If hollywood gets the story right, it will be a dark and enlightening tale. A series of expose articles in the san jose mercurynews by reporter gary webb told tales of a drug. 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. Jan 15, 2011 bush, reagan let drugs flow free to us from nicaragua exdealer rt. The bombshell report sparked outrage across the country, but when.
The means used by the cia was the saturation of cocaine in our country. Did the cia play a role in launching the crack cocaine epidemic. Contracocaine was a real conspiracy sagacious news. With jeremy renner, robert patrick, jena sims, robert pralgo. The cia s involvement with drug smuggling has long been known, this report says, and as the huffington post noted in their 2014 article titled key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come forward that, in part, said. Amongst webbs fundamental problems was his implication that the cia lit the crack cocaine fuse. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. How the cia watched over the destruction of gary webb. Here are 10 things to know about gary webb and his report that linked the cia to crack cocaine. But the times is still letting the cia put its spin on the scandal and the times still doesnt want to confess its own guilt. Dark alliance was a series written by californiabased reporter webb and published in the san jose mercury news in 1996.
The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion. Bush, reagan let drugs flow free to us from nicaragua exdealer rt. Yet, despite the washington posts belated concern about the mainstream news medias neglect of the contracocaine scandal, there was no serious followup anywhere in big media until 1996 when gary webb disclosed the connection between one contra cocaine smuggler, danilo blandon, and the emergence of crack cocaine via ricky ross. The full extent of norths complicity in cocaine trafficking will never be known. In 1996 the agency was accused of being a crack dealer. John kerry being nominated to secretary of the state brings his ever looming presence within the iran contra scandal full circle. Investigative reporter gary webb who linked cia to crack. Sep 25, 2014 how the cia watched over the destruction of gary webb.
Knowledge of drug trafficking and the contras the national security archive obtained the handwritten notebooks of oliver north, the national security council aide who helped run the contra war and other reagan administration covert operations, through a freedom of information act lawsuit filed in 1989. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. Freeway ricky on his role in the reagan irancontra drugs. Crack cocaine is a form of smokeable, or freebase, cocaine that was developed in the mid1970s. Oct 11, 2014 back in 1996, gary webb of the san jose mercury news broke a narrative stating not solely that the nicaraguan contras supported by the united states in a insurrection towards their leftleaning authorities had been concerned within the us crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s, but additionally that the cia knew and turned a blind eye to the operation. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum rt. Apr 26, 2007 crack cocaine that is consumed in the united states is generally made from cocaine that has been imported into the united states.
Starring jeremy renner as the late gary webb, the movie of webbs investigation of the cias contracocaine scandal and of webbs destruction by mainstream news outlets is set to begin filming this summer. Parry also recently wrote the ciamsm contracocaine coverup. One claim brought up often in this is the cia invented crack, which is more than likely untrue. In the same way the ability to smoke cocaine without making it into crack is there, but takes time and effort. The story never directly accused the cia of intentionally allowing anybody to be addicted to crack cocaine, says schou, but the story tended to suggest that. Yet, despite the washington posts belated concern about the mainstream news medias neglect of the contra cocaine scandal, there was no serious followup anywhere in big media until 1996 when gary webb disclosed the connection between one contra cocaine smuggler, danilo blandon, and the emergence of crack cocaine via ricky ross. The february 2000 report by the house intelligence committee in turn considered the books claims as well as the series claims. Crack appeared in the early 1980s as an alternative to chewing, drinking, injecting, or inhaling the drug. How john kerry exposed the contra cocaine scandal derided by the mainstream press and taking on reagan at the height of his popularity, the. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum 11 oct, 2014 01.
Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. Webbs series led to three federal investigations, none of. Following the scandal, in 1998 the cia quietly published an internal inspector generals report into the matter, which prior to its release was muchtouted for whitewashing the agencys reputation. Obama flees after massive drug bust aboard lady michelle. Tribute to dark alliance and journalist gary webb, transcripts of a 1997 webb speech and interview from san francisco bay area independent media center. 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. How the cia s crack cocaine controversy destroyed journalist gary webb schou, nick on. It was later discovered that they had another source of funding for the contras. This was accomplished, but the disregard for the inevitable result, our countrys crack cocaine epidemic, was not justifiable. 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. The man responsible for uncovering a scandal that cocaine was being brought into the united states as part of a multicontinental black market with the knowledge of the cia and u. Oct 10, 2014 investigative reporter gary webb linked the cia to americas introduction to crack cocaine. Mar 21, 2015 the cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. How john kerry exposed the contracocaine scandal salon.
Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come. A published report of cia backed crack cocaine dealing in black. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum. Mar 27, 20 starring jeremy renner as the late gary webb, the movie of webbs investigation of the cias contracocaine scandal and of webbs destruction by mainstream news outlets is set to begin filming this summer. Investigative reporter gary webb linked the cia to americas introduction to crack cocaine. When the irancontra scandal story broke in november 1986, he ordered hall to. Bush, reagan let drugs flow free to us from nicaragua. A renowned drug dealer, ross harvested millions as an unknowing participant of central intelligence agency and u. President reagans desired end was to finance the nicaraguan contras in their fight for democracy. In 1996 gary webb wrote a series of articles published in the san jose mercury news, which investigated nicaraguans linked to the cia backed contras who had smuggled cocaine into the u. Blandon and meneses were said to have used their drug trafficking profits to help fund the contra armys war effort. How john kerry exposed the irancontra scandal and showed. How the cia s crack cocaine controversy destroyed journalist gary webb, will be published in october.
So you can go to a corner store and buy orange juice, in the same way you can go to corner boy and buy crack. Here, he writes about freeway rick rosss connection to selma and a. One claim brought up often in this is the cia invented crack, which is. A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come forward. May 12, 2018 the full extent of norths complicity in cocaine trafficking will never be known. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy studies. Former drug kingpin freeway ricky served nearly 15 years of what was originally a life sentence for his involvement in the irancontra during the reagan administration. Crack cocaine that is consumed in the united states is generally made from cocaine that has been imported into the united states. The first thing you would see when you clicked on the mercury news website was the seal of the central intelligence agency with a person smoking crack superimposed over that image. As a result, webb concluded, the cia was complicit in a drug. It started when webb wrote a series of three articles for the san jose mercury news in 1996 dubbed dark alliance. A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose mercury news says the answer may be yesand the charge. Eighteen years after it was published, dark alliance, the san jose mercury newss bombshell investigation into links between the cocaine.
Starring jeremy renner as the late gary webb, the movie of webbs investigation of the cia s contra cocaine scandal and of webbs destruction by mainstream news outlets is set to begin filming this summer. How john kerry exposed the irancontra scandal and showed the. Reagan and the cia began to support, fund, and even arm a series of jihadist militants in afghanistan, loosely known as mujahideen. These events led to the crack epidemic of the late 1980s and 1990s. If youve heard about the cia contra crack allegations, its probably because of gary webb, who in august 1996 authored several. After the cocaine was smuggled into the united states by the cia, it would then be sold to a drug distributor or kingpin like freeway rick ross. A revised version was published in 1999 that incorporated webbs response to the cia and justice department reports. 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. The subject of todays hearings involves the allegations of cia in volvement in the u.
His articles asserted that the cia was aware of the cocaine. Drug enforcement agency operatives, who provided him with unlimited amounts of cocaine. The united states central intelligence agency cia has been accused of involvement in drug trafficking. Greedy old pricks, doesnt mean bill clintons hands are clean. A look at the twisted history of the cia contra cocaine story. When the irancontra scandal story broke in november 1986, he ordered hall to destroy so many documents that the. Stuff they dont want you to know cia drug trafficking. The ciacontracrack scandal remains a salient issue of history and accountabilityone that will not be fully laid to rest until congress bars the cia from secretly putting traffickers on the us. Oct 07, 2014 the same big three newspapers also either missed or dismissed the contracocaine scandal when brian barger and i first disclosed it in 1985 for the associated press and even when an investigation led by sen. Oliver north worked with cocaine traffickers to arm. 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. Two major official reports on an alleged cia crack cocaine scandal, scheduled for public release on. Just because the contra war against nicaragua was the product of the 12year reign of the g. 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.
The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb telegraph. Cia, the contras and the crack cocaine explosion detailing his. News that central intelligence agency operatives were tied to the crack cocaine epidemic has prompted calls that the oliver northrun irancontra scandal be reopened to discover. Gary webb on the cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion, audio interviews 19971998 with gary webb from democracy now. As someone who has seen how the crack cocaine trade has devastated the. News that central intelligence agency operatives were tied to the crack cocaine epidemic has. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. Crack in the system premieres tonight on aljazeera america.
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