| Michael Ledeen |
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In 1974, Michael Ledeen moved to Rome where he studied , previously head of SACEUR (Supreme Allied Commander Europe - NATO 's European command center). ACADEMIC AND POLITICAL CAREER Ledeen holds a PhD from the . Ledeen has complained that "It's hard to explain to someone who doesn't read very well that there's a difference between authors and the subjects they write about." cit Earlier in his career, Ledeen authored ''Universal Fascism: The Theory and Practice of the Fascist International, 1928-1936'', published in 1972 and now out of print. The book, which was his doctoral disseration, was the first work to explore Mussolini's efforts to create a Fascist international in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Ledeen, along with Arnaud De Borchgrave in '' The New Republic '', exposed some details of Billy Carter 's dealings with the Muammar Gaddafi regime in Libya. ITALY Ledeen has often been accused of associations with shady organizations. According to the '' Asia Times '', for example, "Ledeen's right-wing Italian connections - including alleged ties to the P2 Masonic Lodge that rocked Italy in the early 1980s - have long been a source of speculation and intrigue, but he returned to Washington in 1981 as "anti-terrorism" advisor to the new secretary of state, Al Haig ." P2 was also involved in Operation Gladio , which was managed by NATO . Michael Ledeen has denied any connections with Licio Gelli 's masonic lodge. However, he acknowledged being paid by the SISMI in 1980 for "risk assessment" - along with P2 and Gladio, the SISMI secret services were involved in Italy's Strategy Of Tension . THE IRAN-CONTRA SCANDAL See Also: Iran-Contra scandal Ledeen was a major figure in the biggest foreign policy scandal of the Ronald Reagan administration. As a consultant of National Security Adviser Robert C. McFarlane , Ledeen vouched for Iranian intermediary Manucher Ghorbanifar , and met with Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres , and officials of the Israeli Foreign Ministry and the CIA to arrange meetings with high-ranking Iranian officials and the much-criticized weapons-for-hostages deal with Iran that would become known as the Iran-Contra Scandal .1 REGIME CHANGE ADVOCACY Regarding Regime Change in the Middle East , in 2002 Ledeen criticized the views of former National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft , writing: He fears that if we attack Iraq "I think we could have an explosion in the Middle East. It could turn the whole region into a caldron and destroy the War on Terror." In 1979, Ledeen was one of the first Western writers to point out that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was a "clerical fascist," and that while it was legitimate to criticize the Shah's regime, if Khomeini seized power in Iran, the Iranian people would suffer an even greater loss of freedom, and that Khomeini would deprive women of political and social rights. Ledeen's phrase, "''faster, please''" has become a signature Meme in Ledeen's writings and is often referenced by Neoconservative writers advocating a more forceful and broader " War On Terror " to be conducted primarily by political support for democratic revolutionaries in the Middle East. CONTROVERSIAL THEORIES Ledeen's '' Ledeen, a prominent and incessant advocate of regime change in Iran, as he had earlier supported the dissident movements within the Soviet Empire, has also stated that Iran is the main backer of the Insurgency in Iraq and even supports the al-Qaida network led by Al-Zarqawi which has, in reality, declared Jihad against Shi'ite Muslims. He cited German and Italian court documents--some of which were also reported in "Newsweek" magazine --that show Zarqawi created a European terrorist network while based in Tehran. Ledeen is a board member of the " Coalition For Democracy In Iran " (CDI), founded by Morris Amitay , a former lobbyist for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Ledeen has also been part of the board of the U.S. Committee For A Free Lebanon . According to the '' Washington Post '', quoted by '' Asia Times '', he is the only full-time international affairs analyst regularly consulted by Karl Rove , George W. Bush 's closest advisor He also supported the theory that the Bulgarian Secret Service was behind Grey Wolves member Mehmet Ali Ağca 's 1981 attempt to assassinate Pope John Paul II . This Conspiracy Theory was opposed to another one, which pointed toward Gladio 's influence, a NATO network known for having supported the Grey Wolves and the Strategy Of Tension in Italy. WORK
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