Strategy of tension

A strategy of tension (Italian: strategia della tensione) is a policy wherein violent struggle is encouraged rather than suppressed. The strategy of tension is most closely identified with the Years of Lead in Italy from 1968–1982, wherein both far-left Marxist and far-right neo-fascist extra-parliamentary groups, and state intelligence agencies performed bombings, kidnappings, arsons, and murders. Some historians and activists have accused NATO of allowing and sanctioning such terrorism, through projects such as Operation Gladio, although this is hotly disputed by the intelligence agencies involved and other historians. Other cases where writers have alleged a strategy of tension include the deep state in Turkey from the 1970s–1990s ("Ergenekon"), the war veterans and ZANU–PF in Zimbabwe which coordinated the farm invasions of 2000, the DRS security agency in Algeria from 1991 to 1999, and the State Security Service (Belgium) during the Belgian terrorist crisis of 1982–1986.

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