NGOs

Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)

NGOs, paradoxically function as a parallel government, acting as the stem cell of the government's central nervous system.

They are highly flexible instruments, akin to stem cells that can transform into various cell types and regenerate, generating new functions. It is challenging to separate the government from these non-governmental bodies.

The term "NGO" was officially codified within the United Nations (UN) Declaration on Human Rights in 1948, which directed the Economic and Social Council to coordinate its activities with NGOs. This formalisation initiated a rapid proliferation of NGO 'arms race'.

Historical Development and Purpose 

The intricate relationship between government and NGOs emerged with the introduction of the US income tax in 1913, when contributions to charitable organisations, known as 501(c)(3)s, became tax-deductible in 1917.

This led to a significant flow of funds into private foundations and non-profit organisations. NGOs played a pivotal role in World War II and particularly during the subsequent Marshall Plan, where they served as deniable fronts for governments to channel money, establish contacts, and provide direction to groups without direct attribution.

The modern intelligence state in America began in 1948 with the formulation of NSC 10-2, a policy authored by George Kennan, which effectively granted the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) a "licence to lie."

In the same year, Kennan authored "The Inauguration of Organised Political Warfare," advocating for a structured political warfare apparatus utilising NGOs, civil society organisations, and private foundations.

This emerged directly from the successful rigging of the 1948 Italian election, the CIA's first covert action, which involved NGOs, charity fronts, philanthropic foundations, and unions to channel funds and assistance.

Kennan noted that because the State Department's budget was publicly auditable, an external intelligence agency would be ideal for these operations. This rationale led to the CIA being delegated these covert powers. The strategy involved establishing "voluntary councils" or external organisations that appeared as grassroots initiatives to the public but were, in reality, funded and guided by the CIA, maintaining constant coordination.

Later, in 1983, the Reagan administration established the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) to re-establish powers that had been curtailed from the CIA. The NED's founder explicitly stated that it was created to fund groups that would be embarrassing for the CIA to support directly. Following this, the US Institute of Peace (USIP) was established in 1984 as another layer of government-organised NGOs, specifically focusing on conflict zones.

The "Blob" Structure and Smart Power 

The contemporary foreign policy establishment, often termed "the Blob," or Deep State, operates through a three-tiered structure. At its core lies the government, comprising the State Department, the Department of Defence, the intelligence community, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Beneath this governmental layer are the NGOs, which receive funding from and work in conjunction with the government, extending its reach into areas where direct government involvement is not feasible.

The uppermost layer consists of the donor-drafter class, powerful donors who not only fund political processes but also influence and often originate government policies. This entire network functions as a cohesive entity to advance US foreign policy, frequently aligning with the interests of large multinational corporations.

Hillary Clinton's concept of "Smart Power" embodies this fusion, combining the military's "hard power" with USAID's "soft power." This approach integrates the Pentagon, State Department, and USAID into a unified "Blob," coordinating planning processes across all agencies.

USAID, for instance, is mandated to cooperate with the Department of Defence in joint planning for every operational unit, often acting as "the friendly face for the world's most powerful military."

The "whole of society" approach to counter misinformation and insurgencies has been adapted from this unconventional warfare and counterinsurgency framework, integrating NGOs and civil society institutions into a broader strategic effort.

Operational Modalities and Controversies 

NGOs, particularly USAID, have been implicated in a wide range of activities globally. With a budget of approximately $44 billion annually, USAID's funding reaches various sectors, including media (funding 90% of Ukrainian media), unions, social media censorship initiatives, and even research into pandemics and gain-of-function studies, with alleged ties to terrorism and the drug trade.

The Open Society Foundation, spearheaded by George Soros, frequently co-invests and co-sponsors government projects with USAID and the State Department, providing supplemental capital when congressional funding is insufficient. Soros's Quantum Fund has allegedly profited from insider knowledge by speculating on foreign currencies while his Open Society Foundation influenced governmental shifts in Eastern Europe.

NGO activities include:

• Cultural and Social Engineering:  USAID reportedly funded "transgender dance festivals" and Bangladeshi rap groups to instigate protests and sow distrust in governments. These activities, though seemingly innocuous, are instruments of policy, aimed at destabilising political environments.
• Support for Unseemly Groups:  USAID has reportedly supported groups engaged in illicit activities, including terrorists, paramilitaries, criminals, and even prostitutes, if these groups provided the highest return on investment for soft power projection.
• Drug Trafficking:  USAID allegedly played a role in sustaining 95% of the world's heroin supply by funding poppy field irrigation in Afghanistan, even when the US Institute for Peace openly advised the Taliban against eradicating opium production, citing potential "economic and humanitarian disaster."
• Media Manipulation and Propaganda:  USAID purportedly funds outlets like Politifact to train foreign journalists and ministers in censorship and to produce "hit pieces" on US citizens.The Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), partially funded by USAID and the State Department, produces investigative journalism used to generate corruption scandals, leading to arrests and forced policy changes. They claim responsibility for seizing over a billion dollars in assets and generating hundreds of arrests and indictments based on their reporting, without requiring formal legal processes.
• Covert Operations and Regime Change:  USAID has engaged in operations such as creating "Zunia," a Twitter-like platform in Cuba, by repurposing humanitarian relief funds to gather political data and activate "smart mobs" for violent revolution.This was a covert action, circumventing presidential authorisation. NGOs were deeply involved in the Arab Spring and other Colour Revolutions using "digital diplomacy" and "youth engagement" to orchestrate street protests, often labelled as rental riots. The terminology "nonviolent action" is frequently employed as a euphemism for mob violence and civil unrest.
• Economic Exploitation:  The State Department, White House, and Department of Defence collaborate to aid American businesses abroad. For instance, sanctions were lifted on Syria after it agreed to utilise US and Western companies for infrastructure, such as AT&T for wireless services, rather than Russian or Chinese providers. This demonstrates how government power is leveraged to secure lucrative contracts for private corporations.

Domestic Influence:  The tactics refined abroad are increasingly used domestically, leading to political volatility and diminished freedoms. The repeal of the Smith-Mundt Act in 2013, which previously barred foreign propaganda from being circulated domestically, has enabled USAID-funded institutions that operate internationally to also influence US domestic affairs, thereby augmenting their power to target US citizens.The George Floyd protests and the events of J6 / January 6th have been cited as examples of Colour Revolutions or "operations" that mirror those conducted by USAID in other nations. The "populism as a threat to democracy" narrative was been employed to classify Donald Trump - a sitting US president - a democratic threat, justifying "democracy promotion programmes" as a defence mechanism.

Self-Perpetuation and Financial Interests 

The NGO complex operates as a self-sustaining system, where organisations funded by USAID then lobby for increased USAID budgets.

The US Global Leadership Coalition, for example, is a lobbying group representing 400 NGOs and businesses, including major corporations and foundations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Open Society Foundation.

Its leadership includes prominent figures from the US foreign policy establishment. This coalition actively lobbies for a larger "international affairs budget," enabling the military, State Department, and USAID to create conditions for significant profits for hedge funds, private equity, and multinational corporations.

Top USAID recipients, such as Catholic Relief Services and Chemonics International, co-chair this lobbying group, ensuring their continued funding. Taxpayer money is redirected to these entities, benefiting a select few rather than the broader American public or the countries ostensibly receiving aid.

The rationale often cited for these interventions, namely "trickle-down economics" (what benefits large corporations eventually benefits the public), is challenged by the fact this prioritises short-term stock gains over long-term national prosperity.

Ethical Concerns and Accountability 

The lack of transparency surrounding NGO operations also raises significant ethical concerns. The true dual interests behind USAID programmes, such as overtly humanitarian aid concealing covert regime change operations, are deliberately obscured.

This makes accountability challenging. USAID engages in activities deemed too dirty for the CIA due to its lack of stringent oversight. For example, the US Institute of Peace allegedly found weapons caches during an investigation into its premises, despite its stated mission of promoting peace.

Many foreign leaders and populations express relief or indifference regarding the reduction of USAID's footprint, suggesting that aid is often imposed as a condition for compliance, granting the US control over local infrastructure and resources. This manipulation, often cloaked under the guise of "humanitarian assistance," has resulted in widespread resentment and the perception of US actions as criminal.

(the names are often inverted to their actual impact)

Calls for Reform 

2025 attempts at reform have included radical staff reductions at USAID and significant restructuring within the State Department, with numerous sub-agencies being dissolved.

The USAID website was temporarily taken down amid scandal. Efforts are underway to uncover and defund corruption through initiatives like the Domestic Operations Group (DOGE). The challenge lies in distinguishing legitimate US national interests, such as securing essential resources and maintaining peace, from interventions that promote "destabilising sexual politics" or undermine national sovereignty.

Concerns persist that 'The Blob's' functions may simply be transferred to the State Department or absorbed into the Department of Defence's "civil military" budget, perpetuating the same problems under a different guise.

Comprehensive reform necessitates a strong moral compass for American foreign policy, ensuring that any interventions serve genuine national interests rather than merely enriching powerful corporate and NGO actors. The political landscape, including the fragmentation of bipartisan support for foreign policy initiatives, presents significant obstacles to achieving lasting reform. The long-term impact of these opaque, globally influential operations on both foreign nations and the domestic fabric of the United States remains a central point of contention and calls for continuous scrutiny.