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. At the same time, the callin programs themselves became a focal point of information and debate. In this case, the cia s activities led to the crack epidemic in americas inner cities, which caused american citizens much pain and misery. Usually the cia s activities have harmful effects on innocent civilians in foreign countries. How one journalist linked the cia to the crack epidemic and. The high amount of people in jail is a direct result of the crack epidemic, which was started by the cia. How the press and the cia killed gary webbs career. In 1996, gary webb of the san jose mercury news exposed a shocking series of facts.
The subject of todays hearings involves the allegations of cia in volvement in the u. Webbs series led to three federal investigations, none of. Amongst webbs fundamental problems was his implication that the cia lit the crack cocaine fuse. Why did the cia funnel crack into black communities. The cia was very much involved in the irancontra scandals. Crack is wack but did cia create it to kill off blacks. Aug 30, 2012 a commonheld belief was that the cia flooded the black community with crack so that we could do each other in.
Is there evidence that the fbi flooded black communities with drugs in the civil rights era. These conditions were further strained during the 1980s and 1990s by the widespread use of crack cocaine. Aaron dixon, the former seattle chapter captain for the black panther. 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.
A series of expose articles in the san jose mercurynews by reporter gary webb told tales of a drug. How one journalist linked the cia to the crack epidemic. Here are 10 things to know about gary webb and his report that linked the cia to crack cocaine. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum. 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. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come forward. A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose. Even ross saw cocaine at 19 in 79, so it was established well before the crack epidemic of the 80s, and likely without cia assistance.
The severelydistressed african american family in the. Allegations of a cia connection to crack cocaine epidemic. Who in the world in the cia organization is going to. In this case, the cias activities led to the crack epidemic in americas inner cities, which caused american citizens much pain and misery.
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. Back in 1996, gary webb of the san jose mercury news broke a story stating not only that the nicaraguan contras supported by the united states in a rebellion against their leftleaning government were involved in the us crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s, but also that the cia knew and turned a blind eye to the operation. Showtime drama to chronicle origins of crack cocaine. When we began assisting south american reactionaries is when cocaine began freely flowing. Did the cia play a role in launching the crack cocaine epidemic. Where did the cia introduced crack to the inner cities in the 80s idea originate. Gary webbs assertion that the cia introduced crack to black neighborhoods and those that the fbi was involved in flooding black communities with drugs were unfounded, and at best massive exaggerations of otherwise well documented and ultimately selfdefeating initiatives by us intelligence services. In 1996, a bombshell report by journalist gary webb claimed that the central intelligence agency cia supported cocaine trafficking into the u. 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. Though evidence is thin, tale of cia and drugs has a life of its own. A commonheld belief was that the cia flooded the black community with crack so that we could do each other in.
Africanamerican talkshow hosts used their programs to address the allegations of cia complicity in the crack epidemic, and the public response was forceful. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. Many readers interpreted the series to assert that the cia and other agencies of the united states government had intentionally funneled crack cocaine into black communities by either permitting or endorsing cocaine trafficking by blandon and meneses. This was then shipped to the us and kicked off the first heroin epidemic in primarily black communities in northern states. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. Black gangs used their profits to buy automatic weapons, sometimes from one of the cialinked drug dealers.
Aug 31, 2018 dark alliance, gary webbs landmark 1996 newspaper series alleging cia involvement in the crackcocaine epidemic, created a firestorm of controversy that ultimately drove webb out of. Black intellectuals said that if africanamericans were quicker than whites to believe in the possibility of c. The resulting outcry led both the cia and the justice department to open probes. 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. A cspan segment in which gary webb elaborates on his investigative work on the dark alliance of cia agents, contra rebels, and california drug dealers. A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s.
Where did the cia introduced crack to the inner cities in. He wrote a fourpart series for the san jose mercury news, which eventually became the book, dark alliance. State department of funds authorized by the congress for humanitarian assistance to. A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose mercury news says the answer may be yesand the charge. He acknowledges theres no proof of cia involvement in contrarelated drug smuggling, but what i can safely buy into is that they knew it.
Mar 21, 2015 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. 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. Blandon and meneses were said to have used their drug trafficking profits to help fund the contra armys war effort. 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.
Snowfall is a onehour drama set against the infancy of the crack cocaine epidemic and its ultimate radical impact on the culture as we know it. It has long been known that the cia has illegally toppled foreign governments. 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. Neighborhoods and families were severely impacted by this epidemic. Agency ties to drug trafficking and the 1980s crack cocaine epidemic that devastated neighborhoods, destroyed families and put thousands in. Crack epidemic, the significant increase in the use of crack cocaine, or crack, in the united states during the early 1980s. Is there evidence that the fbi flooded black communities with. 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 reagan administration and the cia also collaborated with nicaraguan cocaine traffickers to support the contras led to the crack epidemic of the 1980s. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion webb, gary, waters, maxine on. Links to information about the cia complicity in the drug trade. Did the cia play a role in launching the crackcocaine epidemic. In 1996 the agency was accused of being a crack dealer. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come.
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. The crack epidemics impact on black communities 91. In july 1995, san jose mercurynews reporter gary webb found the big onethe blockbuster story every journalist secretly dreams aboutwithout even looking for it. Crack epidemic united states history 1980s britannica. Very good book on the history of crack cocaine in the us and the involvement of the cia in its spread. As implied evidence of cia knowledge of and participation in the drug trade, the articles emphasized the meetings between. In burma in 1950, the cia regrouped the remnants of the defeated nationalist chinese army, or kmt, to. Weekly has a fascinating piece concerning the late gary webb, whose life and career were ruined when the establishment media joined with the government to. In 1996, a bombshell report by journalist gary webb claimed that the central intelligence agency. The storm over dark alliance national security archive. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy studies. Crack has destroyed families and, in many ways, destroyed communities, which still suffer the effects of crime, druguse, and incarceration.
Is there evidence that the fbi flooded black communities. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion. Even distinguished black journalists jumped on the cia crack conspiracy bandwagon, such as awardwinning columnist for the boston globe derrick z. It is very clear that the cia has been very much involved with drug dealings, paul said. 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. Heres how the crack epidemic brought a city to its knees. Okay, so then how involved was the cia in importing the most important ingredient cocaine.
According to the series, blandon was the johnny appleseed of crack in californiadistributing thousands of kilos of colombian cocaine to black dealers like ricky ross. Conspiracy theories can often ring true the washington post. The reagan administration and the cia also collaborated with nicaraguan cocaine traffickers to support the contras led to the crack epidemic. While working for the san jose mercury news, gary webb had discovered the ciacontra connection in california in the mid1990s, while investigating the crack cocaine epidemic within the black community. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. The corsican crime syndicate, in turn, used the cia support to set up the trafficking network known as the french connection which saw heroin smuggled from turkey to france, and shipped to the us, feeding an american heroin epidemic. Weekly has a fascinating piece concerning the late gary webb, whose life and career were ruined when the establishment media joined with the government to discredit a series hed written. Measuring crack cocaine and its impact by roland g. A 2018 study found that the crack epidemic had longrun consequences for crime, contributing to the doubling of the murder rate of young black males soon after the start of the epidemic, and that the murder rate was still 70 percent higher 17 years after cracks arrival. John singleton to chronicle crack epidemic the charges of cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking were. Crack cocaine was popularized because of its affordability, its immediate euphoric effect, and its high profitability. Even if a major investigation into the allegations is done, it is. The cia certainly assisted the contras, and the contras had known cocaine ties.
A simple phone call concerning an unexceptional pending drug trial turned into a massive conspiracy involving the nicaraguan contra rebels, l. Numerous african american families have struggled for generations with persistent poverty, especially in the inner city. Usually the cias activities have harmful effects on innocent civilians in foreign countries. This led to the us having the highest incarceration rate in the world.
Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum rt. Cia involvement in trafficking is usually alleged to be connected. Outraged at cia role in drug trade duke university. As involvement with the fall of the black panther party and the african american community essay.
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