Mohammad Jamil
CIA was established in 1948, and its adventures and misadventures are recorded in the history; however, Steve Coll wrote the book “Ghost Wars – The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan and Bin Ladin covering the events and operations from the Soviet Invasion to 10th September 2001”. The book was formally published in February 2004 giving details of operations conducted by CIA in the pre and post environment of USSR invasion of Afghanistan. The purpose of writing the book was to advance US and CIA’s narratives. That point besides, The list of the US and CIA’s exploits is too long; anyhow the US financed the war in Afghanistan using Americans’ tax payers’ money for clandestine operations as was done to destabilize other countries. After withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan, the US then left Afghanistan in a mess, and exacerbated the contradictions between various Afghan warlords resulting into an in-fight, putting the country at risk.
The role of CIA/US in creating, training, equipping and guiding Afghan Mujahideen for fighting against Soviet occupation forces on the pretext of Jihad is too well known. Later during its stay, CIA was involved in establishing an illicit economy based on drugs, extortions and target killings. Especially the drug-centered economy has put the whole world at risk. Apart from the above book, many writers and investigating journalists have written on the pursuits of the CIA and the US. An article carried by the NYT had revealed that “for more than a decade, wads of American dollars packed into suitcases, backpacks and at occasion plastic shopping bags had been dropped off every month or so at the offices of Afghanistan’s president – courtesy of the Central Intelligence Agency”. The then Afghan president Hamid Karzai had confirmed having received millions of dollars and thanked the CIA.
The author had referred to the general perception that the cash fueled corruption and empowered warlords, undermining Washington’s exit strategy from Afghanistan, as much of the CIA’s money was paid to warlords and politicians, many of whom had ties to the drug trade and, in some cases, the Taliban. The CIA was created in 1948, and since then it played its role in all the wars including Korean War, Vietnam War, US-Israeli sponsored war between Iraq and Iran, Desert Storm 1991 and then Enduring Justice on 20th March 2003, later known as Operation Iraqi Freedom. In late 1970s and early 1980s, the CIA was instrumental in cobbling together a united force comprising jihadi groups, and thousands of jihadis were brought to Pakistan for waging jihad against Soviet forces in Afghanistan. However, after the Soviet forces withdrew in 1990 from Afghanistan, America left the region in a lurch.
America had given the task to the CIA, which was responsible for all the mess. The warlords and religious parties fought with each other for gaining control over Afghanistan, but rise of the Taliban ended the civil war for a while, and also eliminated poppy cultivation. After 9/11, the Taliban regime ended and the CIA has had dealings with the groups involved in drug trafficking on the pretext of getting useful information and seeking their support. During Vietnam War also, CIA and Kuomintang (KMT) were reportedly involved in opium smuggling operations. John Cooley’s book titled ‘Unholy Wars: Afghanistan, America and International Terrorism’, among other things revealed the nature of the CIA’s involvement with Afghan opium smuggling. Wayne Madsen a free lance journalist who carved a niche in investigative reporting put across the facts in a candid manner.
Aftermath of the Second World War had seen the devastation of Europe and the emergence of the USSR and other socialist countries on one hand, and the rise of the US as a super power on the other. The retreating colonial powers created divisions and break-up of colonies at the time of their independence and manipulated certain territorial and border disputes to remain unresolved, which could enable them to keep the neighbouring countries in a state of war. Old Arab states were crushed and new ones were created. Israel was created in place of Palestine. The Congo was divided into Brazzaville and Leopoldville. Vietnam and Korea were both divided into North and South. China was divided into Peoples Republic of China and Taiwan and Hong Kong. Thus an organization like the CIA was needed to implement rather advance America’s imperialist agenda.
During 1960s, the CIA was involved in covert operations in Tibet, Guatemala, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Brazil and Ghana etc. During 1970s, President Allende of Chile was removed through military coup, whose only crime was that he had nationalized copper industry. During this period, the CIA also conducted covert operations in Iraq and Argentina. During 1980s, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Cambodia, Angola, Phillipines and Iraq, in 1990s once again Iraq, in 2002 Venezuela, and in 2004 Haiti were the areas where the CIA left its marks. According to various reports, the CIA has had dealings with the groups involved in drug trafficking on the pretext of getting useful information and seeking their support. On 13th April 1989, Kerry Committee report on Iran Contra affair concluded ‘Contra drug links included payments of more than $800000 to drug traffickers by the US State Department to Iran contra.
