay lip service to Democracy. After all, the dictator of our choice can guarantee our economic and military interests much better than any democratic regime.

>they would have called him a terrorist.

Actually the ANC (or at least a splinter group) did bomb civilian locations in a terror campaign so yes it was considered a terrorist organisation. Now they're considered the liberators/bringers of democracy. Hows that for a pivot hn?

Re: A former CIA spy has revealed his key role in the arrest of Nelson Mandela

#32

Well, sending him to jail helped make him an important figure. True, there's no way of knowing how it have gone otherwise Not to be demonized but not to be idolized as well

I'm curious, how did it help? I've always been under the impression that he succeeded despite the 27+ year prison time.

Re: A former CIA spy has revealed his key role in the arrest of Nelson Mandela

#33

Would South Africa be a better place if it had become a Russian-influenced Communist country? If Mandela was a secret operative for the communists in South Africa, as the local communist party claimed when he died, and as this former CIA operative has claimed, then he had to have known he was playing a tricky game. Ending apartheid, creating a communist paradise, pick one. [Edit] I know I'm being downvoted, but I als…

>If Mandela was a secret operative for the communists in South Africa

Pretty much all of the ANC has/had strong communist links since thats who sheltered those that went into exile. So I wouldn't say "secret operative"...

Re: A former CIA spy has revealed his key role in the arrest of Nelson Mandela

#34
I think it's interesting how the CIA's goal seems to be more or less "maintaining the status quo" in the global power struggle. This is obviously a useful thing to have, but if it gets too strong, how can we ever have the positive revolutions that have given us things like democracy?

Re: A former CIA spy has revealed his key role in the arrest of Nelson Mandela

#35
post #5

The CIA is the reason for most of the unstable regions and it's hard to understand how after messing with other places and making it worse for everybody but weapons manufacturers, they're still doing the same thing over and over. Previously it was the fight against Communism, now Islam, I wonder what it will be in 2020. Middle-east, Asia, South America, all are right to be very angry with the CIA, but turn it into a…

Osama Bin Laden told the US the reason for his fight (which is the origin of violent movements such as ISIS): American politics/interference in Muslim countries.

Do you see the pattern?

Re: A former CIA spy has revealed his key role in the arrest of Nelson Mandela

#36
post #9

> ...the world’s most dangerous communist... How fads change. Had it happened today, they would have called him a terrorist. Sadly, it's not really news that the U.S. only pay lip service to Democracy. After all, the dictator of our choice can guarantee our economic and military interests much better than any democratic regime.

> After all, the dictator of our choice can guarantee our economic and military interests much better than any democratic regime.

Yup, as soon as oil is involved pretty much anything is considered acceptable. Gaddafi, Iran, Iraq, the whole bunch of Arabian emirates... all countries where US (and British) influence either actively promoted dictators to power or let radical powers rise to power.

Funny enough, Saudi Arabia got all its riches from Western money, and a shitload of that money ended up at ISIS, al-Quaeda, Boko Haram - Western money used to fight the Western system.

Re: A former CIA spy has revealed his key role in the arrest of Nelson Mandela

#37
post #21
post #18

You know how we're still hunting down and jailing formers nazis and concentration camp guards? Why aren't we doing the same to these CIA agents and decision makers?

Because the United States of America didn't lose any wars, and winners make policy.

The US did: Vietnam. So what about Gulf of Tonkin?

Re: A former CIA spy has revealed his key role in the arrest of Nelson Mandela

#39
post #30
post #18

You know how we're still hunting down and jailing formers nazis and concentration camp guards? Why aren't we doing the same to these CIA agents and decision makers?

The US actually brought on a lot of nazis after WW2 to work with against the Soviets. American history is fun like that.

including Werhner Von Braun, the designer of the Saturn V and the inspiration for Dr. Strangelove

Re: A former CIA spy has revealed his key role in the arrest of Nelson Mandela

#40
post #11
post #5

The CIA is the reason for most of the unstable regions and it's hard to understand how after messing with other places and making it worse for everybody but weapons manufacturers, they're still doing the same thing over and over. Previously it was the fight against Communism, now Islam, I wonder what it will be in 2020. Middle-east, Asia, South America, all are right to be very angry with the CIA, but turn it into a…

Often wondered what the world would be like if there was an intelligence group that only did good.

Like a secret society? The web could create endless opportunities for shadowy groups to emerge.
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