The CIA and 1980s Covert Operations


William Casey (far left) touring Afghanistan in the company of mujahadeen fighters. A devotee of covert operations, Casey's CIA undertook initiatives from Afghanistan to Central America.

 

 

Today's class centers on the legacy of William Casey, both in Afghanistan (Ghost Wars) and in Central America (documents). A hard-line anticommunist, Casey entered the CIA committed to ousting the Sandinistas from power in Nicaragua. And--allied with an equally secrecy-minded National Security Council staff--he helped trigger the most serious political scandal of the 1980s.

READING:

bullet Ghost Wars, all.
bullet reading notes

DOCUMENTS:

bullet Reagan's presidential finding--a guide for permissible CIA activities in Nicaragua
bullet William Casey himself urges a more aggressive effort to build public support for the contras
bullet At this well-attended meeting, top administration officials wonder how to obtain funds for the contras
bullet The CIA counsel's office examines how to get around congressional legislation