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has the cia ever been the goodguys? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 1 week ago by allo@sh.itjust.works to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

24 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Just curious. As far back as I remember I only hear about them destabilizing countries that aren't fully in the pocket of American powerplayers. Sometimes they assassinate people, sometimes instigate coups, subvert media... and the #1 way to encounter them seems to be to try and take back control locally of one's country's oil and other valuable resources.

So my question is, have they ever done anything good?

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[–] nicgentile@lemmy.world 21 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Depends on the context. Covert operations and operators usually means that someone is bound to be negatively affected for the positive outcome of someone else.

[–] lordnikon@lemmy.world 14 points 1 week ago (1 children)

There are no good guys or bad guys in geopolitics just interests. Sometimes those interests align with what most people consider good or bad. Read the field manual FM3-24 and learn about shaping and you will see what the CIAs bread and butter of their job entails.

[–] reagansrottencorpse@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 week ago

I just read about shaping. It's everything I knew they were doing but given a name.

Thanks for the tip.