International Espionage

Two recent articles in the Ottawa Citizen hint at the world of international politics as a web of intrigue- genuine 007 Bond style espionage and related activity.

The first article which ran on October 27, 2009, “Not her Brother’s Keeper,” tells of Juanita Castro, sister of Cuban presidents, who reveals her employment under the CIA against her brothers in her recent memoir, “Fidel and Raul, My Brothers, the Secret History.” She describes how she helped people persecuted by her brothers’ government to escape. Although she was working against her brothers, she refused to take part in any violence against them or any member of their government.

I do not suspect Juanita Castro was a double agent, or question her motives for going against her brothers, but when payment and benefits are included, one must consider that they may also be accepting benefits from the other side. Espionage can become a very tangled web. Perhaps an even more pressing question is who is spying on out government? Certainly the world of espionage is not a one way street.

On a separate matter of international intrigue we see a different type of tangled web. In the October 29, 2009 issue of the Ottawa Citizen an article ran which links Afghan president’s brother to the CIA of the United States. (“Ahmed Karzai on CIA payroll, report alleges.”)

Although Karzai the half brother of the president is accused of being a prominent opium trafficker and involved in the fraudulent election in the summer, there are claims that he receives payment from the CIA. Although he denies accepting CIA payments some US officials said he operates paramilitary strike forces in conjunction with the CIA. This includes raids on suspected terrorists. He is also alleged to be a go-between between the US and Taliban sympathizers who might change.

The tangled web of international political entanglement is within the US itself. Although the CIA considers Karzai helpful for counter terrorism activities, the US State Department feels this is counter to their aim of building a stronger central government with Afghan support. The article also noted the disconnection with Obama’s administration of targeting corruption.
In the world of international political entanglement, the web of problems and solutions is clearly not always simply in the country where the problem is aimed to be solved. International interconnectivity is everywhere!