ANY Positive achievements of the CIA?

[Xenophage]

Forget the unconstitutionality of the CIA for a moment. The CIA ostensibly exists to further American interests. Has it ever done so? We're all familiar with the CIA causing blowback - but has the CIA ever once actually done something beneficial for the United States?

Maybe the CIA saved a puppy once? Got a cat out of a tree?

[Anti Federalist]

Nothing that I can think offhand...

[tod evans]

Nothing that I can think offhand...

In the '80's they brought in some of the best coke money could buy.

[NidStyles]

They are pretty good at creating the case for the warfare state.

[oyarde]

Not that I can think of. Maybe if I was living in Laos in the 50's & 60's and they were killing communists I may think different .

[Stupified]

The CIA ostensibly exists to further American interests.

Before you can answer the original question, you have to determine what American interests are. I am sure the CIA has done many, many, many classified things that furthered the goals of the American bureaucracy, but were probably NOT the interests of most members of this forum.

[NidStyles]

Not that I can think of. Maybe if I was living in Laos in the 50's & 60's and they were killing communists I may think different .

That is, unless you were one of those Communists, or related to one of them.

[oyarde]

That is, unless you were one of those Communists, or related to one of them. Pretty much what I meant , if I was there , I would have had a favorable or unfavorable opinion , I am here , and have an unfavorable opinion.

[oyarde]

That is, unless you were one of those Communists, or related to one of them. I have no communist relatives , not sure if I would claim them .....

[Anti Federalist]

In the '80's they brought in some of the best coke money could buy.

Still are as far as I know.

[Voluntary Man]

Forget the unconstitutionality of the CIA for a moment. The CIA ostensibly exists to further American interests. Has it ever done so? We're all familiar with the CIA causing blowback - but has the CIA ever once actually done something beneficial for the United States?

Maybe the CIA saved a puppy once? Got a cat out of a tree?

The CIA's sole (official) mission is to establish foreign regimes cooperative with US "interests."

It's a mixed bag, at best.

[Acala]

I could tell you . . . but then I'd have to kill you.

[KingNothing]

Forget the unconstitutionality of the CIA for a moment. The CIA ostensibly exists to further American interests. Has it ever done so? We're all familiar with the CIA causing blowback - but has the CIA ever once actually done something beneficial for the United States?

Maybe the CIA saved a puppy once? Got a cat out of a tree?

We probably can't tell, because we can't say what the world would look like without them.

My guess is that they've done more good than bad in their effort to make the world safer for Americans and American corporations, and that they've made done so at the expense of other international players.

Either way, I imagine it's hard to point to things they've done that directly harmed us or things they've done that directly benefited us.

[otherone]

you have to determine what American interests are.

BUMP.

Any takers?

[QuickZ06]

Didn't the CIA make a weed strain as well?

[specsaregood]

//

[NidStyles]

I have no communist relatives , not sure if I would claim them .....

Depends on the Communist IMO. A Stalinist may be a immoral and unethical person, but at least he's honest about his reasoning. I'd rather deal with a Stalinist or Mao style Communist than a Leninist style Communist. Heck even the Anarcho-Communists, as moronic as that sounds, are about as trustworthy as a Psychotic. Libertarian Marxists are usually just as bad. Stalin and Mao were the only two that really called for being openly Communist. The rest are essentially dishonest about their motives by the very philosophy itself.

Lenin himself advocated lying to your opponents and everyone to garner support to get into power, and then once you have power to use it to your own end's. Lenin's influence turned what was openly despotic into something far worse and harder to spot.

[oyarde]

We probably can't tell, because we can't say what the world would look like without them.

My guess is that they've done more good than bad in their effort to make the world safer for Americans and American corporations, and that they've made done so at the expense of other international players.

Either way, I imagine it's hard to point to things they've done that directly harmed us or things they've done that directly benefited us. I respectfully disagree

[oyarde]

Depends on the Communist IMO. A Stalinist may be a immoral and unethical person, but at least he's honest about his reasoning. I'd rather deal with a Stalinist or Mao style Communist than a Leninist style Communist. Heck even the Anarcho-Communists, as moronic as that sounds, are about as trustworthy as a Psychotic. Libertarian Marxists are usually just as bad. Stalin and Mao were the only two that really called for being openly Communist. The rest are essentially dishonest about their motives by the very philosophy itself.

Lenin himself advocated lying to your opponents and everyone to garner support to get into power, and then once you have power to use it to your own end's. Lenin's influence turned what was openly despotic into something far worse and harder to spot. I see that you understand that while I have no loved ones who are such , I likely would offer no refuge to any who were .

[oyarde]

Didn't the CIA make a weed strain as well? They make only death and mistakes .

[oyarde]

The CIA's sole (official) mission is to establish foreign regimes cooperative with US "interests."

It's a mixed bag, at best. At best it has been a bag with a return rate of less than desirable , I further deem this investment as somewhat worse than a junk bond.

[Voluntary Man]

At best it has been a bag with a return rate of less than desirable , I further deem this investment as somewhat worse than a junk bond.

It's a very dirty business....and the ends represent the means.

[randomname]

hiring Michael Scheuer

[xFiFtyOnE]

They might have gave you a free LSD trip without you even knowing it! Or they might have employed you if you worked in one of their whore houses they set up in major cities throughout America. Thanks CIA!


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mk_ultra
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Midnight_Climax

[Revolution9]

I'm pretty sure they had a hand in developing crack from that cocaine as well.

Yes. They noted that cocaine carbonate would turn the ghetto addicts in Bogota into hardcore zombie addicts in one dose and keep them hooked till they died and gave them a chemical lobotomy. They thought..this is great! Let's sell this shit in US ghettoes. This is not human thinking.

Rev9

[r3volution]

the only people that could answer this is are heads of the cia , and you could not believe them so......

[pcosmar]

Yes. They noted that cocaine carbonate would turn the ghetto addicts in Bogota into hardcore zombie addicts in one dose and keep them hooked till they died and gave them a chemical lobotomy. They thought..this is great! Let's sell this shit in US ghettoes. This is not human thinking.

Rev9

Also helps to be connected to Developers,
Can bring the value of whole neighborhood down quickly,, for faster profits.

[Feeding the Abscess]

We need to take out the CIA, is what we need to do!

^ That

[bunklocoempire]

Originally Posted by Stupified

you have to determine what American interests are.



BUMP.

Any takers?

Liberty = Freedom from government.

"American interests" are:

MY Liberty. Period.

YOUR Liberty. Period.

Has the tool of the C.I.A. mostly been used to expand or even preserve MY freedom from my own government? Or has the tool of the C.I.A. mostly been used for other things? I answer other things.

National security? As far as I've been able to determine-

Culper Ring > C.I.A.

The former reported to the military, the latter report to the politicians.

[Voluntary Man]

Liberty = Freedom from government.

"American interests" are:

MY Liberty. Period.

YOUR Liberty. Period.

Has the tool of the C.I.A. mostly been used to expand or even preserve MY freedom from my own government? Or has the tool of the C.I.A. mostly been used for other things? I answer other things.

National security? As far as I've been able to determine-

Culper Ring > C.I.A.

The former reported to the military, the latter report to the politicians.

In reality, the CIA reports to no one -- if accountability matters. Of course, the CIA often makes reports to politicians, but that's just pro forma.

As much as it pains me to say it out loud, we do need an effective foreign intelligence gathering apparatus and means of covertly executing letters of marque and reprisal (whether this could be better accomplished privately is a worthy question).

The problem with the CIA is not just its mandate -- although that is a major part of the problem. The primary problem is the way it is funded, that it operates with immunity and without accountability to those whom it pretends to serve (often its main victims, either directly or "collaterally").

[tommyzDad]

The CIA provided some inspiration for a few of those movies from my youth. :D

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/3010/mv5bmti4njyxmti2mv5bml5.jpg http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/1259/mv5bmtgznzeyotkwof5bml5.jpg

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/2324/mv5bmtq4odqymdu3of5bml5.jpg http://img848.imageshack.us/img848/264/mv5bmtkyntywmtywm15bml5.jpg