I have been thinking about false flags. According to Wikipedia: “The contemporary term false flag describes covert operations that are designed to deceive in such a way that activities appear as though they are being carried out by entities, groups, or nations other than those who actually planned and executed them. Historically, the term “false flag” has its origins in naval warfare where the use of a flag other than the belligerent’s true battle flag before (but not while) engaging the enemy has long been accepted as a permissible ruse de guerre; by contrast, flying a false flag while engaging the enemy constitutes perfidy. Operations carried out during peace-time by civilian organizations, as well as covert government agencies, can (by extension) also be called false flag operations if they seek to hide the real organization behind an operation”.

One of the most poignant examples of false flag attacks in recent days is that on the German Reichtag building in 1933. While the then German Leader blamed it on enemies of the State, historians reckon that it was a ruse which he had instrumented, with sinister intent to suspend civil liberties, quash opposition and consolidate power. That he was successful in all those aims is now regarded as historical fact. There has no doubt been many a false flag operation since then, which has provided an excuse for some of those behind those operations to be able to implement their agenda. Some claims are a matter for conspiracy theorists to debate, such as US government / deep state interests being partly down to the 9/11 attacks as a means of gaining support to go to war with Iraq, then Libya, then the Yemen and now Syria – and then WW3 maybe!?

In my recent post, I asked the question “What is going on in Syria?” This was in the light of the recent chemical attacks, which the US authorities attributed to the Assad regime and the retaliation by the US military by bombing a Syrian airbase. What will happen next is anyone’s guess but given escalation of tensions all out war is a strong possibility – and then what? Having checked out a variety of sources it seems opinion is divided both on who instigated the attack and whether the US response was the right one. I have no doubt that Assad is not a fit ruler (much as Saddam Hussein wasn’t) but I do doubt if it was he who instigated the attacks and fear that unsubstantiated claims were used as the pretext for the American retaliation. I also wonder where this will lead. It is evident that the airbase that was attacked gave protection to a nearby Christian dominated town that is now more liable to rebel attacks and horrible oppression. Longer term, recent Middle East history tells us that whenever an unacceptable ruler is deposed, e.g. Hussein and Gadaffi, a vacuum is created and something worse fills it. The question is begged: can we justify the loss of life that escalating tensions will lead to and the refugee crisis?

I am no pacifist and believe there is an argument for a just war – I have little doubt declaring war on Germany in 1939 was a good example. I also believe it is a hard call, who to fight and who not, given all round the world nasty oppressors inflict suffering on the innocent, and if I were God I would get rid of them all and replace them with the good guys – but I am not and neither is the likes of the USA when operating in hawk mode. And if one was to decide to fight, consideration should be given on the aftermath and how to win the peace, something that too often has not happened of late. There is room for debate as to what the USA and their allies (e.g. the UK) should do but one thing I do believe, doing something you have been tempted to do for all sorts of reasonable reasons in the past should NOT now be done based on a false flag! It is often said that truth is the first casualty of war, which leads me to think how important it is to get to the truth before war happens.