Linked from the original thread here, which was closed for unknown reasons.
The point was raised that it is seemingly illogical for the CIA or their ilk to instigate popular revolution, reason being that its course would be difficult to control. I challenge that notion. To use a narrative from my own story, I draw a parallel to the "People Power" or EDSA Revolutions of 1986 in the Philippines that ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
The revolution, which involved the Community Party of the Philippines, the labour movement, military defectors, and many elite landowners, is usually taken for granted as the culmination of a long struggle against a brutal despot. What isn't acknowledged is the tremendous logistical endeavour undertaken by the CIA to position its chess pieces just so, the result being that a rich landowner with no business leading a country, who did not represent the people by any stretch of the imagination, was installed as the next president.
The CIA was accutely aware of the growing popular disgust with Marcos. They hatched a plan to subvert any possible bottom-up movement by launching their own facsimile. From the book "The Marcos Legacy Revisited", with an excerpt linked here:
Brandon Foley...a political officer (another term for CIA agents at that time) of the U.S. Embassy...he disclosed to me that there was a secret operation plan to oust Marcos, and that men like Jose Concepcion of RFM and the Ayalas were being used as conduits to access the smooth flow of funds to finally bring an end to the Marcos authoritarian government.
Jim likewise mentioned the involvement of Cardinal Jaime Sin, whose role was to draw a large crowd of supporters and sympathizers in the event that a blocking force was needed.
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He was ably assisted by a former executive of the World Council of Churches, Jovito Salonga. Salonga was brought back to the Philippines under escort of the U.S. State Department.
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In Coleman's estimation, Salonga was to take Mrs. Aquino and this Protestant ‘will cut a deal with the Marxist New People's Army (NPA).' Although this did not materialize because of Salonga's poor health, Coleman was still partly correct. Another fellow Protestant filled in his shoes (Fidel V. Ramos) and has quite successfully negotiated peace with the Communists!
There is additional information in that excerpt into why exactly the CIA wanted to depose Marcos. He was champing at the bit. There is evidence to suggest that Mubarak exhibited the same behaviour, which can be read in these Egypt Wikileaks cables.
It was wrongfully stated in the previous thread that I am a racist. A tablet of skepticism should follow everything we digest and these revolutions in N. Africa/Middle East should be no exception.
The CIA can and will instigate popular revolution as they see fit. In the above example, the goal was to install a puppet president. The Philippines today is probably the most impoverished nation of Southeast Asia and never became white tiger. The seeds were planted long before Marcos, but the plant changed its appearance under Corazon Aquino.
Is it farfetched to assume that if El Baradei becomes leader of Egypt, that he won't be another Aquino?