Reply #7: This Is Not Warning Against 'False Flag' Actions, Mr. Riddler

[The Magistrate]

It is advice to avoid provocation, and the possibility of small-scale clashes between Iranian and U.S. forces on the borders between Iran and Iraq, or even in Iraq. Sound advice, too. Things like that are quite possible in the present state of affairs.

Neither of the items Sen. Hart specifically references is a 'false flag' action: Spain may not have blown up the U.S.S. Maine, but the United States did not do it either, so it could be blamed on Spain; there were actually North Vietnamese naval elements involved in the original Gulf of Tonkin incident, it was not an instance of U.S. agents masquerading as North Vietnamese and attacking U.S. forces. Certainly in the latter instance, U.S. actioons drew out the North Vietnamese vessels, and this and a good deal more was concealed from the public at the time, while the incident was blown out of all proportion to serve as a pretext for a long-contemplated action. But that is not 'false flag', or even close to it....