WI: Real Life Spectre-Cobra like organization?

[KuboCaskett]

Recent news about proxy groups this and proxy groups (especially ones involving Iran) got me thinking about how would a fictional organization on par with the likes of Spectre of James Bond and Cobra of GI Joe in fiction function in reality? Sure, one can point to the example of Wagner Group, but technically they operate more like a PMC of sorts, and of course the various terror groups, especially ISIS, unless I am mistaken on that. But still, the organization in question can have an ideological slant or not, as well as funding, supplies, and of course manpower for obvious reasons, and obviously not have anything over the top like volcano bases and contraptions that make the worst of the Wunderwaffe look good. But one thing is for sure, they have to go up against not only developed countries but also the USA, though not necessarily in a conventional war for obvious reasons.

Besides, I do ask since I am doing research on terrorist and paramilitary groups for story ideas. And since this is an AH forum, the POD can be well post-1900 for clarity's sake, though it can apply before 1900 for whatever reason.

 

[DG Valdron]

You mean like Al Qaeda? Isil? The Sinaloa Cartel?

 

[Monk78]

Consider this a worldwide ultra right wing militant organization that is rabidly anti-communist during the Cold War yrs… ostentatiously, condemned by United States and the west, but covertly supported as they are useful allies

 

[KuboCaskett]

You mean like Al Qaeda? Isil? The Sinaloa Cartel?

Close but with more teeth, and besides ISIS is already close to such, or rather was by now.

 

[CaptainCalvert]

A multi-national group that may not be secret as such, but dosn't seek attention is plausible as there are groups a bit like that already, although many are at least apparently legal. Arguably the mafia and other organised crime gangs fit the bill reasonably well, or at least could do so.
Many big financial corporations, big oil, big pharma, tobacco companies, the tech companies all have potential for wielding excessive power and many have OTL been prosecuted for underhand dealings. If writing a story, you could look at the successful prosecutions and think about what might have happened with some irresistable pressure, a few disappearances or accidental leaks to the press.

 

[theg*ddam*hoi2fan]

So…what, an actual literal underground army that keeps trying to take over the world?

Oddly enough that was an idea I was bouncing around for an ASB TL

 

[Tibi088]

Hmmm... A story based on elders of Zion and a jewish conspiracy secretly ruling / taking ower the world as a comedy and a satire done well might be incredibly funny. It should never be attempted though: however ridicolous and ower the top it would be it would be taken seriously by some anti-semitic groups.

 

[DougM]

Trying yo keep a group like this secret is impossible. We know about major spy organizations because they can’t completely hide. You can hide a mission but not the existence of the oginization.
So you will need to have a good cover. And for ever $1 uses on a mission you will need yo spend 10 on your hover job. So this soon becomes somewhat pointless.
Simpler for a group or cartel to back political leaders in the west to gain a say in things that will help them make money. I mean what is the point of these secret organizations. They can’t truly take over. Once they are outed they are doomed

 

[Aisha Clan-Clan]

This is OTL. CIA/FBI, MI-6, the KGB, whatever china's version is. That would be any well-funded "intelligence" agency in practice.

 

[KuboCaskett]

This is OTL. CIA/FBI, MI-6, the KGB, whatever china's version is. That would be any well-funded "intelligence" agency in practice.

Wouldn't the Quds Force count? I did bring up Iran for a reason.

 

[Monk78]

The CIA

Nah pal they fight for freedom and democracy !

 

[Monk78]

Hmmm... A story based on elders of Zion and a jewish conspiracy secretly ruling / taking ower the world as a comedy and a satire done well might be incredibly funny. It should never be attempted though: however ridicolous and ower the top it would be it would be taken seriously by some anti-semitic groups.

Starring Seth Rogan as cobra commander?

 

[YYJ]

Wouldn't the Quds Force count? I did bring up Iran for a reason.

That is what I was thinking of. I understand that the Revolutionary Guards are a business that has interests not necessarily in alignment with the host country. So they will take unilateral international actions when their interests are threatened, actions that are not necessarily to the benefit of their host country. But unlike the Bond or GI Joe baddies they are still mostly resident and dependant on their country of origin.

 

[Sekhmet_D]

Spectre or Cobra, bit far fetched. Now Destro's M.A.R.S. organisation, that's another story. An armaments development corporation turned military-industrial empire with its own troop strength, servicing numerous factions worldwide while covertly pulling strings to fuel the flames of conflict and further its own interests. Entirely plausible, I say.

 

[Horton229]

I wonder if you might consider some of the larger criminal organizations such as the 'Ndrangheta.
They have significant involvement in politics, city planning etc. as well as lots of criminal activities. Turnover is in the $billions/years.
They are not trying to take over the world, but neither were SPECTRE.

 

[athgtq16129]

a worldwide ultra right wing militant organization that is rabidly anti-communist during the Cold War yrs

I swear reading something some years ago about a Portuguese (Salazar era), Spanish (Franco era), or Italian (years of lead) secret society like that, but of course they were nowhere near to being like fictional supervillains.

 

[KuboCaskett]

I swear reading something some years ago about a Portuguese (Salazar era), Spanish (Franco era), or Italian (years of lead) secret society like that, but of course they were nowhere near to being like fictional supervillains.

Gladio seems to be close to that, if you believe the stuff about them.

 

[Garrison]

The question is who is bankrolling them? I mean Cobra in particular must have spent a fortune on all those hi-tech weapons. SPECTRE might be easier, a coalition of top tier criminal organizations from different parts of the world focused on creating compliant governments that won't get in the way of their ventures.

 

[KuboCaskett]

The question is who is bankrolling them? I mean Cobra in particular must have spent a fortune on all those hi-tech weapons. SPECTRE might be easier, a coalition of top tier criminal organizations from different parts of the world focused on creating compliant governments that won't get in the way of their ventures.

Depends on who the organization opposes; if they're against the US, it's a no brainer who would fund them to the best of their abilities, same with those against China and/or Russia.

 

[Garrison]

Depends on who the organization opposes; if they're against the US, it's a no brainer who would fund them to the best of their abilities, same with those against China and/or Russia.

But all that hi tech stuff is far too easily traceable in the real world, you can't hide Northrop Grumman or General Motors building advanced hardware and shipping it to some outfit full of masked terrorists.