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Commander of the Knights of Malta—the secretive Vatican order As we shall see, Cocke's ability to "close" things other people that boasts numerous members who serve, or are closely affiliated could not close did not extend to Project Hammer—a financial with, Western intelligence and military services. Intriguingly, he operation that, according to Cocke, deeply involved Citibank and claimed to have been the first Protestant "in 1200 years to be so its Chairman, John Reed. Cocke said he could get to see any honoured". President without any trouble, but complained that he could not In 1959 and again in 1960 he was a member of the US delega- get to meet John Reed. tion to the General Assembly of the United Nations, holding the rank (and pay grade) of Ambassador. After that, he was the first COLLATERAL DAMAGE fulltime US Alternate Executive Director of the World Bank, a Having briefly examined General Cocke's background, let's position he held for four years from 1961-64. Pressed about this now return to that stupendous sum of "black" money mentioned in more detail by his questioner, a Washington attorney, Cocke earlier. For purposes of clarity, this amount was referenced in responded by saying: Erle Cocke's deposition. If, as we have said, this amount was "At that time I owned 28 percent of the stock and, of course, I stealthily "magicked" into being as a result of an exotic form of had all kinds of people in the Treasury tell me what to do. Don't financial smoke and mirrors, the question is: where did it go? get me wrong, I made all the decisions. But I was the executor, I According to Cocke, this sum was lodged in "30-some odd was the delivery." accounts together". Asked where these accounts were located, He also confirmed that he had worked for every US President: Cocke responded by saying, "In almost one solid block at "...from Truman to date. At some stage Citibank". of the game I worked for all of them. I General Cocke's questioner then asked: have to admit that some of them were very "Would they have been in control of Mr minor chores and others were important." Reed?"—meaning former Citibank CEO and In addition to his many abilities and Chairman John Reed. accomplishments listed above, Erle Cocke . Cocke responded as follows, in this was above all other things a banker—a pro- In April 2000, Cocke exchange with the attorney: feat namie Seer | gave a deposition | rth a which was then the only bank in Georgia. running to 67 pages in different locations, countries, that I would His grandfather founded a bank in about A A say no, he did not have complete control, but 1890, and his father was President of Fulton concerning his everybody recognized it wouldn't be settled National Bank (which became Bank of knowledge and until it got to him. America) and was at one time the President involvement in Q. And these were, you say, accounts for of the American Bankers Association and Chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Asked about his own knowledge of various people around the world? A. Yes. Q. Produced as a result of what? A. Well, most of them figured that Project Hammer. banking, Cocke said he had taken all Ten days later greed in particular was mighty high. the normal banking courses, and . And, if they put up this amount of added: he died from money, then I am going to get this kind "T understand banking. I can teach pancreatic cancer. of money coming back. That's the banking—you understand what I am saying—at the college level." This banking expertise was at the core of his firm, Cocke & Phillips International, which began life as a: "..normal American firm, lobbying firm, here in Washington, and we A. They were all to get in the trad- grew into banking particularly. The ing program. I haven't found anybody UN contacts and the World Bank contacts—sometimes they help that didn't go in wanting to increase their income and their greed way practically all of it was. I hate to use the word "sole", but "present" might be a better word. Q. Were these accounts for the benefit of people who had engaged in some kind of trading program? those people for 10 years." in the highest bracket if they could possibly put up money. In a similar vein, he undertook all sorts of "chores" for some of Q. What I am understanding from you is that whatever these the government intelligence agencies. He explained this as individuals, corporate entities, or even government...they follows: believed, apparently by putting these funds with Citibank as part "One thing is if they trusted you, they practically came in and of this effort, they would then receive later down the road a pay- said, 'What do I do?" I mean, you didn't argue with them. You off? sort of proceeded with the program and gave them a few choices, A. That is correct. of course. But [they] practically always followed what we did. I Q. Asa result of Citibank's management of these funds, is was administrator, arbitrator. I was [the] moderator, bringing that fair to say? people together." A. Yes, basically the whole trading bloc in a nutshell. Asked if that experience "would be true in the financial and banking world in particular", Cocke replied: During the course of his deposition, General Cocke was asked "Oh, yes. I have been able to close things that other people if he knew who "created" Hammer "to begin with". He admitted can't close." that he didn't know and was even reluctant to make a guess, but As we shall see, Cocke's ability to "close" things other people could not close did not extend to Project Hammer—a financial operation that, according to Cocke, deeply involved Citibank and its Chairman, John Reed. Cocke said he could get to see any President without any trouble, but complained that he could not get to meet John Reed. In April 2000, Cocke gave a deposition running to 67 pages concerning his De) Ten days later he died from During the course of his deposition, General Cocke was asked if he knew who "created" Hammer "to begin with". He admitted that he didn't know and was even reluctant to make a guess, but NEXUS = 37 knowledge and involvement in Project Hammer. pancreatic cancer. DECEMBER 2001 — JANUARY 2002 www.nexusmagazine.com