Crack cocaine was popularized because of its affordability, its immediate euphoric effect, and its high profitability. The cia and the cocainecrack epidemic by former dea. Since the release of the film kill the messenger, there has been renewed focus on journalist gary webbs story, which documented how cia linked drug traffickers were supplying us drug dealers with cheap cocaine that helped fuel the crack epidemic in the 1980s. Webb also alleged that this influx of nicaraguansupplied cocaine sparked, and significantly fueled, the widespread crack cocaine epidemic that swept through many u. San francisco agent thought she was onto something big meneses trail was getting warm when her superiors took her off the case. The idea that webb reported that the cia itself was directly dealing drugs, and that it was responsible for the crack epidemic in this country, is a misrepresentation designed to undermine webb. Measuring crack cocaine and its impact harvard university. According to webb, the cia was aware of the cocaine transactions and the large shipments of drugs into the u. The crack epidemic in the united states was a surge of crack cocaine use in major cities across the united states between the early 1980s and the early 1990s. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb in 1996, journalist gary webb began looking into links between nicaraguas drugrunning contra rebels and the cia. We dont know for sure, but since so much of the 1980s cocaine did originate from the cia, its reasonably likely. The crack epidemic started by the assistance of the f. Webb also said the cia was aware that proceeds from the sales of those. There were the torres brothers, the colombians, and.
Mar 21, 2015 the cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose mercury news says the answer may be yes. Drug trafficking is a gold mine for people who want to raise money in the underground government in order to finance projects that they cant get legitimately. Oct 21, 2014 the idea that webb reported that the cia itself was directly dealing drugs, and that it was responsible for the crack epidemic in this country, is a misrepresentation designed to undermine webb.
Your worst fears are true the cia did help to smuggle drugs into american ghettos, says an investigative reporter, webb was asked whether his story had confirmed the suspicion within the black community that the crack cocaine epidemic might be part of a. Titled dark alliance, the headline ran beneath the provocative image of a man smoking crack superimposed on the official seal of the cia. They just hear the sound byte the cia is responsible for the crack epidemic repeated over and over again by the likes of maxine waters, and they think they know the whole story, or they write it off as conspiratorial bs, depending on their preference. The secret flow of drugs and money, webb reported, had a direct link to the crack epidemic that devastated california s most vulnerable african american neighborhoods. Crack epidemic, the significant increase in the use of crack cocaine, or crack, in the united states during the early 1980s. Black gangs used their profits to buy automatic weapons, sometimes from one of the cialinked drug dealers. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Dark alliance, linking the central intelligence agency with nicaraguan contras and.
So remember when word was the cia was involved with drugs coming into our communities. Mi6 and the cia are also responsible for the crack cocaine epidemic in britain and america. Despite what a new movie says about the reporter who linked the cia and crack. How john kerry exposed the contracocaine scandal derided by the mainstream press and taking on reagan at the height of his popularity, the freshman senator battled to reveal one of americas. How one journalist linked the cia to the crack epidemic. The high amount of people in jail is a direct result of the crack epidemic, which was started by the cia terry reed and the cia weve talked about gary webb. In august 1996, webb wrote one of the first pieces of journalism that reached a massive audience thanks to the internet. That means ken hajjars cocaine distribution in new hampshire might have been linked to this larger cia drug operation.
Opioid addiction in the united states has reached epidemic proportions, threatening not only public health but economic output and national security. If theyd been in a more respectable line of work, norwin meneses, danilo blandon and freeway rick ross would have been hailed as geniuses of marketing. Oct 05, 2011 the drugs the cia let into the country contributed to the deaths of many africanamericans in the ghetto, these drugs were part of the crack epidemic. This is the true story about the cia contra relationship. The 1980s crack cocaine epidemic was largely fueled by the cias activities. The cocaine that flooded in helped spark a crack explosion in urban america.
The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy. Cia director john deutch, meanwhile, has ordered his inspector general to file a report on the subject within 60 days. Dec 01, 2014 the october 10 release of the biopic kill the messenger brought renewed focus on webbs story, which documented how cialinked drug traffickers were supplying us drug dealers with cheap cocaine that helped fuel the crack epidemic in the 1980s. The charges of cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking were revived in 1996, when a newspaper series by reporter gary webb in the san jose mercury news claimed that the trafficking had played an important role in the creation of the crack cocaine drug problem in the united states. This, all in an effort to secure a nuke deal with iran. This creates a short high, followed by tiredness, depression, panic, anxiety, and brain damage. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come. A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose mercury news says the answer may be yesand the charge. Hitz insists he finds it hard to believe that any cia agent in the field would be involved, especially since it was well known during this period that if the cia was linked to any drug shipment.
It is one of the most highly additive and destructive drugs in the world. The us governmentcia is responsible for the crack epidemic. It was always more subtle and complicated than that. Here are 10 things to know about gary webb and his report that linked the cia to crack cocaine. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion gary webb. How gary webb linked the cia to the crack epidemic and paid the ultimate price gary webbs dark alliance series boldly claimed the cia knew about a u. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. The findings will be required reading for anyone concerned by the rise of crack, but given the cias habit of burying its own past, undoubtedly not the final word. The newspaper articles suggested that the united states government had protected blandon and meneses from prosecution and either knowingly permitted them to peddle massive quantities of cocaine to the black residents. Small doses of it are smoked into the lungs and delivered quickly to the brain. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. Did the cia play a role in launching the crack cocaine epidemic. By robert parry washington it should be clear by now that for 12 years, from 19811993, the. For the post, this means its time to argue once again that webb got the story wrong.
The ghastly disease aids burst upon the scene in the early 1980s. These claims have led to investigations by the united states government, including hearings and reports by the united states house of representatives, senate, department of justice, and the cias office of the inspector general. Oct, 2014 they just hear the sound byte the cia is responsible for the crack epidemic repeated over and over again by the likes of maxine waters, and they think they know the whole story, or they write it off as conspiratorial bs, depending on their preference. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb telegraph. Crack, the cia and black americas drug crisis the final call. Well politico is alledging obama was as doing basically the same thing. Central intelligence agency was responsible for the crack cocaine epidemic in. I has destroyed african american people, culture, and communities.
Shadowy origins of crack epidemic role of cia linked agents a wellprotected secret until now. A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was. The reagan administration and the cia also collaborated with nicaraguan cocaine traffickers to support the contras led to the crack epidemic of the 1980s. The big lie is that we started it all the crack epidemic we were just a small part. The cia was very much involved in the irancontra scandals. Did the cia play a role in launching the crackcocaine epidemic. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. How the cia helped create the crack epidemic youtube. Even if a major investigation into the allegations is done, it is unlikely to quell the certainty among many african americans that the government played a role in bringing the crack epidemic. This resulted in a number of social consequences, such as increasing crime and violence in american inner city neighborhoods, as well as a resulting backlash in the form of tough on crime policies. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy studies. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia.
Crack epidemic united states history 1980s britannica. Allegations of a cia connection to crack cocaine epidemic. If anyone was responsible for the drug problems in a specific area, i thought, it was the people who were bringing the drugs in. This excellent web site presents the evidence in a series of compelling articles, along with photographs and sound clips from testimony about the cias involvement in the crack trade in south central.
After losing his job for telling the truth he documented everything in his book dark alliance. A worthless and whiny attack on a genuine journalistic hero. How one journalist linked the cia to the crack epidemic and. The october 10 release of the biopic kill the messenger brought renewed focus on webbs story, which documented how cia linked drug traffickers were supplying us drug dealers with cheap cocaine that helped fuel the crack epidemic in the 1980s. The secret flow of drugs and money, webb reported, had a direct link to the crack epidemic that devastated californias most vulnerable african american neighborhoods.
When the story first appeared in 1996 on the website of the san jose mercury news, it became an unprecedented internet sensation, receiving up to 1. He regrets being used a pawn in the cia linked operation that spread drugs and despair in the black community. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion 2nd revised edition by gary webb isbn. These diamonds are then sold and the drug money is clean. It was not orchestrated by the contras or the cia or any single drug ring. Gary webb revelaed that the cia was responsible for the us crack epidemic in the 80s. According to the stories, the cia and its operatives used crack cocainesold via. It is very clear that the cia has been very much involved with drug dealings, paul said. The invention of crack represented a technological innovation that dramatically widened the availability and use of cocaine in inner cities. Though this particular grim reaper has not long stalked among us, it has taken millions of.
In 1978, mi6 and the cia were in south america researching the effects of the natives smoking basuco cocaine paste. Webbs series led to three federal investigations, none of. The crack epidemic had particularly devastating effects. In 1996, a bombshell report by journalist gary webb claimed that the central intelligence agency cia supported cocaine trafficking into the u. Oct 22, 2014 since the release of the film kill the messenger, there has been renewed focus on journalist gary webbs story, which documented how cia linked drug traffickers were supplying us drug dealers with cheap cocaine that helped fuel the crack epidemic in the 1980s. Based on a yearlong investigation, reporter gary webb wrote that during the 1980s the cia helped finance its covert war against nicaraguas leftist government through sales of cutrate cocaine to south central l. For the related broader allegations of drug trafficking by the cia, see allegations of cia drug trafficking. Black gangs used their profits to buy automatic weapons, sometimes from one of the cia linked drug dealers. Knowledge of drug trafficking and the contras the national security archive obtained the handwritten notebooks of oliver north, the national security council aide who helped run the contra war and other reagan administration covert operations, through a freedom of information act lawsuit filed in 1989. Webbs sources and his findings, especially regarding the introduction of crack into america, the targetting by contra dealers of africanamerican communities and the involvement of the cia. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come forward. However, the mercury news series contained or at least many readers interpreted it to contain a new sensational claim.
The san jose mercury news articles spurred renewed interest in the subject of drug trafficking in support of the contras, particularly the allegation that certain contra supporters described in the articles trafficked drugs with the knowledge and support of the cia and were responsible for the crack explosion in southern california and. This is a must read for every person searching for answers to why crack cocain flooded our country seemingly unbridled, into our country. How gary webb linked the cia to the crack epidemic and paid the ultimate price. What is beyond doubt is that cia was directly responsible for the importation of.
Central intelligence agency a number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s. Oct 17, 2014 despite what a new movie says about the reporter who linked the cia and crack. Links to information about the cia complicity in the drug trade. Ciacontra connection recent central american history.
How gary webb linked the cia to the crack epidemic all thats. Sep 20, 2019 the secret flow of drugs and money, webb reported, had a direct link to the crack epidemic that devastated californias most vulnerable african american neighborhoods. This is a stunning revelation into the crack epidemic perpitrated in part by the reagan administration era. An awardwinning investigative reporter, gary webb 19552004 is best known for his dark alliance series that linked a northern california drug ring with the cia and the united states burgeoning crack epidemic. Establishment newspapers do damage control for the cia by norman solomon from book wizards of media oz, 1997, paper one of the biggest media uproars of the mid1990s had to do with the cia, the nicaraguan contras and cocaine.
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