When ISIS started to attract radicals from all over the world, my initial reaction was of concern to how powerful they become. However, I recalled my college days while studying the history of ancient Rome.
By Michael Fayerman
Managing Editor Intelligence technology
Cicero, the Roman Consul who was a great public speaker but even better strategist. At the pick of his popularity with roman populous, a new enemy emerged within named Cateline. Cateline created a populist agenda and united the Romans against patricians and Cicero became the main target. He wooed the common people and became a big threat to the Republic .
Elisabeth I used Cicero’s strategy by countering sponsored by Spain Catholic insurgency as she learned from her famed teacher Master Grindal ,” wait until the wound is filled with puss then incision is done.”
Even W stated his intention to start a fight in Iraq to unite as many jihadist as possible in one area to destroy them more expeditiously. Unfortunately , this valid idea failed at the time due to some bad decisions such as making top and mid-level Iraqi army and intelligence assets unemployed and other series of unfortunate events.
Another example of using that strategy was used by NKVD in mid 1920s to eradicate well organized opposition to bolshevik’s Russia. That highly sophisticated operation code name “TRUST” had an objective to unify all viable anti-Soviet insurgency groups to unite under one well financed organization that was under control of the Soviet Intelligence. They turned several members of former Czarist’s high level administrators, former military and even Russian aristocrats that were highly trusted by the insurgency groups.
NKVD provided significant financing to attract the enemies of the regime both in Russia and abroad. Even, famed British agent named Sydney Riley (served as an inspiration to Fleming to create the character of James Bond) highly experienced in operating against NKVD was tricked into believing that this umbrella organization would provide a united front against the Soviets.
In a matter of few years Soviet Intelligence “united” most important to them militant and non militant opposition at the time and became their “puppet masters, ”
As the result, they lured most key members, including Sidney Riley to Russia for a “joint opposition strategy meeting” and in one blow “beheaded” the anti-Soviet coalition. After that operation the real anti-Soviet insurgency could never recover.