From the Sinatra Doctrine to False Flag
What do we know about the Sinatra Doctrine and False Flag operations? In dictatorial or totalitarian societies, power structures often resort to innovative ideas during crises to prevent the spread of protests and to stop the neutral segment of society from joining the protesters. Among the most famous and widely used is the Sinatra Doctrine. The False Flag is similar to the Sinatra Doctrine, although it is mainly used for operations involving a third country.
The Sinatra Doctrine is a term coined by Gennady Gerasimov, the spokesperson for the Soviet Foreign Ministry in 1989, to describe the Soviet Union’s new policy towards the Eastern European communist countries. In an interview with the TV program Good Morning America, Gerasimov explained a speech given two days earlier by Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze, saying, ‘Now our doctrine is the Frank Sinatra Doctrine. He has a song that says ‘I did it my way,’ so each country decides on its own path.’
The Sinatra Doctrine aimed at recruiting the neutral segment
When the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia began with protests against Soviet policies, a large portion of the people were neutral. Although they were not supporters of Soviet policies, they had no motivation to publicly protest or participate in marches, believing that while the Soviets were dictators, the future of Czechoslovakia without them was uncertain. The Prague Spring was driven mostly by young people and students using civil methods like silent marches, standing in public places, and gathering in squares. However, the vast majority remained silent against these protests, worried about the future.
Leonid Brezhnev ordered the KGB not to use police and security forces but to create a psychological atmosphere to turn the indifferent and neutral segment of society against the protesters. The KGB suggested that police forces and loyalists in civilian clothes attack public properties, homes, and stores, engaging in looting and destruction, thus portraying the protesters as looters and enemies of the people.
Gradually, the neutral segment of society, tired of the chaos, looting, and destruction, began to support the party and government, asking them to end the turmoil. The situation reached a point where public protests changed color, and the same neutral and indifferent segment took to the streets, chanting against the protesters and demanding peace. This action became known as the Sinatra Doctrine. Eastern Bloc security organizations always dedicated part of their training to forming strike teams aimed at recruiting the neutral segment.
The Sinatra Doctrine in Islamshahr
It is said that in the early 1990s, groups of students from military academies were sent to North Korea for psychological operations engineering training. These graduates had their first practical test during the events and protests of 1995 in Islamshahr. On April 4, 1995, residents of Islamshahr protested against the increase in minibus and taxi fares at a place called Sarnori. However, just two days later, in Ayatollah Kashani Street, a group attacked Islamshahr’s water supply, and another group from the Chichaklu area of Islamshahr set fire to parked cars and motorcycles and broke street windows and signs.
This looting and destruction of people’s property caused dissatisfaction among Islamshahr’s citizens, who eventually attacked the protesters. Finally, on Friday in Takhti Street, Qasemabad, a crowd of tens of thousands gathered at the Friday prayer venue, demanding peace. The Friday prayer leader of Islamshahr reassured the people, promising that the police and municipality would quickly repair the damages and restore peace. Similar examples can be cited from July 1999 to Ashura 2009 and in the subsequent years.
False Flag to Eliminate Rivals or War
The term False Flag was first used when pirate ships raised the flags of other countries to deceive commercial ships into thinking they were friendly. Over time, this term has been used for any covert operation where the executor intends to blame another party. It is used to describe activities by individuals or government organizations to confront political or military rivals.
In legal texts, False Flag operations are generally described as apparent blame and staging. The United States has a long history of using False Flags against its rivals and enemies. False Flags are mainly used to create a pretext for starting conflicts and wars with other countries.
The False Flag Raised by Hitler
The most famous False Flag operation was executed by Nazi Germany in the event known as Gleiwitz in 1939. Adolf Hitler ordered some of his officers to disguise themselves as Polish soldiers and stage a fake attack on a German radio station. This move garnered support from a segment of the German population for the attack on Poland and ultimately ignited World War II. In his now-famous speech just before the attack, Hitler said, ‘It doesn’t matter if they believe it or not; the victors will not be asked if they told the truth or lied.’
It is said that the United States has a long history of using False Flags against its rivals and enemies. Perhaps the most famous False Flag operation in recent years was the U.S. attack on Iraq under the pretext of possessing weapons of mass destruction, which later turned out to be false. Another example is the attack on Pearl Harbor, a harbor in the Hawaiian archipelago, which led to the U.S. entering World War II. Some theorists believe the U.S. government deliberately provoked Japan to take overt military action against the United States.
Currently, in response to Russia’s claim that Ukraine is planning to use a dirty bomb, Kyiv and its Western allies have labeled it as a False Flag operation, believing that the Kremlin is attempting to create a pretext for escalating the war against its neighbor. James Cleverly, the British Minister for European and American Affairs, said at an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting in New York that the False Flag is a clear trick of the Kremlin’s playbook.
