Frequently, consumers of Russian disinformation who are Libertarian seem fixated on the idea of gold and bitcoin as replacement for the US dollar as a global reserve currency. Ron Paul has specifically called out bitcoin as a great way to “destroy the dollar”. This has been a stated objective of Vladimir Putin since at least 2009. In this vein, the well-known ‘gray-market internet entrepreneur’ (and criminal) Kim Dotcom is an interesting case study which shows the nexus between internet-based Libertarian voices hyping bitcoin and Russian information warfare / disinformation. It would seem to be a reciprocally cooperative agreement. Continue reading “The Bitcoin-Russian Information Warfare Nexus”
Alt-Right Conservative Active Measures
Project Veritas. Alabama robocalls. The CNN Donald Trump Jr.-WikiLeaks story? Is the era of ‘conservative active measures’ on the media upon us? I dare say so. Gird yourself for a wild ride, as it can only get worse with nobody doing anything about it in the government.
Conjuring is Conspiracy (Theory)
When dealing with folks who describe themselves as magicians, you’ll often find that they describe themselves as “conjurers” as well. In the collective imagination, the word conjuring evokes spells, incantations, and the summoning of spirits.
Interestingly, the origin of the word conjure actually comes from the Latin coniurare or conjūrāre, which means the act of forming conspiracy.
Dictionary.com word origin: C13: from Old French conjurer to plot, from Latin conjūrāre to swear together, form a conspiracy, from jūrāre to swear
The Politics of Russian Nationalisms
I just finished reading this declassified October 1991 CIA intelligence assessment about Russia which emphasizes the relationship between conservative nationalism and Russian Orthodox state ideals. The document highlights the close interplay between anti-Semitism and Russian nationalism. It even accurately (and presciently) describes the Russian rationale behind the Crimea invasion, framed in the context of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s Eurasianism (p. 16/23). This perspective seems useful in describing what post-Communist Russia has become, as well as the generally reactionary stance of the Putin regime. It can also go a long way towards explaining the propaganda from the 9/11 (September 11, 2001) timeframe of anti-Semitism and Nostradamus as being revanchist-Russian in origin.
Princes of Darkness: The Tale of Dracula and Ivan the Terrible
One of Russia’s first “belletristic texts” (and potentially its first novel) was The Tale of Dracula. This book had a tremendous impact on the leadership of Ivan the Terrible (Ivan IV); who cultivated a Russian national mythology which still persists. In understanding Russian revanchist strategy, this is important.
Continue reading “Princes of Darkness: The Tale of Dracula and Ivan the Terrible”
Well, that was awkward Russia (JFK document release)
Most people who know about potential Russian involvement in the JFK assassination know that Lee Harvey Oswald was married to a Russian, spoke Russian, spent time in the Soviet Union, met with both Cuban and Russian intelligence shortly before the assassination, and may have even left messages for his wife which contained KGB code words.
Continue reading “Well, that was awkward Russia (JFK document release)”
The Third Man – Early Anti-American Cold War Propaganda
The Orson-Welles starring, Alexander Korda produced, Carol Reed directed, and Graham Greene screenwritten film, ‘The Third Man’ (1949) is regarded as one of the best espionage films of all time. In short however, it is also likely in retrospect to be a piece of anti-American propaganda. (Suggestion: Listen to the nifty theme music below while you read the blog.)
Continue reading “The Third Man – Early Anti-American Cold War Propaganda”
Mark Twain’s Connections to the Greatest Mississippi Riverboat Disasters of the 19th Century
Everyone loves Mark Twain (nee Samuel Clemens). He was even one of the first popular American authors to be popular in Russia of all places. While he was in fact one of the first Americans to meet the Czar of Russia, he was also later popular with the Bolsheviks who prized his revolutionary stances. He remains a popular literary figure there to this day.
Dracula as Propaganda
This poster accompanies: “Marxist Dracula meets Vlad the Impaler and the Propaganda Men“. I presented this poster at the 2017 ECCWS conference in Dublin Ireland.
Russian Active Measures and September 11 2001: Nostradamus-Themed Disinformation?
Here is the first paper I published in a peer-reviewed publication on the subject of Russian cyber warfare and active measures on September 11, 2001. The focus was on the linkage between the strange search engine results which saw Nostradamus become the top gaining search of all of 2001, and stemming from a series of online hoaxes. At this point, I have generally improved all aspects of this argument, although I have no concerns about the continued correctness of content in this article. My agreement with the publisher allows me to post it on my personal blog or website.
Abstract:
The early English-language promoters of Nostradamus (Orson Welles and Erika Cheetham) had strong Leftist-Marxist connections including ties to the Cambridge 5 spy ring. Nostradamus was the top search anomaly of Sept 11, 2001. Interest was driven by a surge in emails and text messages via the internet. This behavior is discussed in relation to known cyber threats from 2001. Similar spikes in Nostradamus searches (Google Trends) emanated from Poland (April 2010), Ukraine (March 2014), and in Hungary (August 2015). Nostradamus mirrors proven Russian disinformation operations, such as those that today implicate 9/11 as being an “inside job” by the US government, or that the CIA killed JFK, or that the CIA engineered the AIDS virus. Noting Nostradamus’ use by both the Allies and the Axis powers as a psychological warfare tool in World War 2, the case is made that it was the Russians carrying out an “information attack” on 9/11 that is consistent with Russian cyber warfare and active measures strategy; and that they may have used similar techniques elsewhere since 2001.