?reverse sting? to arrest Ricky Ross again. Ross still remains in prison (Webb, San Jose
Mercury News). Norwin Menses, the Colombian drug lord who supplied Blandon with
cocaine, still remains free, despite the fact the US government had numerous
opportunities to arrest him (Webb, San Jose Mercury News).
With all of the strings tied up, the CIA hoped that the Contra-crack connection
would be forgotten. Unfortunately for them, it was not. The story was again exposed in
August of 1996 by San Jose Mercury News reporter Gary Webb (National Security
Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 2). The three part series which Webb produced
caused a massive public outcry, especially among the black communities of Los Angeles.
There was a massive backlash by the mainstream media, who were quick to point out that
Webb?s story was full of holes (Kornbluh, Columbia Journalism Review). By January of
1997, the Mercury News denounced the story and fired Gary Webb (Parry,
?Contra-Cocaine: Bad to Worse?). However, the fire had been ignited. Representative
Maxine Waters continued to pressure the CIA to reveal the Contra-cocaine connection,
but to no avail. Then, on October 8, 1998, the CIA released the results of the longest
internal investigation which it had ever conducted about the contras and cocaine
smuggling. Although the executive summary of the document said the CIA had no
connection to any drugs, the report itself shows otherwise. Among the report?s findings:
[In some cases, CIA] acted to an end a relationship after receiving
drug trafficking allegations or information. In another six cases, CIA
knowledge of allegations or information indicating that organizations or
individuals had been involved in drug trafficking did not deter their
use/employment by CIA. In at least two of those cases, CIA did not act to
verify drug trafficking allegations or information even when it had the
opportunity to do so. (?Errata?)
This report only sparked further outcries by the victims of the crack epidemic.
Most recently, a lawsuit was filed against the CIA on behalf of those Los Angeles
residents who were affected by the crack epidemic (MSNBC). The lawsuit?s aim is to
force the release of classified information about the CIA?s involvement in the cocaine
trade.
With its long connection to the drug trade, the CIA has continually worked
against the American people. They knowingly condoned the flow of cocaine into the
United States, and turned a blind eye when they were asked to stop it. They caused an
outbreak of one of the most addictive drugs the world has ever known. They knowingly
targeted American citizens in order to advance their objectives. In the name of protecting
national security, they have only hurt the overall well being of the United States. All
evidence points to the fact that, unless they are stopped now, they will only continue this
practice of channeling drugs onto American soil.
Bernstein, Dennis and Knight, Robert. DEA Agent?s Decade Long Battle to Expose
CIA-Conta-Crack Story. 4 October 1996.
http://www.wbaifree.org/earthwatch/ciapns.html
Castillo, Celerino. Case File: CIA and Drugs. 27 April 1998.
http://www.radio4all.org/crackcia.castillo.html
?CIA Sued Over Cocaine Epidemic.? MSNBC. 1 March 1999.
http://www.msnbc.com/news/238440.asp
CIA: Things Go Better With… Pepsi! http://www.ionet.net/~everett/CIADRUGS.html
?Contras, Cocaine, and Covert Operations.? National Security Archivwe Electronic
Briefing Book No. 2. 1997.
http://www.seas.gwu.edu/nsarchive/NSAEBB/NSAEBB2/nsaebb2.htm
?Errata.? CIA Website. 8 October 1998.
http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/cocaine2/errata.html
Honey, Martha. ?Don?t Ask, Don?t Tell.? In These Times. May 1998.
http://www.icdc.com/~paulwolf/ciacoke.htm
Kornbluh, Peter. Columbia Journalism Review. January/February 1997.
http://www.seas.gwu.edu/nsarchive/NSAEBB/NSAEBB2/strom.htm
McCoy, Alfred W. ?Drug Fallout.? Progressive. August 1997. pp 24-27 [SIRS].
Michels, Paul. CIA Corruption?? The Collegiate Times. 8 October 1996.
http://www.ctonline.org/ctarchives/news/961008/opedcia.html
Muhammad, Rosalind. ?A Pawn in the CIA Drug Game.? Final Call. 1996.
http://www.finalcall.com/features/cia-pawn.html
Muhammad, Rosalind. ?Lawmakers Demand CIA Drug Probe.? Final Call. 1996.
http://www.finalcall.com/features/cia-probe.html
Overbeck, Charles. ?Transript: Gary Webb Speaks on CIA Connections to Contra Drug
Trafficking (and Related Topics).? ParaScope.
http://www.parascope.com/mx/articles/garywebb/garyWebbSpeaks.htm
Parry, Robert. ?CIA, Drugs, and the National Press.? The Consortium. 23 December
1996. http://www.consortiumnews.com/archive/crack5.html
Parry, Robert. ?CIA?s Drug Confession.? The Consortium. 15 October 1998
http://www.consortiumnews.com/consor29.html
Parry, Robert. ?Contra Cocaine: Bad to Worse.? The Consortium 16 February 1998.
http://www.consortiumnews.com/archive/crack11.html
Parry, Robert. ?The Kerry-Weld Cocaine War.? The Consortium 11 November 1996.
http://www.consortiumnews.com/archive/crack4.html.
?Report Says CIA Dealings Led to US Crack Outbreak.? National Catholic Reporter.
6 September 1996. http://www.mosquitonet.com/~prewett/cokencrsep96.html
Rupert, Michael C. ?Iran-Contra Era.? CIA & Drugs Fact Sheet. 1998.
http://www.copvcia.com/factsheet.htm
?Time to Abolish the CIA.? In These Times. 30 September 1996. [SIRS].
Webb, Gary. ? ?Crack? Plague?s Roots are in Nicaraguan War.? San Jose Mercury
News. 18 August 1996. pp. 1-3 [SIRS].
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This paper is true and the sources are real. If you have any questions, you
may e-mail me at bigskank@hotmail.com