Bailout of AIG, the CIA, and Covert Operations

[robertpaulsen]

Bailout of AIG, the CIA, and Covert Operations

Posted by Matt Savinar, 9/16/2008

By now you no doubt have heard about the AIG bailout. If not, just check out this thread at the LATOC Forum. There is, however, something you almost certainly haven't heard about which is that the insurance business is heavily involved in covert operations. Some of you may be thinking "Huh? Insurance companies and covert operations?! Wow, this is some real nutballery, even for LATOC". Well if so then just consider the following excerpts from an article entitled "The Secret (Insurance) Agent Men" by Los Angeles Times staff writer Mark Fritz, originally published on September 22nd, 2000. Emphasis is mine:

COLLEGE PARK, Md. They knew which factories to burn, which bridges to blow up, which cargo ships could be sunk in good conscience. They had pothole counts for roads used for invasion and head counts for city blocks marked for incineration.

They weren't just secret agents. They were secret insurance agents. These undercover underwriters gave their World War II spymasters access to a global industry that both bankrolled and, ultimately, helped bring down Adolf Hitler's Third Reich.

Newly declassified U.S. intelligence files tell the remarkable story of the ultra-secret Insurance Intelligence Unit, a component of the Office of Strategic Services, a forerunner of the CIA, and its elite counterintelligence branch X-2.

. . . the unit mined standard insurance records for blueprints of bomb plants, timetables of tide changes and thousands of other details about targets, from a brewery in Bangkok to a candy company in Bergedorf. 'They used insurance information as a weapon of war,' said Greg Bradsher, a historian and National Archives expert on the declassified records.

The men behind the insurance unit were OSS head William "Wild Bill" Donovan and California-born insurance magnate Cornelius V. Starr. Starr had started out selling insurance to Chinese in Shanghai in 1919 and, over the next 50 years, would build what is now American International Group, one of the biggest insurance companies in the world.



Starr sent insurance agents into Asia and Europe even before the bombs stopped falling and built what eventually became AIG, which today has its world headquarters in the same downtown New York building where the tiny OSS unit toiled in the deepest secrecy.

Starr died in 1968, but his empire endures. AIG is the biggest foreign insurance company in Japan. More than a third of its $40 billion in revenue last year came from the Far East theater that Starr helped carpet bomb and liberate.

http://articles.latimes.com/2000/sep/22/news/mn-25118


If the insurance business was heavily involved in OSS covert operations during World War II, it is most definitely NOT a leap of logic to suspect that the world's biggest insurer today (AIG) is also heavily involved in them. This is particularly the case when you consider that, as the L.A. Times article explained, the man who ran the OSS's insurance intel unit is the same man who established AIG.

What exactly the insurance related covert operations currently involve I (obviously) don't know. It stands to reason, however, that whatever they do involve, a bankruptcy of the world's biggest insurer would likely be very disruptive to them. In other words, federal government was probably *extremely* motivated to save AIG for reasons that aren't going to be acknowledged in the mainstream or alternative press.

Hopefully this puts the bailout of AIG in a bit more perspective.

-Matt

http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/Archives2008/AIGCoverOperations.html

[arcadian]

1. The veil between the CIA and corporations is a thin one.

USAA and GEICO were also born from World War II. As was the HMO, Kaiser Permante. Military Industrial Complex, Ike was right.

[robertpaulsen]

2. I'm starting to think Ike was the best Rethug president since Lincoln.

Yes, he was responsible for deposing Mossadeq and a whole slew of other covert ops that had major blowback, but his farewell address to the nation shows that, unlike every Rethug that's taken office since, he did have a conscience.

[Just-plain-Kathy]

3. OMG.... K&R

[MuseRider]

4. I read that this morning

in my email. It certainly scared me. Not hard to believe any of this these days.

[earth mom]

5. OMFG. nt

[Supersedeas]

6. Consider too: the Nation-wide advertising campaign of AIG on the Broadcast/Cable networks and

whether that coverage might have and will continue to influence election/political coverage

[PufPuf23]

7. Thank you

Its a small world after all. rec'd.

[Octafish]

8. Maurice Greenberg, BFEE - China's Man in America

Thanks for the excellent article, robertpaulsen!

Here's a bit on AIG's longtime chairman:

China's Man in America

by William F. Jasper
October 8, 2001

Financial mogul Maurice Greenberg presides over a vast and expanding insurance empire. Meanwhile, he consorts with and lobbies for the barbaric Communist regime in Beijing.

Maurice R. "Hank" Greenberg leads a charmed and busy life. As chairman and CEO of one of the world’s largest insurance and financial conglomerates, American International Group (AIG), Greenberg sits atop a very profitable and powerful empire. He dines with presidents and potentates and sups with the likes of Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, global "wise man" Henry Kissinger, and chairman-of-the-world emeritus David Rockefeller. The New York-based magnate appears equally at home with the commissars of Communism, counting China’s premier, Zhu Rongji, and president, Jiang Zemin, as longtime friends.

Business has been very good for AIG. Greenberg’s "Letter To Shareholders" in AIG’s Annual Report 2000 noted:

AIG started the new Millennium on a positive note. Net income rose 11.5 percent to a record $5.64 billion, while earnings per share totaled $2.41, an increase of 12.1 percent over 1999.... et income gained 14.8 percent to $5.74 billion, or $2.45 per share. In addition, Revenues gained 13.1 percent to $45.97 billion; Assets rose 14.3 percent to $306.58 billion; Shareholders’ equity reached $39.62 billion at year-end, compared to $33.3 billion at year-end 1999; and Return on equity was 15.6 percent.

Behemoths the size of AIG have voracious appetites — and deep pockets. So, over the past few years, Greenberg has led the company on a worldwide acquisition binge. Some of the firms devoured by AIG include the Los Angeles-based financial services company SunAmerica, Inc. ($18 billion), the Hartford-based HSB Group ($1.2 billion), Egypt’s Pharaonic Insurance Company ($18 million), the financial units of Korea’s Hyundai Group ($860 million), the Canada-based Norwich Union Holdings, Ltd ($159 million), and the Chiyoda Mutual Life Insurance Company of Japan ($522 million). Most recently, Greenberg received accolades from Wall Street and the investment community for his August 29, 2001 acquisition of American General Corporation (for $23 billion).

Powerbroker

SNIP...

Greenberg is chairman of The Asia Society, the Starr Foundation, and the Nixon Center, as well as the founding chairman of the U.S.-Philippines Business Committee and past chairman of the U.S.-China Business Council. He is vice-chairman of both the U.S.-ASEAN Council on Business and Technology and the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and has long been a major force in The Business Roundtable and the President’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the New York Stock Exchange, a member of the Trilateral Commission, a director of the United Nations Association, and the past chairman, deputy chairman, and director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. President Clinton appointed him to the Advisory Committee of the President’s Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection.

COMMTINUED...

http://www.freedom4um.com/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=86898&Disp=2&Trace=on

Der veels of justice turn shlowly...

[robertpaulsen]

11. As Howard Hunt would say, "Good God!"

Thanks for digging up that dirt, Octafish. Obviously this member of Dubya's admitted base (The Global Elite) is at the center of the nexus of power in the world and knows how to pull strings to make things go his way, no matter how much collateral damage piles up.

[happydreams]

14. Revolving Door, Kissinger&Associates "analyzed business risks" for its clients.

Who would be in a better position to analyze risk than those who start wars? This was revealed in Gonzalez's investigation in BNL. AIG could game this to no end. But now the whole bailiwick is coming apart as CIA is losing control.

Just some thoughts. Great Post and great topic.

K&R

[Supersedeas]

20. just follow the money and your see who really pulls the strings in 'Merica

[K Gardner]

9. CNN now reporting that the AIG Deal may not go through. Some in the Company feel the

buyout isn't BIG ENOUGH.

I wonder how much leverage they have to make it bigger?

[spinbaby]

10. Damn

Think of the housing and healthcare that could buy. Think of the public transportation....I think I'm going to be sick.

[starroute]

12. Some AIG allegations from my notes

These are from various sources and probably of various degrees of credibility. I toss them in here just give a general idea of AIG's dubious reputation:

# in 2000, AIG bought 5% of Lippo Life and 70% of its unit, PT Asuransi Jiwa Lippo Utama

# AIG has business ventures in China

# AIG is a major supporter of the Heritage Foundation

# Greenberg is close to Henry Kissinger

# Michael Ruppert has tied AIG to CIA drug-trafficking - somehow linked to Carlos Lehder (Medellin Cartel co-founder)

# possible 1987-92 drug money-laundering involving AIG, Goldman Sachs and the Arkansas Development Financial Authority

# AIG is a member of the US-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce

# also alleged ties to 9/11 insider trading

[starroute]

13. Michael Ruppert on Greenberg

http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/10_09_01_krongard.html

Maurice "Hank" Greenburg - The CEO of AIG insurance, manager of the third largest capital investment pool in the world, was floated as a possible CIA Director in 1995. FTW exposed Greenberg's and AIG's long connection to CIA drug trafficking and covert operations in a two-part series that was interrupted just prior to the attacks of September 11. AIG's stock has bounced back remarkably well since the attacks. To read that story, please go to http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ciadrugs/part_2.html.

[robertpaulsen]

15. No more FTW, but Ruppert's still blogging on this.

AIG

What's smelly is that AIG's bankruptcy ($632 billion) is ten times larger than Enron at $63 billion. This is the 400 trillion derivatives bubble popping. Total drug flows are only $600-700 billion a year, not all of which goes through US companies. AIG needs maybe $70-100 billion NOW to service its bad debt plus the claims it will face from Ike and Gustav. Their housing paper is never going to recover value because of Peak Oil and already shattered demand. This is bigger than the drug trade can help with. Drug cash was used to keep the system liquid when it was strained and wobbly five years ago. Now it's onlife support.

Recent market rigging only hastened the implosion. I suspect that too much demand may have been destroyed and what we're seeing is that falling (bombed) oil prices are not producing new revenue streams. People are either chosing NOT to return to old patterns or they cannot.

Good, let the shake out happen right now!


MCR

http://www.mikeruppert.blogspot.com/

Thanks for that find, starroute. Greenberg's no empty suit.

[robertpaulsen]

16. That USACC link is correct.

Check out this turkey:



John Roberts


BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The USACC Board of Trustees is a group of Americans and Azerbaijanis interested in promoting friendship, cooperation and commerce between the American people and the people of Azerbaijan. The Board of Trustees offers its recommendations to the USACC Board of Directors on all matters related to the Chambers programs and activities.
John Roberts




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Born: June 4, 1922 - Montreal, Canada
Education: Princeton University, New Jersey, BA 1945
Interests: Reading, Shooting, Farming
Military: 1st Lt., U.S. Army - WWII Served in the Philippines and Japan

BUSINESS CAREER: (One organization only - now known as AIG)

1947 - 1959 American International Underwriters Overseas in executive positions in Europe and Middle East.

1960 to Present C.V. Starr Organization - New York. Vice President & Director

1960 - 1969 Director of Operations for AIU, Europe

1967 to Present AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC. - Director

1969 - 1975 President - AIU U.S./OVERSEAS

1975 - 1989 Chairman and CEO - AIU

1976 - 1989 Executive V.P., Foreign General - AIG, INC.

1989 to Present Vice Chairman, External Affairs AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.

DIRECTOR:
The Adams Express Company
Petroleum & Resource Corporation
International Research & Exchange Board (IREX)
Institute of EastWest Studies (IEWS)


TRUSTEE:
The Starr Foundation
The Juilliard School
The Corcoran Gallery of Art
Trinity University


MEMBER:
Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Ethic Accord (PER)
U.S. - Russia Business Council


CHAIRMAN:
International Insurance Advisory Council of the Chamber of Commerce of the U.S. (1977-79)

Polish-U.S. Economic Council, U.S. Section (1980-86) and (1996 - present) now A.B.A.T.E. Hungarian-U.S. Business Council, U.S. Section (1986-92) now A.B.A.T.E.

Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) (1990 to 1996) Vice-Chairman (1997 to present)

Corporate Council for the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) (June 1991-1996)


COMMISSIONER:
In the CSIS "U.S.-EU Poland Action Commission" (August 1991 to present)

CSIS-U.S.-Romania Action Commission (1997 to present)

http://www.usacc.org/contents.php?cid=51

[Wilms]

17. k&r n/t

[Truth2Tell]

18. K&R AIG has always insured

big assets tied to the CIA. Funny that Agency front-man Silverstein used those poor Swiss dupes to insure his towers. I guess it was "lucky" for his pal Maurice that he didn't land the business. :)

[spooked]

19. AIG is all about INSIDER TRADING on 9/11

Whistle-blower Richard Andrew Grove worked for SilverStream software, the company that made the 9/11 Insider Trading possible.

http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?ID=4738


"And hopefully, you’re already somewhat familiar with the roles that these financial institutions played on 9-11, and if you include Marsh & McLennan, and another client of mine in 2001, AIG, on the list: you pretty much have the major players involved in the financial aspect of the 9-11 fraudulent trading activity...

Hundreds of billions in fraudulent transactions took place just prior to the buildings being pulled down on 9-11- not including what I mentioned about Marsh and AIG previously- these transactions which capitalized on the destruction of fellow human beings were also in part facilitated by Marsh & McLennan. I know this because they were captured on hard-drives found in the rubble at Ground Zero… a German Company called Convar recovered the information on these drives."