Topic: Covert Action

The CIA's official podcast features chief historian David Robarge discussing the agency's history of covert action and its role in implementing foreign policy. Robarge argues that most covert actions are intended to promote or protect democracy, though he acknowledges past "undemocratic" failures like the Bay of Pigs and various assassination plots. The hosts critique the agency's transparency and its historical involvement in propagandizing the American public through mainstream media.

Former CIA officer John Stockwell's disclosures regarding the agency's propaganda techniques are revisited. Stockwell detailed how the CIA would plant false stories in foreign newspapers, such as the Zambia Times, and then have them picked up by unwitting global news agencies like Reuters. These "covert actions" were designed to influence international opinion through fabricated atrocities and staged photographs during conflicts like the Angolan War.

The discussion centers on the historical and ongoing infiltration of mainstream media by the CIA, referencing the book Family of Secrets. The hosts claim that many military pundits and journalists, including Bob Woodward, have intelligence backgrounds and serve as conduits for agency-written narratives. They describe a process where the agency places stories in foreign papers to have them "laundered" back into American news as fact.

Reports indicate President Obama has signed a presidential finding authorizing covert action in Libya, potentially involving arms transfers through Saudi Arabia or Qatar. Adam Curry predicts a "false flag" terrorist attack attributed to Gaddafi will be used to justify putting boots on the ground. He suggests this event could happen imminently to distract from financial news.