In this episode, chris calton explains how the potent mix of politicans and fake news. The cia, the contras and the crack cocaine explosion detailing his own reporting process and the controversy the series provoked. Americas war on drugs is an immersive trip through the last five decades, uncovering how the cia, obsessed with keeping america safe in the fight against communism, allied itself with the mafia and foreign drug traffickers. While the cia s heavy involvement in the drug trade, and especially the crack cocaine trade, has been well documented by scholars such as dr. It was whites who invented crack and who imported it into the country, and it was whitesnotably the cia who profited from the drug trade at the upper levels. Mainstream media finally exposes cia drug trafficking. Barry seal is a former cia agent who self admitted he transported drugs into america for years. The book is based on dark alliance, webbs threepart investigative series published in the san jose mercury news in august 1996. Oig analysis of allegations regarding blandons and meneses relationship with the contras and the cia. Sep 25, 2014 how the cia watched over the destruction of gary webb. These events led to the crackepidemic of the late 1980s and 1990s.
Irrefutable evidence that the the us government was responsible for the catastrophic crack cocaine epidemic. Jun 26, 2017 the full story of the 1980s crack epidemic is still yet to be told. How the cia watched over the destruction of gary webb. As the land border became more tightly controlled, cocaine would be shipped via the caribbean and the bahamas and end up in miami. There is a documentary called freeway rick ross that details the cia s involvement. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. This was accomplished, but the disregard for the inevitable result, our countrys crack cocaine epidemic, was not justifiable. The cia was aware of the cocaine transactions and the large shipments of drugs into the u. 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.
Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum rt. In 1999, seven stories press published webbs dark alliance. His articles asserted that the cia was aware of the cocaine. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack based on a yearlong investigation, reporter gary webb wrote that during the 1980s the cia helped finance its covert war against nicaraguas leftist government through sales of cutrate cocaine to south central l. The introduction to the first installment of the series read. An amazing history of a specific covert op run with the cia to aid the contras that had the unintended ripple effect of unleashing the crack cocaine epidemic in america.
Sep 25, 20 this was the first of two cia reports that eventually substantiated many of webbs claims about cocaine smugglers, the nicaraguan contra movement, and their ability to freely operate without the. 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. Ricky ross was apprehended after a drug sting by the dea which was organized by. Cia drug trafficking evidence ultimate collection topics cia drug trade iran contra politics heroin cocaine oliver north southeast asia bill clinton mena cocaine guns john kerry report contras nwo new world order conspiracy gary webb. With jeremy renner, robert patrick, jena sims, robert pralgo. Freeway rick ross on how he introduced crack to the u. Jan 21, 2020 he is currently in the process of creating the feature length film of his life story with nick cassavetes, his own documentary crack in the system and creating his autobiographical book. How the cia s crack cocaine controversy destroyed journalist gary webb schou, nick on. The documentary series then delves into the rise of the cocaine cowboys, a secret island cocaine base, the cia s connection to the crack epidemic, the history of the cartels and their murderous tactics, the era of just say no, the negative effect of nafta, and the unlikely career of an almost famous midwest meth queen. The movie kill the messenger tells the story of gary webbs attempt to uncover nefarious cia drug operations. 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.
His story defies all odds and proves that truth is indeed stranger than fiction. It refuted charges that cia officials knew that their nicaraguan allies were dealing drugs. A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s. A still frame of former crack kingpin rick ross in the history channel documentary americas war on drugs. The us government cia is responsible for the crack epidemic. Central intelligence agency a number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s. 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. Oct 10, 2014 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. The first article also made other specific allegations of cia knowledge of, or involvement in, the drug rings activities. Snowfall is a onehour drama set against the infancy of the crack cocaine epidemic and its ultimate radical impact on the culture as we know it. The cia, the contras and the crack cocaine explosion detailing his own reporting process and the controversy the.
The reagan administration and the cia also collaborated with nicaraguan cocaine traffickers to support the contras led to the crack epidemic of the 1980s. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. The shipments took place despite the objections of the u. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion, complete with extensive source citations. The plan involved the unsupervised shipment of hundreds of pounds of cocaine from venezuela. The contra rebels were in full flow in nicaragua, and reportedly the cia turned a blind eye to the rebels exporting significant amounts of cocaine for funding. Theres even a film by tom cruise called american made it was on netflix. Tribute to dark alliance and journalist gary webb, transcripts of a 1997 webb speech and interview from san francisco bay area independent media center.
Mar 21, 2015 the cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. Although webbs story never explicitly charged the cia with being directly involved in the distribution of either weapons or crack cocaine, the cia was so cemented to the contras as their patron and director that its culpability was obvious. How the cia s crackcocaine controversy destroyed journalist gary webb. These events led to the crack epidemic of the late 1980s and 1990s. With in 6 secs or so after you inhale it you are totally in a state of euphoria, its like there is a wind in your head. President reagans desired end was to finance the nicaraguan contras in their fight for democracy. The drug business is very different than what we dreamed, he continues. Freeway rick ross and americas mass incarceration problem war on drugs marc levins documentary freeway.
The true story of the 1980s crack epidemic is still untold. There has, on the other hand, been a lot of conjecture. The definitive story of the birth of the crack plague, told by the man at the epicenter of the cia contra cocaine connection. A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose mercury news says the answer may be yesand the charge. Apr 26, 2017 the documentary series then delves into the rise of the cocaine cowboys, a secret island cocaine base, the cias connection to the crack epidemic, the history of the cartels and their murderous tactics, the era of just say no, the negative effect of nafta, and the unlikely career of an almost famous midwest meth queen. The documentary series then delves into the rise of the cocaine cowboys, a secret island cocaine base, the cias connection to the crack epidemic, the history of the cartels and their. This episode will follow its trail from the perspective of the peasant farmers who grow cocaine, a trafficker tied to mexican cartels and a 28yearold crack dealer in miamis poorest neighborhood. Sep 20, 2019 here are 10 things to know about gary webb and his report that linked the cia to crack cocaine. The cia was complicit, but not directly involved in the cocaine trafficking of the 1980s which led directly to the crack epidemic. In the early 80s, crack and cocaine ravaged neighborhoods in the u. Jun 18, 2017 a still frame of former crack kingpin rick ross in the history channel documentary americas war on drugs. Pablo escobars son reveals his dad worked for the cia.
In a new book, pablo escobar in fraganti, escobar, who lives under the pseudonym, juan sebastian marroquin, explains his father worked for the cia selling cocaine to finance the fight against communism in central america. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion is a 1998 book by journalist gary webb. Ciacontracrack cocaine controversy table of contents. Also features freeway rick and us senator john kerry. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. The next year, he published a book titled dark alliance. Did the cia play a role in launching the crack cocaine epidemic. He was sentenced to life in prison, though the sentence was shortened on appeal and ross was released in 2009. 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. How the cia s crackcocaine controversy destroyed journalist gary webb schou, nick on. Black gangs used their profits to buy automatic weapons, sometimes from one of the cialinked drug dealers.
During the 1980s, the war on drugs became defined by cocaine and crack. In a cable dated july 30, 1984, the cia costa rica station alerted cia headquarters that an ausa for the northern district of california and an fbi agent had requested permission to travel to costa rica to interview two antisandinistas in connection with a cocaine case. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy studies. 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 means used by the cia was the saturation of cocaine in our country. I was stuck on smoking crack for about 3 years, prior to that for about ten or so years i snorted the cocaine powder. This was the first of two cia reports that eventually substantiated many of webbs claims about cocaine smugglers, the nicaraguan contra movement, and their ability to. The supply chain of cocaine is international, and produces fast wealth for a very few, and delivering misery to millions. A complete history of crack cocaine drug rehab options. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come. After the publication of a 1996 news article in the san jose mercury written by webb, who exposed the complicity of the cia in the l. The igs report cleared the cia of complicity with the innercity crack cocaine trade. Mar 17, 2016 freeway rick ross on how he introduced crack to the u. Apr 25, 2007 the first article also made other specific allegations of cia knowledge of, or involvement in, the drug rings activities.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. With richard stratton, ty hurley, celerino castillo iii, christopher glover. 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. The cia dropped crack into the inner cities in the 80s. Here are 10 things to know about gary webb and his report that linked the cia to crack cocaine.
Jan 16, 2011 freeway ricky ross, the drug kingpin who ignited crack cocaine epidemic. A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose mercury news says the answer may be yes and the charge. Cia, crack cocaine and the african american community. Peter dale scott at least since the irancontra hearings in the 1980s, the mass media has refused to take notice. Gary webb on the cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion, audio interviews 19971998 with gary webb from democracy now. Freeway ricky ross, the drug kingpin who ignited crack.
In 1996, a bombshell report by journalist gary webb claimed that the central intelligence agency cia supported cocaine trafficking into the u. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy. The documentary series then delves into the rise of the cocaine cowboys, a secret island cocaine base, the cia s connection to the crack epidemic, the history of the cartels and their murderous. The drug in the shipments was provided by the venezuelan antidrug unit which was working with the cia, using cocaine seized in venezuela. History channel tells the secret history of the war on drugs. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading dark alliance. Migos and jay z have made millions for themselves and others by rapping about crack cocaine. The cia, the contras, and the cocaine explosion kindle edition by webb, gary, waters, maxine.
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