The Strategy of Tension
Is It About to Snap?
Beginning in 1965 and continuing for 20 years or thereabouts, the Italian government created and implemented the “strategy of tension.”
It worked – for the power structure if not the people - and could very well have provided the template for America’s “deep state” actions over the past decade.
At its core, the Italian strategy was meant to keep the public always afraid, always wary of yet another terrorist attack, either from the left or the right. Hence its version of the deep state – depressingly, pretty much the same organs that make up the United State’s version (intelligence, federal law enforcement, defense, dependent private entities, etc.) – funded/cooperated/encouraged both the far far left and far far right (the right more directly and more richly, the left getting winks and nods and the occasional tip off) to engage in terrorism to keep the public on edge.
From the Piazza Fontana bombing through the kidnapping of Aldo Moro by the Red Brigade and beyond, the real powers that be in Italy (just put aside the elected politicians creating and dismantling various governments every few weeks or months or so) were able to stay in place.
In theory, much of this strategy came about due to Italy’s place in Cold War politics, its having one of the largest national Communist parties, being on the literal front line of the conflict, and because of the residue of Mussolini (who were actual real fascists) supporters being scattered throughout the government.
In actual fact, the strategy was part and parcel of Operation GLADIO, a CIA “stay behind” operation in Italy that did everything – and that means everything – it could to keep Italy from going Red.
Side note - – a very funny episode of Archer references/explains GLADIO and deserves a watch – very NSFW but available on Netflix and Hulu – the episode is call “Lo Scandalo.”
In the end the “strategy of tension” was based on the tactics of terror, physical and psychological, economic and sociological.
So why does what a bunch of people in wonderful shoes did during the “Years of Lead” matter today?
Because: just how other deep state programs involving press manipulation, censorship social intimidation, physical unease, and financial pressure that were supposed to be only used overseas but ended up being used right here at home.
What happened in the U.S. over the past decade or so was the implementation, albeit in a somewhat softer vein, of the same strategy of tension.
There are many definitions and permutations of this strategy, a strategy that has been used by various governments of varying shades over centuries.
But the best description comes from someone who was involved: far-right bomber Vincenzo Vinciguerra.
He admitted his crime and was sentenced to life in prison – he killed three “Carabinieri” ( imagine the army plus the FBI) – but seemed to become disillusioned for the reason why, a reason he put down to manipulation by the state security apparatuses who were more interested in creating domestic tension rather than actually creating a new fascist state.
In a prison interview (see video above) he said the entire strategy was about creating fear in order to allow the Italian deep state to step in and offer more security – in exchange for less freedom.
Author Giovanni Fasanella offers a background theory as to why the concept “worked,” as it were.
In order to regain entry into the western club, Italy had to at least “appear to be a normal democracy,” even though – due to the control still exerted by the United States and other Ally victors – it really wasn’t as its intelligence and military communities were not under the actual control of the government but operated essentially independently (and/or in coordination with outside forces – think the CIA and MI-6 then, the WEF/globalist/socialite socialist statists now.)
Which the rest of the west knew and seemed to think was just fine and willing to go along with the charade.
The reason the strategy of tension has so much relevance in the United States now is tri-fold.
First, many of the less blowy-up but still direct public control strategies were put in place during the pandemic and, informally, before with the nightmare of woke cancellation, a movement supported by various government agencies (State, USAID, etc.) through their support of “private” groups.
Second, this tension still exists despite the election of Donald Trump. While right now a rear-guard action, the public deflections and obfuscations to protect the deep state at all cost are coming fast and furious, from Democrats defending absurd waste to government health officials who resign being made martyrs by the press even though they were actually dangerously unethical, to the continuation of the years of lawfare, save this time it’s not about Trump personally, just every policy he tries to enact.
Oh - and Tesla fires and “resistance” protests and…
The deep state fears that maybe Trump has figured out how to end their Gordian Knot grip on perma-power –just cut it. (i.e. the 11 week maelstrom.)
Third, and most succinctly, we go back to Vinciguerra’s description of the heart of the strategy of tension:
“Destabilize the public order in order to stabilize the political order.”
Sound familiar?
Hopefully for not much longer.