BEER (possible spoilers) -- PROMIS (by way of conclusion)

[Thomas Eckhardt]

The term "conspiracy theory" as it is currently employed is useless for 
discussing matters like the JFK assassination or 9/11 or, for that 
matter, PROMIS because:

a) It allows to lump together people who believe that we are governed by 
shape-shifting reptilians with people who believe that there are some 
legitimate questions about the JFK assassination or 9/11 that need to be 
answered.

b) It does not account for the fact that the official versions of these 
"deep events" (Peter Dale Scott) are often also conspiracy theories -- 
if they are not lone gunman theories, of course.

c) There are conspiracies (see MK-Ultra, Gladio, Operation Condor, 
Iran-Contra).

The terms we need to use instead, I submit, are "deep politics" or 
"parapolitics". Broadly speaking, these terms refer to the secret 
services (or to "rogue agents" like Theodore Shackley or Edwin Wilson) 
collaborating with right wing terrorists (Gladio), or criminals (the 
mob, drug traffickers, weapons smugglers) in order to fund black 
operations to further political ends.


By way of example, as I do not want to always pick on the CIA and the NSA:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/nov/16/german-neo-nazi-security-service-scandal

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/nov/18/how-german-neo-nazis-evaded-police

What the Guardian reports is only the tip of an iceberg. Meanwhile, 
files have been destroyed or withheld by the security services, 
potential witnesses have mysteriously committed suicide etc. The theory 
that this was exclusively a conspiracy to murder by three neo-nazis, two 
of whom are now dead under -- you already suspected it, didn't you? -- 
mysterious circumstances, which has been accepted and is supported by 
much of the media, is ridiculous on its face.


The beginning of deep politics in the modern era, for all intents and 
purposes, was when the US decided to make a deal with Lucky Luciano in 
order to support the invasion of Italy. Pynchon addresses the episode in 
BE in typical light-hearted manner at the bottom of p. 66.

So, beneath the frantic wisecracking in BE lies the echo chamber, or 
hall of mirrors, of deep politics, where not much can ever be proven but 
almost anything seems possible. The mention of PROMIS provides a glimpse 
into one particular area of deep politics. So do the references to 
Montauk or to time-travelling child-assassins (ignore the bit about 
time-travelling and you have Slothrop and the Manchurian Candidate, i. 
e. MK-Ultra).

Each one of these references needs to be taken seriously and 
investigated, sources and all.

By the way, what happened to the group read?

Thomas

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Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l