If one were to peruse the conspiracy theory spectrum on the internet, it becomes glaringly obvious that America is the culprit in most cases. One doesn't have to look much further that Moscow to understand where many conspiracy theories originate. As an example of the extremes that the KGB would go the following are examples of stories that were planted by the KGB.
As part of their biological weapons research project at Fort Detrick, Maryland, the United States had supposedly invented HIV/AIDS. This was a basis for “Infektion”, a KGB disinformation campaign. he Soviets Union deployed this campaign to undermine the US's credibility, boost anti-Americanism, isolate America abroad and also create tensions between host countries and the US over the presence of American military bases that were often targeted as the cause of the AIDS outbreaks in the local population. Even though former Soviet prime minister Yevgeni Primakov admitted to KGB involvement in creating the story the “Aids Conspiracy Theory” is still quite popular having gained a life of its own and a wide network of supporters.
United States interventionism is usually blamed for the fervent anti-American sentiment in the Muslim world. The anti-Americanism had been generously fueled by the Soviet KGB as well. Exploiting existing antipathies towards the US was an easy and logical way to enhance the antagonism with added disinformation. Taking advantage of US mistakes in foreign policy by emphasizing them was an effective tool for the KGB. Yuri Andropov, the head of the KGB in the 1960's was tasked with reviving anti-semitism in tandem with anti-Americanism amongst Arabs and Persians. The Message was that America is ruled by Jews. The legend included that the Palestinian Liberation Front was founded and trained by the KGB . Books were published which proved that the Zionists, Isrealis and Americans were the greatest threat to peace.
The anti-Americanism in the Muslim world can be easily explained by pointing at US interventionism. The rage is widespread and deeply embedded. A closer look will show that it's amply boosted by the Soviet/Russian intelligence services.
The KGB was very skillful at finding existing antagonisms and distorting them with customized disinformation. Finding Washington's mistakes in foreign policy and blowing them up into larger issues was another KGB tactic.
Mihai Pacepa, a former KGB agent, in a book “Disinformation”, explained years ago, that KGB boss Juri Andropov was tasked with reviving anti-semitism to coincide with the anti-Americanism amongst Persians and Arabs. It was necessary to reinforce the “Jews rule Washington” mantra amongst Muslims. Thus the “Palestine Liberation Army” was formed, trained by the KGB special ops. Israelis, Zionists and Americans were exposed as the world's mots dangerous threat to world peace in books that were published. The US was depicted as being ruled by the “Council of the Wise Elders of Zion” aiming to take over the world.
In the early 1970s an Arabic translation of the old Russian forgery “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” was distributed by the KGB. At the same time “authentic documentary material” produced by the Soviets in Arabic was disseminated proving that America was in reality A Zionist country whose goal was to transform the Islamic world into a Jewish fiefdom.
This decades old campaign is in all probability being continued still. Intelligence circles say that the Danish “Mohammed cartoon” affair of 2005, which precipitated outrage and violence worldwide, was actually orchestrated by the SVR. KGB defector Oleg Kalugin has publically stated that the KGB often used Danish journalists as perceived sources for disinformation and agitation propaganda. Kalugin has stated that it is known that the Jyllands Posten editor who commissioned the cartoons was a correspondent to Moscow and had published several Russian propaganda articles against Chechnya. The editor was also married to the daughter of a KGB officer. The widespread outrage the cartoons were able to elicit could not have been generated by any other propaganda campaign.
Is Russia still using cold war tactics? Witness the disinformation campaign about the authenticity of Ukrainians in pursuing a course of Westernization. Moscow's robust efforts in trying to convince the world that the US is agitating normally pro-Russian ethnic Ukrainians to desert their natural socio-political home for a strange Western setting is a typical psy-ops tactic.
It's known that there are abundant ideas and theories planted into the Western mind by the KGB/SVR, the recognized experts at disinformation. Russia is still in competition for the hearts and minds of its near abroad, its former subjugated peoples. Why not use covert tools that have worked in the past?
Laas Leivat
