The Polish Foreign Ministry’s long-time media operation inside Belarus, called Belsat, featured today a lengthy ‘hit’ job against political scientist Dr. Cliff Kiracofe, president of the Washington Institute for Peace and Development and a regular participant in Schiller Institute conferences. The attack, at a minimum, reflects the deep-seated concern amongst the ‘color revolution’ crowd that an intelligent form of economic nationalism and cooperation might bring the U.S., Russia and even parts of Europe together. Entitled “Pinochet defender and conspiracy circle regular: Who is the American praising Lukashenka in Minsk?,” the article revolves around the shop-worn dismissal of Lyndon LaRouche’s movement as a “conspiracy circle.”

What was the occasion for the attack? “Kiracofe arrived in Minsk at the invitation of the Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus, led by Aleh Haidukevich. He also met with Siarhei Rachkou, chairman of the parliamentary committee on international affairs. In an interview, Rachkou explained why such visits matter to the Belarusian authorities: ‘In principle, people know about us. And they know a lot of positive things. But there is information deliberately spread by certain biased media outlets and analytical circles fulfilling a specific agenda. That is why this meeting with an American analyst is very important.'

“Over the course of several days, the American met with parliamentarians, visited the Homiel Chemical Plant, and gave interviews to state media outlets. He spoke about trade, fertilizers, relations with Washington, and the future of global politics. The latter, according to the guest, could very well be decided with the participation of Alyaksandr Lukashenka.”

Kiracofe told the MIR 24 TV channel: “In my view, Belarus is a very well-organized country. There is a strong leader who fits the times and the surrounding environment. We need to step up contacts between our presidents. Because both leaders have ideas regarding the future fate of the region.”

Then, the “conspiracy circle” is introduced: “As early as 2005–2006, Kiracofe spoke at conferences organized by the Schiller Institute, an entity tied to the movement of American conspiracy theorist Lyndon LaRouche. LaRouche ran for US president multiple times and spread conspiracy theories about global financial elites. In 1988, he was convicted of mail fraud and tax violations. Following his prison sentence, he continued his political activities, while his supporters worked through the Executive Intelligence Review magazine and the Schiller Institute, founded by LaRouche’s wife.

“In July 2022, the Schiller Institute published a lengthy interview with Kiracofe. He claimed that the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks served as a pretext to expand the national security state and restrict constitutional liberties. He criticized American imperialism, financial elites, and the wars Washington waged across various regions of the world. ‘They took American idealism and created its complete antithesis—an American imperial hegemon, a sort of Frankenstein’s monster roaming the world,’ he said of the US foreign policy establishment.