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Fascinating tidbits from testimony of Frantisek August, senior Czech intelligence defector in the 60s:
Soviets wished to turn #Syria into a full satellite state using their main KGB agent, Abd al-Karim al-Jundi, to wipe out nationalists, first & foremost: Hafez al- #Assad.
Soviets wished to turn #Syria into a full satellite state using their main KGB agent, Abd al-Karim al-Jundi, to wipe out nationalists, first & foremost: Hafez al- #Assad.
The Soviets had infiltrated Syria at every level, including controlling the Palestinian Syrian front al-Saiqa.
Assad found out about the extent of infiltration and tried to root it out [and succeeded], so the Soviets told Jundi to kill him.
The assassination failed.
![The Soviets had infiltrated Syria at every level, including controlling the Palestinian Syrian front al-Saiqa. Assad found out about the extent of infiltration and tried to root it out [and succeeded], so the Soviets told Jundi to kill him. The assassination failed.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ec92aVQU8AEKyRz.png "The Soviets had infiltrated Syria at every level, including controlling the Palestinian Syrian front al-Saiqa. Assad found out about the extent of infiltration and tried to root it out [and succeeded], so the Soviets told Jundi to kill him. The assassination failed.")
![The Soviets had infiltrated Syria at every level, including controlling the Palestinian Syrian front al-Saiqa. Assad found out about the extent of infiltration and tried to root it out [and succeeded], so the Soviets told Jundi to kill him. The assassination failed.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ec92aVUUcAYnSiE.png "The Soviets had infiltrated Syria at every level, including controlling the Palestinian Syrian front al-Saiqa. Assad found out about the extent of infiltration and tried to root it out [and succeeded], so the Soviets told Jundi to kill him. The assassination failed.")
Assad found out about the extent of infiltration and tried to root it out [and succeeded], so the Soviets told Jundi to kill him.
The assassination failed.
Assad discovered the Soviets were going to use Saiqa and their Ba'ath agents to launch a coup d'etat and put a stop to it.
Later, he would seemingly get his revenge, steadily assassinating Soviet advisors in Syria in the 70s/80s [nobody knows who was behind this].
![Assad discovered the Soviets were going to use Saiqa and their Ba'ath agents to launch a coup d'etat and put a stop to it. Later, he would seemingly get his revenge, steadily assassinating Soviet advisors in Syria in the 70s/80s [nobody knows who was behind this].](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ec93WcbUEAA35mf.png "Assad discovered the Soviets were going to use Saiqa and their Ba'ath agents to launch a coup d'etat and put a stop to it. Later, he would seemingly get his revenge, steadily assassinating Soviet advisors in Syria in the 70s/80s [nobody knows who was behind this].")
Later, he would seemingly get his revenge, steadily assassinating Soviet advisors in Syria in the 70s/80s [nobody knows who was behind this].
Additionally, "members of the #KGB made no secret of the fact that they were striving for total control of [Lebanon], and they emphasized the great assistance they were receiving from Kim Philby."
Their primary route was Kamel Joumblat, who Assad would later assassinate.
![Additionally, "members of the #KGB made no secret of the fact that they were striving for total control of [Lebanon], and they emphasized the great assistance they were receiving from Kim Philby." Their primary route was Kamel Joumblat, who Assad would later assassinate.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ec94Bb3VAAAF1Cg.png "Additionally, \"members of the #KGB made no secret of the fact that they were striving for total control of [Lebanon], and they emphasized the great assistance they were receiving from Kim Philby.\" Their primary route was Kamel Joumblat, who Assad would later assassinate.")
![Additionally, "members of the #KGB made no secret of the fact that they were striving for total control of [Lebanon], and they emphasized the great assistance they were receiving from Kim Philby." Their primary route was Kamel Joumblat, who Assad would later assassinate.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ec94Bb-U8AE7VbH.png "Additionally, \"members of the #KGB made no secret of the fact that they were striving for total control of [Lebanon], and they emphasized the great assistance they were receiving from Kim Philby.\" Their primary route was Kamel Joumblat, who Assad would later assassinate.")
Their primary route was Kamel Joumblat, who Assad would later assassinate.
Prior to '67, the Soviets "supported the view that Palestinians were not to be regarded as a political force but merely as individuals suitable for use" in terrorism/assassinations.
Later, they adopted the Palestinians writ large as a political tool against the Arab states.
Later, they adopted the Palestinians writ large as a political tool against the Arab states.
Also interesting: The KGB created an entire hullabaloo over Teymur Bakhtiar in Lebanon for the sake of causing regional chaos, personal revenge, and getting SAVAK off their backs.
After their attempts to liquidate Assad and launch a coup coup d'etat failed, KGB tasked Jundi with sabotaging Iraqi oil fields.
The result: Iraq turned to the Soviets to help them against Syria, becoming a client state and helping pressure Assad to ultimately do the same.
The result: Iraq turned to the Soviets to help them against Syria, becoming a client state and helping pressure Assad to ultimately do the same.
