Latest Breaking News
In reply to the discussion: Officials: Al-Qaida bomber was CIA informant [View all]Ash_F
(5,861 posts)The modern term is COINTELPRO but the concept has been around as long as there has been bureaucracy. The executive force, be it employed democratically, by royalty or despots, needs to justify it's existence. If it does not appear to be doing anything, it is danger of being removed.
So they go out and find someone predisposed to committing a crime, typically someone gullible with a rock bottom IQ. Convince them to commit a crime. Train them and encourage them along the way. Then step in at the last moment to "stop" them. The argument in favor of this concept is that these people, even without encouragement or help, would eventually carry out a similar crime anyway. But someone who is that gullible and malleable is unlikely to do anything on their own. So it is a huge waste of time and resources. Not to mention a manipulation of people who are often borderline retarded.
So the bad guy goes to jail and the agency's existence is justified because obviously the bad guy's lurk right outside our windows, poised to strike if not for their vigilance. This was not "Al Qaeda". The "Al Qaeda Yemen Branch" is not a real organization in the way that Al Qaeda in Afghanistan used to be a real organization, or the way the CIA is a real organization. These were just some idiots with anti-American sentiments. Most people would not think that much about it and just see in the news:"terror plot foiled" and think "GOOD JOB CIA".
Gullible people all around.