[lbo-talk] Why We Must Back 21st-Century Islamists against 7th-Century Islamists (was Qaeda at Work)

Michael Pugliese michael.098762001 at gmail.com
Tue Nov 21 18:20:34 PST 2006


On 11/21/06, wrobert at uci.edu <wrobert at uci.edu> wrote:As for the argument itself, I think that we might need to return to the work of Fanon to answer some of these questions.....

The CIA, it appears, made overtures to Fanon. http://www.bolerium.com/cgi-bin/bol48/76094.html
>...Geismar, Peter Fanon. The Dial Press, New York. 1971, 214p.,
first US edition textured red boards in bright red dj; mild edgewear, bright copy. Fanon's early death from "granulocytic leukemia" is a story in itself: Diagnosed in Accra, p.177. "There had already been two attempts on his life in Italy" (from outright violence), p.180. As to treatment of the cancer, "Europe and the United States were out of the question; the FLN had to arrange for Fanon to travel to Moscow." While there, he "arranged to tour several of the larger psychiatric institutions in and around Moscow: He had always been interested in the research there in behavioristic therapy. He was terribly dismayed by the patients' living conditons.. He was disappointed by the whole appearance of Russian therapy and research" (he himself was a psychiatrist); p.178. "Informally, Russian doctors urged Fanon to apply for admission" in a US facility, as "Americans were beginning experiments with completely new treatments for the disease." Finally back in Tunis (where he was interviewed by Ollie Iselin, "member of the American diplomatic corps" and whose "name and biography appears in Who's Who in C.I.A.") he was unable to get out of bed. The "U.S. Embassy in Tunis arranged for Fanon to fly to Washington..The C.I.A. placed Fanon in Washington's Dupont Plaza Hotel for eight days before allowing him to be admitted to the National Institute of Health. Since there were beds available in the Bethesda Hospital, one can only speculate.." Ollie Iselin stayed with him to the end, in fact there is a photograph of Iselin at Fanon's funeral, back view, dumpy white guy. The author of this biography himself died of cancer "at the age of thirty-one a few weeks after 'Fanon,' his first book, went to press"

http://www.raceandhistory.com/Historians/frantz_fanon.htm
>...Irene Gendzier in "Frantz Fanon: A Critical Study" comments on
Fanon's CIA connection as follows:

The general allegation that Fanon died in the arms of the CIA has never been entirely cleared up. It is possible, given the attitude of the United States government towards the Algerian situation in 1961, that the American Embassy in Tunis did offer help, and that a CIA agent was present to carry out details. But to say this only serves to raise more questions about the interest of the CIA in Fanon. . . . Dr. David Haywood, the doctor in direct charge of Fanon's case. . . is quoted as remembering "the daily, downright brotherly visits of Fanon's CIA case officer, who also had the task of bringing to the hospital Fanon's wife and six-year-old son. Except for doctors and nurses, his wife, his son, and his case officer were, in fact, Fanon's sole companions while his life ebbed away" . . ..

Fanon's body was brought back to Tunisia on the request of the FLN [Front de Liberation Nationale] and buried some miles inside Algerian territory, not far from Ghardimaou. Sources close to Fanon maintain that the present Algerian government refuses to move the body because the area in which it is buried is still dangerous due to the presence of mines. For this reason it also continues to prohibit access to it. The body was accompanied back to Tunis by the CIA case officer, Ollie Iselin, who participated in the funeral ceremonies and had his photograph taken by a "Jeune Afrique" photographer, along with the others present.

-- Michael Pugliese



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