The quickest way to raise it is to sell cocaine and you guys go sell it somewhere. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion is a 1998 book by journalist gary webb. Others however argued that this is not true and that its some sort of liberal agenda to demonize reagans term. In fact, the agencys central complaint, according to the document, was over the graphics that accompanied the series, which suggested a link between the cia and the crack scare, and webbs. 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. The articles represented that ross drug network was the first in the nation to market crack cocaine and was dependent on cocaine supplied by blandon. 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. Then his dark alliance series for the san jose mercury news claimed to have unearthed damning evidence showing that the. Oct 20, 2012 secret ties between cia, drugs revealed. For that same reason that tj swan, wild irish rose, md 2020, boones farm and all the other producers of cheap wines the kind that are aged on the truck introduced their products into the black community. Hello reddit, i was doing a little research on the crack epidemic of the 1980s and from what i read the cia introduce crack cocaine to the u. The crack epidemic that once ravaged black neighborhoods didnt get the same sympathy as todays opioid epidemic by daudi abe may 2, 2017 at 1. Bush holds a bag of crack cocaine as he poses for photographers in the oval office of the white house, sept.
It further alleged that cocaine was virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the cias army started bringing it into south central in the 1980s at bargainbasement prices. Whole communities of homeless addicts wander promoting violence. Dark alliance documented how the cia introduced crack into urban black neighborhoods, which has had a domino effect of crime, drug use, and government dependency. Americas war on drugs is an immersive trip through the last five decades of american drug policy and the unintended consequences for a global powergrab of the narcotics black market. Thirteen years ago on december 9, the world lost one of the few remaining investigative truth tellers. On august 18, 1996, the san jose mercury news published the first installment of a threepart series of articles concerning crack cocaine, the central intelligence agency cia, and the nicaraguan contra army. May 30, 1997 media circus the san jose mercury news ciacrack story. Drug trafficking was a much less convoluted method of skirting the congressional ban on funding the contras, and the cias. No wonder terrorists are running wild, the cia is too busy ruining intercity blacks. Area if youre new to washington, you are about to make your home in one of the most fastpaced, exciting and culturally rewarding cities in the world. In 1996, a bombshell report by journalist gary webb claimed that the central intelligence agency cia supported cocaine trafficking into the u.
The cocaine that flooded in helped spark a crack explosion in urban america. Why did the cia introduce crack into the black community in. Central intelligence agency to the introduction of crack cocaine into black neighborhoods. Despite critics, a good story crack and the contras. The government certainly had an informant put barbiturates in fred hamptons drink before he passed out and was assassinated by the fbi. Chief trump tormenter maxine waters once alleged the cia. Apr 25, 2007 it further alleged that cocaine was virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the cia s army started bringing it into south central in the 1980s at bargainbasement prices. A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s.
Did the cia bring crack to black neighborhoods in the 1980s. Did the cia really introduce cocainecrack to the u. In his effort to make america great again yes, that was originally a catchphrase from reagans stump speeches, reagan enlisted his. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. Central intelligence agency to the introduction of crack cocaine into black neighborhoods with drug profits. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in.
Its something that has been happening for a long time, said. I heard this conspiracy that the government on purpose brought crack cocaine into black neighborhoods and started welfare so that black people wouldnt be able to progress. Cia jobs and training requirements in washington state. Heres how the crack epidemic brought a city to its knees. Gary webb, formerly of the san jose mercury news,authored one of the most epic series outlining the cooperation of the cia and cocaine traffickers from the us backed anticommunist contra rebels. 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. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. How the fbi infiltrates movementsand what you can do to stop. April, 1989, the kerry committee report concluded that members of th.
In 1996 the agency was accused of being a crack dealer. Conspiracy theories can often ring true the washington post. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum rt. The cia contra crack connection, 10 years later reporter gary webb was the victim of his own hyperbole, but he never got credit for what he got right.
By nick schou, nick schou is an editor for oc weekly. Dec 06, 2006 cia brought crack, rap, guns, low riders, spinners, baggy pants, and weed into black neighborhoods. Cia jobs and training requirements in washington state how. While webb was also criticized for suggesting the cia intentionally devastated african american communities with crack, he defended himself saying that was not the case. Black gangs used their profits to buy automatic weapons, sometimes from one of the cialinked drug dealers. Did the cia bring crack to black neighborhoods in the.
Jun 04, 2019 crack cocaine, swept throughout the us in the 1980s as an inexpensive and easily accessible drug. Then his dark alliance series for the san jose mercury news claimed to have unearthed damning evidence showing that the central. This gave rise to gangs, tore black neighborhoods apart, and contributed to the massive international drug mafia we have today. Justice report finds no cia link to crack cocaine trafficking july 23, 1998 contra leaders say cia not involved in drug sales november 26, 1996 deutch confronts angry l.
Thousands of young black men are serving long prison sentences for selling cocaine a drug that was virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the cia s army started bring it into south central in the 1980s at bargain basement prices, wrote mercury. Thirteen years after his passing, gary webbs work lives. How ronald reagans drug war fueled americans addiction. The first article in the newspaper said that cocaine was virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the cias army started bringing it into south central in the 1980s at. Cia director john deutch declared that he found no connection whatsoever between the cia and. New docuseries aims to factcheck americas war on drugs. Allegations of a cia connection to crack cocaine epidemic select. Kill the messenger movie revisits the cia and how crack. In 1990, long before any major news organizations had connected crack and the c. By the time webb worked on his series, there had already been mention in the press of the contras link with the u. Cnn cia admits it overlooked contras links to drugs. 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.
How the cias crack cocaine controversy destroyed journalist gary webb, will be published in october. The first article also discussed oscar danilo blandon reyes role in the drug ring. Some 5,000 people, buoyed by a call for 10,000 from wolam, a black owned radio station in washington, d. The book is based on dark alliance, webbs threepart investigative series published in the san jose mercury news in august 1996. The confidential license program has been operating since the 1980s. The black neighborhoods in america are still suffering the effects of drugs, especially crack, introduced by the cia. 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. Its not a situation where the government or the cia sat down and said okay, lets invent crack and sell it in black neighborhoods and lets decimate black america.
You can find several other examples of government staging these type of events. When reports surfaced recently implying the cia was behind the flood. The crack epidemic that once ravaged black neighborhoods. Secret ties between cia, drugs revealed the final call. Aaron dixon, the former seattle chapter captain for the black panther party, is writing a book on the impact of crack cocaine on black communities.
Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come forward. Aug 08, 2015 cia bought crack off of the contras and introduced it into california. Did the government put drugs in the black community. Cia brought crack, rap, guns, low riders, spinners, baggy pants, and weed into black neighborhoods. On august 18, 1996, the san jose mercury news published the first installment of a threepart series of articles concerning crack cocaine, the central intelligence. Everyone knows the city as the home of our national government, but there is much more to do here once youve seen congress, the white house and the supreme court. Its not a situation where the government or the cia sat down and said, okay, lets invent crack, lets sell it in black neighborhoods, lets decimate black america. Cia funnels drugs into poor us neighborhoods rt usa news. Wouldnt be motivated to do things, since the government was basically handing them out the essentials to survive. 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. Welcome to the cia web site central intelligence agency. It was a situation where we need money for a covert operation. The cocaine that flooded in helped spark a crack explosion in urban america and provided the cash and connections needed for l. The prisons are full of young blacks and latinos at a higher rate, serving a sentence for trafficking cocaine, a drug difficult to find in black neighborhoods.
But, for black people to be able to given those welfares, the women would have to be pregnant and not. For nearly a decade the cia spread crack cocaine in black neighborhoods to fund their proxi nicaraguan contra army. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. Is there evidence that the fbi flooded black communities with. The crack epidemics impact on black communities 91.
Jun 26, 2017 the media seemed to play along, hyping up threats with racist coverage that largely ignored rampant cocaine use amongst whites and sensationalized the crack problem in innercity black neighborhoods. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy studies. How the cia watched over the destruction of gary webb. In october 1998, the cia released a declassified version of hitzs twovolume report, and the cia was cleared of its alleged complicity in the spread of crack cocaine in to the innercities. Of course, the cia made sure healthy young male didnt get jobs. How was crack cocaine introduced into urban and lowincome. In the 1980s and 1990s, waters aggressively pushed a nowdebunked conspiracy theory that the cia was behind the flow of crack cocaine into americas cities. Fast and furious provided weapons to druglords, which have been used in attacks and killings. Aug 30, 2012 in october 1998, the cia released a declassified version of hitzs twovolume report, and the cia was cleared of its alleged complicity in the spread of crackcocaine in to the innercities.
While the antidrug abuse act prescribed a minimum fiveyear sentence for a dealer or user caught with five grams of crack, an amount typically handled by black. 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. Ciacontracrack cocaine controversy department of justice. It has recently been discovered that the washington department of licensing has a special office, the license integrity unit, which has been secretly issuing washington drivers licenses to the cia for use by special agents. Little did they know that the cia was using them as pawns in a larger scheme by allowing the more affordable drug to come into their neighborhood. A series of expose articles in the san jose mercurynews by reporter gary webb told tales of a drug. Neighborhoods and families were severely impacted by this epidemic. For nearly a decade the cia spread crack cocaine in black. The cia also prevented women from getting married and using birth control. How the cia s crack cocaine controversy destroyed journalist gary webb, will be published in october.
Oct 24, 2014 its not a situation where the government or the cia sat down and said okay, lets invent crack and sell it in black neighborhoods and lets decimate black america. In his report, webb who had won a pulitzer in 1989 for a different story claimed that the cia was partly responsible for bringing crack cocaine to the united states in the 1980s. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy. The original series claimed that, in order to help raise funds for efforts against the nicaraguan sandinista government, the cia supported cocaine. Though evidence is thin, tale of cia and drugs has a life of its own. The next day, a predominantly black crowd of 4,000 packed a conference hall at the washington convention center to hear rep.
Americas war on drugs premieres sunday, june 18 at 9pm etpt. 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. While the circumstances of his death are highly suspect of foul play, his series dark. The ciacontra crack connection, 10 years later reporter gary webb was the victim of his own hyperbole, but he never got credit for what he got right. A commonheld belief was that the cia flooded the black community with crack so that we could do each other in. 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. Oct 11, 2014 while webb was also criticized for suggesting the cia intentionally devastated african american communities with crack, he defended himself saying that was not the case. Waters denounce the connection between the cia and the crack cocaine. Mar 21, 2008 urban neighborhoods are grappling with legions of homeless crack addicts. October 21, 1996 though evidence is thin, tale of c.
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