Alexander Haig

Introduction

Alexander Meigs Haig Jr. (1924–2010) was a prominent American military officer and statesman. A West Point graduate, he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, earning numerous decorations. Haig rose to prominence as a key aide to Henry Kissinger in the Nixon administration, later serving as White House Chief of Staff (1973–1974) during the Watergate scandal. He played a critical role in managing Nixon’s resignation and the transition to Gerald Ford. As Supreme Allied Commander Europe (1974–1979), he strengthened NATO’s defenses. Haig served as Secretary of State under Ronald Reagan (1981–1982), resigning amid policy disputes. Known for his assertive leadership, he controversially claimed to be “in control” after Reagan’s 1981 assassination attempt. Later, Haig worked in business and consulting, dying in 2010 at age 85.

Operation Gladio

Alexander Meigs Haig Jr. (1924–2010) was a prominent American military officer and statesman whose career included significant roles that intersected with Cold War covert operations, including potential connections to Operation Gladio, NATO’s clandestine “stay-behind” program. His roles as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) from 1974 to 1979 and his earlier positions in the Nixon administration place him in proximity to NATO and U.S. intelligence activities associated with Gladio.

Haig’s most significant potential connection to Operation Gladio comes from his tenure as SACEUR, where he oversaw NATO’s military strategy in Europe during a peak period of Cold War tensions. NATO’s Clandestine Planning Committee (CPC), established in 1951, coordinated Gladio activities, and as SACEUR, Haig would have been aware of classified contingency plans, including stay-behind networks. These networks were justified as defense against Soviet aggression, aligning with Haig’s hawkish anti-communist stance.
During Haig’s tenure, Gladio’s activities in Italy, known as the “strategy of tension,” were at their height, with alleged links to terrorist attacks like the 1978 kidnapping and murder of Aldo Moro and the 1980 Bologna bombing. Some researchers, such as Daniele Ganser in NATO’s Secret Armies, suggest that NATO commanders like Haig had general knowledge of stay-behind operations, as they were integral to NATO’s unconventional warfare plans. However, there’s no concrete evidence that Haig directly oversaw or authorized Gladio’s more controversial actions, such as false-flag operations. His role was strategic, focusing on strengthening NATO’s conventional and nuclear defenses, not managing covert paramilitary units.
Haig’s interactions with European intelligence services, particularly in Italy and Germany, would have exposed him to Gladio’s existence. For example, Italian Gladio units collaborated with NATO exercises, and Haig, as SACEUR, approved joint training programs.