Widemore and the Dharma Initiative

I was wondering how Ben and Widemore know each other, and how the conflict between the two developed.
My theory is that Widemore was BEHIND the D.I. That would explain why he has all the documents, there's a DIRECT LINK from the Looking Glass to Penny's office, why Charles said he will find the island again. After Ben and the hostiles took the Island, Ben moved it so the D.I. specificlly Widemore wouldn't be able to find it again. That would also explain why Widemore financed a superfluous SAILING trip around the world that crossed the Pacific. He was probly hoping that someone would get stranded there and it would be a clue how to find it.

Another thing, how would Ben and Charles know each other.
Well, if Charles was behind the D.I. (his company financed the other companies or something complicated corporate or something, like investor) he would have VISITED the island. When he visited, he met Ben, probably like a late teen, and they talked. This is where the relationship began, it obviously developed after Ben took the Island.

out of all the theories i've read, so far i like this one the best.

And the island is a perfet place to perform research that a rich titan would like to hide from governments and rival corps.

I guess this is why Ben sees himself as the 'good' guy.

Is Whitemore Hanso?????? Does anyone know that

I think Widmore is associated with the Dharma Initiative, but I'm very perplexed about one thing that just doesn't fit--the Dharma supply drop in season 2. I think this is one of the most challenging mysteries on the show, and it may be evidence that Widmore is not behind Dharma.

Assuming these supplies were recent (flashing beacon), and that they came from Dharma (hence the packaging), and they came from off the island, wouldn't it follow that Widmore would have had the island location and bearing all along? Whoever sent the supplies had to have known the location of the island.

If Widmore is Dharma, then somebody else, impersonating Dharma is sending them...

I'll recognize that there are a lot of time travel/time distortion theories out there, but does anybody really believe that Dharma could have dropped supplies in 1984, and they didn't arrive until 2004. If this is the answer, the science becomes very complicated, and it opens all manner of paradox possibilities--I think Damon and Carlton are wary of both and would not do this.

Personlly, I suspect that the supply drop represents a plot point that has been abandoned for whatever reason. If Widmore is Dharma, I can't see a plausible story behind the food drops.

What am I missing?

Maybe the food drops come from a timeline different than the one in which Widmore is in, and he cannot travle there to stop them. Perhaps they are automated, and now with the Swan gone, the drops won't come anymore. It is a mystery that I hope is explained.

i dont know how i feel about the timeline changing. its not a direction id like to see the show take.

Hate to say it Goody, but I think it's been taking that course for 3 seasons now. I was just posting in another thread how Only Des has freaked out when crossing the border to the freighter... and he may not have recognized Jack as Jack recognized Des when they met beginning of season 2 when the hatch is first opened.

See you in another life brutha certainly takes on a new meaning doesn't it.

Plus, think of the possibilities the show can take with this. I think it would be interesting to see if the Cablerunner from another timeline is a jackass like me.

I hope I still watch Lost in other timelines...

There are things going on in the show that I think can only be explained by multiple timelines... It is science fiction after all...

I like the multible timeline theoryyou have to admit it answer a lot of questions..