Secret Societies: Inside the World's Most Notorious Organizations (46 page)

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Authors: John Lawrence Reynolds

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Consider the identity of its eight members of the board of directors,
p. 242:
Fleshing Out Skull & Bones
, p. 205 and p. 249.

The year 2003 saw the publication of a
Duty, Honor, Country
, a glowing tribute to Prescott Bush,
p. 243: Quotations from
Duty, Honor, Country—The Life and Legacy of Prescott Bush
(Nashville: Rutledge Hill Press, 2003), p. 72.

Consider this partial list of Bonesmen associated with the U.S. intelligence community,
p. 246:
Fleshing Out Skull & Bones
, p. 9.

The individual who handled the paperwork on the name changeover and the incorporation of RTA was Howard Weaver,
p. 248: Ron Rosenbaum,
The Secret Parts of Fortune: Three Decades of Intense Investigations and Edgy Enthusiasm
s (New York: HarperPerennial, 2000), pp. 155–67.

Coincidences grow curiouser and curiouser,
p. 248: Joseph McBride, “George Bush, cia Operative,”
The Nation
(July 16, 1988).

Zapata happens to be the
cia
’s code name for the Bay of Pigs invasion,
p. 248: Michael R. Beschloss,
The Crisis Years: Kennedy and Khrushchev
,
1960–63
(New York: Edward Burlingame Books, 1991), p. 89.

Another coincidence involves the same former president George H.W. Bush and the assassination of President Kennedy,
p. 249: The complete document, as provided by Joseph McBride,
op. cit
., reads:

Date: November 29, 1963 To: Director, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Department of State

From: John Edgar Hoover, Director Subject: assassination of president john f. kennedy november 22, 1963

Our Miami, Florida, Office on November 23, 1963 advised that the Office of Coordinator of Cuban Affairs in Miami advised that the Department of State feels some misguided anti-Castro group might capitalize on the present situation and undertake an unauthorized raid against Cuba, believing that the assassination of President John F. Kennedy might herald a change in US policy, which is not true.

Our sources and informants familiar with Cuban matters in the Miami area advise that the general feeling in the anti-Castro Cuban community is one of stunned disbelief and, even among those who did not entirely agree with the President's policy concerning Cuba, the feeling is that the President's death represents a great loss not only to the US but to all Latin America. These sources know of no plans for unauthorized action against Cuba.

An informant who has furnished reliable information in the past and who is close to a small pro-Castro group in Miami has advised that those individuals are afraid that the assassination of the President may result in strong repressive measures being taken against them and, although pro-Castro in their feelings, regret the assassination.

The substance of the foregoing information was orally furnished to Mr. George Bush of the Central Intelligence Agency and Captain William Edwards of the Defense Intelligence Agency on November 23, 1963, by Mr. W.T. Forsyth of this Bureau.

“I have carefully reviewed the FBI memorandum to the Director, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Department of State dated November 29, 1963”,
p. 249: United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Civil Action 88-2600 ghr, Archives and Research Center
v.
Central Intelligence Agency, Affidavit of George William Bush (September 21, 1988).

In August 2003, de Wit recalled his experience with the CIA and Skull & Bones,
p. 250:
Fleshing Out Skull & Bones
, p. 212.

With an estimated $4 million in assets in 2000,
p. 251: Yale University archives,
Light & Truth's Guide to Society Life at Yale
. Interestingly, the competitive secret society Scroll & Key has substantially higher assets of $6 million.

12. Secret Societies in Popular Culture—An Endless Fascination, p. 253

“Experts today concur—and rightly so, we concluded—that the
Protocols
, at least in their present form, are a vicious and insidious forgery
”
,
p. 262: Baigent
et al.
,
The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail
(London: Arrow Books, 1996), pp. 198–203. All references are from this edition.

The
Protocals
, intended to be read like an instruction manual for running the world, are either chilling or absard, depending on your gullibility and appreciation for black humor,
p. 264: Several sources for the
Protocols
exist. These herein have been selected from Jim Marrs,
Rule By Secrecy
(New York: HarperCollins, 2000), pp. 145–53. The author is a secret societies alarmist, but his work on this topic at least is accurate in its selection of the
Protocols
contents.

The Roman Catholic Church is as appropriate a target for criticism as any ,
p. 266: For the record, I have no Roman Catholic affiliation—in fact, I have no religious affiliation.

13. Critics, Alarmists and Conspiracy Theorists—When Does Paranoia Make Sense?, p. 271

The Rothschild connection, according to Welch and others,
p. 279: Sources for this section include
Jews and Freemasonry in Europe (
Boston: Harvard Press, 1970) and William T. Still,
New World Order: The Ancient Plan of Secret Societies
(Lafayette, LA: Huntington House Publishers, 1990), pp. 104–41.

At Retinger's funeral in 1960, one of the eulogizers recalled,
p. 281: The speaker was Sir Edward Beddington-Behrens, President, Central and Eastern European Commission, European Movemen
t
. The quote is available at dozens of Web sites purporting to deliver the “true” story behind the Bilderberg Group, although most misspell his name.

The
NSC
has been described as “the ultimate Washington insider's club”,
p. 287: Dan Dunsky, “
Two Degrees of Domination
,” Toronto
Globe & Mail
(June 25, 2005) p. D3.

The pinnacle of Kissinger's power in this regard occurred in the latter days of Richard Nixon's presidency,
p. 288: A detailed and disturbing examination of the nsc and the risk it poses is available in David J. Rothkopf's excellent
Running the World: The Inside Story of the National Security Council and the Architects of American Power
(New York: PublicAffairs Books, 2005).

Afterword—Of Demons and Baloney, p. 295

“We want so much to be roused from our humdrum lives”,
p. 296:
The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
, p. 123.

“Sooner or later,” he warns, “this combustible mixture of ignorance and power is going to blow up in our faces”,
p. 297:
Ibid.
, p. 209.

PICTURE CREDITS

p. 30: Iran Cultural Heritage Organization

p. 32 and p. 33: ©Chris Ceder

p. 43: Photograph of Winston Churchill by Karsh

p. 70:
[email protected]

p. 83: ©Rennes-le-Château

p. 86: ©Rennes-le-Château

p. 88: ©Rennes-le-Château

p. 89:
www.watch.pair.com

p. 101:
Britannia Antiqua Illustrata
(1676)

p. 108: Creative Commons ShareAlike 2.0

p. 115: J. L. Reynolds

p. 129: ©
Jewish Encyclopedia
p. 132: ©The Rick A. Ross Institute

p. 135:
Madonna
, Getty Images;
Beckham
,
Beckham.com
;
Mick Jagger
, upi

p. 136: Kabbalah Center web site

p. 147: J. L. Reynolds

p. 189:
Bottom
,
www.americanmafia.com

p. 191: ©Corbis

p. 226: John Hillelson

p. 250:
www.parascope.com

p. 265: Associated Press

p. 266:
Bottom
, Opus Dei

p. 269:
www.freemasonry.bcy.ca

p. 292:
hourofthetime.com/billpics

All other photographs are in the public domain.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS BOOK ORIGINATED WITH ANNA
Porter and the clarity of her publishing vision. Anna marked the route, set the tracks and built up steam in the engine, and left the actual journey to me; I thank her for this opportunity and others.

Helping to shape the project was Clare McKeon. Her warmth and editorial skills at trimming the flab and extending the ideas, where each was appropriate, were exemplary and always appreciated.

Many sources were tapped for much of the content and, given the nature of the tale and certain aspects of their occupations, their identity cannot be revealed. Each knows of my appreciation, and I trust all are satisfied with my use of the data they so kindly provided.

Finally, every honest author (especially males, curiously enough) is compelled to admit that his work could never have traveled from inspiration to completion without the assistance and encouragement of two people: his agent and his spouse. Once again, my heartfelt thanks and affection to Hilary MacMahon and to Judy.

INDEX

Abdel-Rahman of Damascus, 37

Abode of Learning, 25–26, 30, 31, 35, 42