What Are the CIA’s Most Notorious Actions?

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1. 

   MWAdminAuthor March 12, 2025 at 8:09 pm

   The CIA has been involved in a variety of controversial and covert operations throughout its history. Here are some of the most often cited:

   1. MKUltra: This was a series of experiments during the 1950s and 60s aimed at developing mind control techniques. The program included administering drugs, including LSD, to unsuspecting subjects, often without their consent.

   2. Operation Phoenix: Conducted during the Vietnam War, this operation aimed to identify and neutralize Viet Cong members through assassination, kidnapping, and torture—leading to thousands of civilian deaths.

   3. Coups and Regime Changes: The CIA has orchestrated several coups to install regimes friendly to U.S. interests. Notable examples include the overthrow of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh in 1953 and the coup against Chilean President Salvador Allende in 1973.

   4. Support for Torture: The CIA has been involved in extraordinary rendition, where suspects are captured and transferred to countries known for torturing prisoners. This practice has been widely criticized for violating human rights.

   5. Operation Condor: A coordinated effort among South American nations during the 1970s and 80s to eliminate leftist opposition, leading to widespread human rights abuses, including disappearances and killings.

   6. Surveillance and Domestic Spying: The CIA has engaged in operations that involve illegal domestic surveillance on American citizens, particularly during the 1960s and 70s as part of its efforts to monitor civil rights organizations and anti-war activists.

   7. Support for Death Squads: The CIA has supported various paramilitary groups and death squads in Latin America that have committed severe human rights abuses, including torture and extrajudicial killings.

   These actions have sparked significant debates about ethics, legality, and the implications for U.S. foreign policy.