Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, primarily through the use of human intelligence. It is only one member of the United States Intelligence Community, but possibly the most known.
The CIA is the only agency authorized by law to carry out and oversee covert action. The CIA has increasingly expanded its role, including covert paramilitary operations. One of its largest divisions, the Information Operations Center (IOC), has shifted focus from counter-terrorism to offensive cyber-operations.
The CIA has been part of many criticisms and controversies. Even Wikipedia mentions many (leftist) criticisms.
Some accusations may be due to disinformation by enemies, such as Communist black propaganda during the Cold war, but the CIA has itself been accused of disinformation.
See also
- Allied psychological warfare: United States - Including on the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), predecessor to the CIA.
- Holocaust documentary evidence: Allied intelligence - Including on the OSS.
- Nuremberg trials: Origins - Including on the OSS.
- Operation Gladio
- Operation Mockingbird
- Project MKUltra
- Regime change
- Conspiracy theory