Central Intelligence Agency

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government.

CIA operations in Iraq

According to some sources http://www.muslimedia.com/archives/features98/saddam.htm http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/iraq/history/1963cialist.htm http://www.zmag.org/shalomhate.htm

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http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article2849.htm the CIA appears to have supported the 1963 military coup in Iraq and the subsequent Saddam Hussein-led government up until the point of the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. U.S. support was premised on the notion that Iraq was a key buffer state in relations with the Soviet Union. There are court records http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB82/iraq61.pdf indicating that the CIA gave military and monetary assistance to Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War. The CIA were also involved in the failed 1996 coup against Saddam Hussein (see Iyad Allawi).

Related Topics:
1963 - Coup - Iraq - Saddam Hussein - 1990 - Kuwait - Soviet Union - Iran-Iraq War - 1996 - Iyad Allawi

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In 2002 an unnamed source, quoted in the Washington Post, says that the CIA was authorized to undertake a covert operation, if necessary with help of the Special Forces, that could serve as a preparation for a full-scale military attack of Iraq. http://www.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/06/16/iraq.congress/

Related Topics:
2002 - Washington Post - Special Forces

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It became widely known that the basis of the second Gulf War in 2003 was erroneous intelligence regarding Iraq's weapons capability. The term "Weapons of mass deception" (WMD) was famous around the world and was frequently used to deride those who had initiated the invasion, notably George W. Bush and Tony Blair.

Related Topics:
Weapons of mass deception - George W. Bush - Tony Blair

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The unreliability of U.S. intelligence on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq have been a focus of intense scrutiny in the U.S. in 2004, the continuing armed resistance against the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and the widely perceived need for systematic review of the respective roles of the CIA, FBI and the Defense Intelligence Agency are prominent themes.

Related Topics:
Weapons of mass destruction - 2004 - FBI - Defense Intelligence Agency

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On July 9 2004 the Senate Report of Pre-war Intelligence on Iraq of the Senate Intelligence Committee stated that the CIA described the danger presented by weapons of mass destruction in Iraq in an unreasonable way, largely unsupported by the available intelligence. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/09/national/09CND-INTEL.html?hp

Related Topics:
July 9 - 2004 - Senate Report of Pre-war Intelligence on Iraq - Senate Intelligence Committee - Weapons of mass destruction - Iraq

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