The Elephant Cage

Book excerpt: The Elephant Cage By: Brooks Powell F*** your parliament and your constitution. America is an elephant. Cyprus is a flea. Greece is a flea. If these two fleas continue itching the elephant, they may just get whacked good ...We pay a lot of good American dollars to the Greeks, Mr. Ambassador. If your Prime Minister gives me talk about democracy, parliament and constitution, he, his parliament, and his constitution may not last long..." Comment by President Lyndon B. Johnson to the Greek ambassador - June 1964 1974 - the height of the Cold War. U.S. listening posts surround the Soviet Union eavesdropping on virtually every Russian radio communication. Operated by White House staff, manned by military personnel, and managed by CIA agents, the listening posts gather, analyze, and report intercepted intelligence to the National Security Council who use it to plot and carry out bloody anti-communist regime change. Field intelligence workers - low paid soldiers work long hours in dark rooms scanning airwaves for Soviet targets while struggling to stay awake and sane in a backward third-world country. Some soldiers escape this reality with the assistance of high-powered cannabis, promiscuous sex, and ear-deafening rock and roll.