# Non-Americans: What are your country's own conspiracy theories? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 8, 2015, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540 "2015-03-08T17:34:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2015, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/81 "2015-03-13T11:16:45Z")
> [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](#): > > Yes, the **Brabant killers** case is both fascinating, horrifying and heart-breaking. I am amazed that this thread is the first time I have heard about it. I was a young teenager at the time and wasn’t much interested in international news. It’s odd I haven’t heard of it since. Was there ever a movie made about it? ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2015, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/82 "2015-03-13T12:38:39Z")
> [@Steken](#): > > Jesus… > > Yeah, that one - “the killers of Brabant” - is genuinely unsettling. For the life of me, I just can’t wrap my head around it. > > Robbers rob, and I guess generally don’t kill unless they feel they have to - but these guys didn’t even rob all that much, and seemingly went out of their way to kill as many as they could. Terrorists terrorise - but pretty much always claim responsibility. Serial killers, spree killers and rampage killers all kill - but I’ve never heard of three such people working together, not like this anyway. It just makes no sense whatsoever. So damn creepy. It might have been a case of one charismatic but unhinged leader and a couple of followers. That’s not unheard of- the [Manson Family](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Manson#Manson_Family) and the [DC snipers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beltway_sniper_attacks) are examples of that kind of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2015, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/83 "2015-03-13T15:20:52Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > The 1975 dismissal of the Whitlam Government was the result of a covert action by the CIA for the threat to close the US spy station at Pine Gap. There is an alternate theory that it was the Britsh Foriegn Service that actually ran The Dismissal. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2015, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/84 "2015-03-13T16:29:47Z")
> [@skdo23](#): > > I’m an American, actually, but I remember that during the debates in various European countries (mainly Great Britain) regarding the Maastricht Treaty there were accusations from the fringes that the EU was basically a reattempt by the Germans to conquer Europe and establish a Fourth Reich. Given the way the EU has turned out, I’d say they might be right. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2015, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/85 "2015-03-13T18:07:34Z")
> [@eclectic\_wench](#): > > It would be sort of scary to be American and know that your government is actually capable of getting real shit done. Hahaha! Funniest thing I’ve read all day. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2015, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/86 "2015-03-13T18:28:17Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Garda is a Montreal company so it’s obviously a Fenian-Quebecois conspiracy to take down English financial institutions by swiping pennies at a time. Clearly. So _that’s_ why the Conservatives abolished pennies! A pre-emptive strike! ---
**Author:** ![Canuckistan\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Canuckistan\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canuckistan_Bob)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/87 "2015-03-14T02:17:48Z")
I am amazed no-one from the Middle East has checked in. The Middle East actually has no history at all, all it HAS is a great steaming heap of conspiracy theories, strata after strata of them. I mean the Sykes-Picot Agreement (which actually was a real thing that pretty much _ **was** _ a conspiracy), and which got the ball rolling, is obviously a cunning misdirection ploy by (take your pick)… Especially Lebanon, where it has been taken to a whole new level: it is commonly accepted that all the conspiracy theories are propagated by conspirators, in order to to mask their own particular conspiracy in the background noise. And if that’s not meta enough, there are those who denounce that particular meta conspiracy theory as itself the work of a conspiracy, determined to mask The Truth about whatever pet conspiracy the wingnut you’re arguing with subscribes to (and yes you will argue about it, because if you live there long enough you will become a conspiracy theory wingnut yourself). US 9-11 Troofers are mere babies at this kind of thing, really. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/88 "2015-03-14T03:09:25Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Posting from Canada; I can’t think of a Canadian CT, off-hand. All of the rioting during the G20 meeting in Toronto was caused by RCMP agents provocateurs. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/89 "2015-03-14T03:47:14Z")
Then there’s [South Park’s version](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystery_of_the_Urinal_Deuce): the US government is behind the conspiracy theories that they are behind every conspiracy theory, because they’d rather look evil but competent to the 1/4 of Americans who are “retarded” and believe in conspiracy theories no matter what. That’s fantasy-US. > [@hogarth](#): > > All of the rioting during the G20 meeting in Toronto was caused by RCMP agents provocateurs. Dudley Do-Wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/90 "2015-03-14T11:36:30Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I am amazed that this thread is the first time I have heard about it. I was a young teenager at the time and wasn’t much interested in international news. It’s odd I haven’t heard of it since. Was there ever a movie made about it? No movie that I’m aware of but there have been several TV specials about the case. Here’s a recent dramatization: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ-0PoL-vsM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ-0PoL-vsM) ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/91 "2015-03-14T12:45:41Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > In 1917 Australian world middleweight boxing champion Les Darcy died from septicaemia from faulty dental work by a dentist who was in the pocket of US underworld figures. > > In 1932 the NZ foaled Australian thoroughbred Phar Lap was poisoned by American gambling interests > > In 1970 Americas Cup Challenge, clearly the fastest yacht in the regatta was Australian Frank Packer’s Gretel II but the final series was fixed by the New York Yacht Club. > > The 1975 dismissal of the Whitlam Government was the result of a covert action by the CIA for the threat to close the US spy station at Pine Gap. > > In 1979 the Skylab space station crashed into Western Australia was a publicity stunt engineered by NASA to get increased funding to develop the Space Shuttle. > > In 1996 the Port Arthur massacre of 35 people by Martin Bryant who was a patsy trained and funded by the NRA as part of a campaign to discredit Australian gun control measures. I will admit I haven’t heard of half of these. Probably three lesser known CT’s though: 1. Ned Kelly survived the shoot out and is buried in - take your choice, 2. Simpson (of the Donkey fame) was not awarded a VC because of British Military incompetence or Australian or something (despite never being recommended for one) 3. Azaria Chamberlain’s body was disposed of by persons unknown returning from Alice Springs. However, looking back, I think only the second could be classified as a CT. The others are pure bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/92 "2015-03-14T22:58:28Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > My favourite New Zealand CT is that these islands were colonised by the Celts/Egyptians/Phoenicians centuries before the arrival of Maori and the evidence for this is systemically suppressed by the entire academic system so that Maori can claim indigenous status. [And there’s a rock to prove it! These people keep finding the ruins of ancient cities in Northland, which of course the gummint, local iwi and Big Archaeology are conspiring to keep secret.](http://uncensored.co.nz/2005/09/01/the-case-for-prehistoric-civilisations-in-new-zealand/) ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/93 "2015-03-14T23:27:11Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Given the way the EU has turned out, I’d say they might be right. There has obviously been some buyer’s remorse, which Angela Merkel could arguably do more to alleviate, but I don’t think anything has happened that would suggest that their concerns about Germany’s actual _motives_ have been validated. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/94 "2015-03-15T00:34:59Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Posting from Canada; I can’t think of a Canadian CT, off-hand. Forgotten the York U cave already. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/95 "2015-03-15T15:14:40Z")
What happens when you have evidence in a CT which cannot be easily explained away? A liver biopsy done on Elvis in 1975 was recently compared to a biopsy done at the autopsy…and the DNA didn’t match. The two biopsies are from two different people. (so…they…say…;)) ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/96 "2015-03-16T11:44:04Z")
> [@Steken](#): > > Wasn’t long before the gentleman explained to me that the CIA had secretly been running Sweden since some specific date in the mid 1850’s. The _1850’s_. Obviously, the CIA took some time out between assassinating [Zachary Taylor](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zachary_Taylor) and instigating the [Pig War](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig_War) to take over Sweden. After all, we couldn’t let it fall into the hands of [the CABAL](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CABAL), could we? ---
**Author:** ![eclectic\_wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ac91a4/32.png) [@eclectic\_wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eclectic_wench)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/97 "2015-03-16T22:57:27Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > I can think of a few Irish conspiracy theories although US ones are probably more popular due to their seeming world historical importance. > > Off the top of my head: > > […]2. Omagh Bombing being allowed happen by parties within the NI/British establishment for some reason, something along the lines of copperfastening peace. > > […] My friends in Belfast have heard loads of them but I can’t think of any right this minute. Missed this before - when it comes to conspiracy theories, Northern Ireland is an entirely different thing from the Republic. Conspiracy theories reflect the people’s relationship with the government. In the Republic, the government is close by, everyone’s met their TD or went to school with his kid or works with his cousin - half the time that’s why people voted for him/her in the first place. The government is accessible, easy to demystify and to take the piss out of, and because of the accessibility it’s \*relatively \*accountable, on a personal level. (You can ring the leading radio talk show with your problem, for example, and know that the relevant government department is going to hear about it.) Plus the country is small enough that the government has never done anything with worldwide impact, like say invading someone, so it’s harder to see it as this huge dark powerful force. Even conspiracy theories like the Knock airport one hinge on Ireland being some other country’s bitch, not on Ireland being the master villain. In the North, it’s not the same. Their central government is on an entirely different island; and it spent a long time, well within living memory, ruling them often oppressively, sometimes brutally, and with little or no regard for their civil rights. Their relationship with government is entirely different, far more distant, charged with much deeper mistrust and darkness. And worldwide, their central government is capable of, and has done, a lot more hardcore shit than ours (wars, invasions, Empire, etc). I’m not at all surprised that they have a lot more conspiracy theories up North. Some of which, as thelurkinghorror said, aren’t theories at all. > [@Weirofhermiston](#): > > It’s Ireland, people have died for the Corrs. Go to your room. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/98 "2015-03-17T00:55:56Z")
> [@The\_Butterfly\_s\_Ghost](#): > > The German city [Bielefeld](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bielefeld_Conspiracy) does not actually exist. 😉 I guess I am part of the conspiracy. Not only have I been there, I gave a talk at the university there. And I know someone who lives there. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/99 "2015-03-17T12:25:04Z")
You were hallucinating. The conspiracy involves powerful airborne psychotropic medications. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540/100 "2015-03-17T15:15:28Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#): > > A liver biopsy done on Elvis in 1975 was recently compared to a biopsy done at the autopsy…and the DNA didn’t match. > > The two biopsies are from two different people. Well, clearly. You _can’t_ do a biopsy on a corpse, so the biopsy done at his autopsy was done on one of the attending physicians. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-americans-what-are-your-countrys-own-conspiracy-theories/714540.md?page=4)