Justice department to open probes, even as officials denied the charges. Here are 10 things to know about gary webb and his report that linked the cia to crack cocaine. In 1990, long before any major news organizations had connected crack and the c. 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. Then take a look at 37 startling photos of 1980s new york. In the early 1980s, the majority of cocaine being shipped to the united states was landing in miami, and originated in the bahamas and dominican republic. Even someone as anticia as david corn, washington post, 9 aug 1998, has some problems with this book. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come forward.
Dec 31, 2004 kelvin scott holds up a plastic bag holding fl our, representing cocaine, as he joins marchers protesting alleged cia involvement in the crack cocaine trade feb. Hi, im new to this sight, and i was wondering how bad was nyc during the 80s in the crack epidemic and how dangerous it was in the time. 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. Kelvin scott holds up a plastic bag holding fl our, representing cocaine, as he joins marchers protesting alleged cia involvement in the crack cocaine trade feb. This is a stunning revelation into the crack epidemic perpitrated in part by the reagan administration era. Aug 30, 2012 one of the most talked about conspiracy theories of the mid80s and early 90s had to do with the crack epidemic. Nov 29, 2019 the crack epidemic coincidentally began around the same time when the irancontra scandal was being exposed. Crack epidemic appears to wane the washington post. Then take a look at 37 startling photos of 1980s new york city, when crack was king. The series never reported direct cia involvement, although many readers.
Did the cia play a role in launching the crack cocaine epidemic. Secrets of americas war on drugs new history channel series explores the dark corners of. He was the journalist who wrote a famousor infamous1996 series for the san jose mercury news that maintained a ciasupported drug ring. The igs report cleared the cia of complicity with the innercity crack cocaine trade. Reagan did not manufacture the crack epidemic in the 80s. Heres how the crack epidemic brought a city to its knees. Mchenry claims that the films main character, nino brown, was based on a composite of three people. Crime rates surged, families broke apart, and countless lives were forever destroyed. Greedy old pricks, doesnt mean bill clintons hands are clean. In 1996, a bombshell report by journalist gary webb claimed that the central intelligence agency cia supported cocaine trafficking into the u. Secrets of americas war on drugs new history channel series explores the dark corners of prohibition and takes viewers on great, freaky. 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. Petersen says that this book is an expose with intelligence aspects, by a former dea official. Mar 21, 2015 the cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb in 1996, journalist gary webb began looking into links between nicaraguas drugrunning contra rebels and the cia.
It refuted charges that cia officials knew that their nicaraguan allies were dealing drugs. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. 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 crack epidemic coincidently began around the same time when the irancontra scandal was being exposed. Ciasupplied contra planes and pilots carried cocaine from central america to u. A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s. Though evidence is thin, tale of cia and drugs has a life of its own. This is the true story about the cia contra relationship. Most black people in the inner city during this time were.
The crack epidemic in the united states was a surge of crack cocaine use in major cities across. Jul 07, 20 the american crack epidemic refers to the surge of crack cocaine use in major cities across the united states between 1984 and 1990. After the epidemic the emergence of crack cocaine led to strict laws against crack cocaine. The american crack epidemic refers to the surge of crack cocaine use in major cities across the united states between 1984 and 1990.
One of the most talked about conspiracy theories of the mid80s and early 90s had to do with the crack epidemic. A commonheld belief was that the cia flooded the black community with crack so. Cia concludes, after interviewing nearly 400 people on four continents, that its officers had nothing to do with explosion of crack cocaine in us. 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, afghanistans poppy fields and americas growing. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. The crack epidemic coincidentally began around the same time when the irancontra scandal was being exposed.
Shabazz identifies with the sense of being lost in your own life as he witnessed the catastrophic rise of crack in new york decimated the city. 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. 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. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum. Just because the contra war against nicaragua was the product of the 12year reign of the g. The crack epidemic had particularly devastating effects. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy. The name crack first appeared in the new york times on november 17, 1985. Apr 09, 2012 hi, im new to this sight, and i was wondering how bad was nyc during the 80s in the crack epidemic and how dangerous it was in the time. The center for disease control cdc reported back in 2015 that heroin use in the united states increased 63% from 2002 through 20. Says it has found no link between itself and crack trade.
Among some of the more extreme voices among africanamericans, the articles validated a belief that the crack epidemic was part of a shadowy genocidal plot involving the federal government. What the crack epidemic and opioid crisis tells us about. Philadelphia, in new york, in parts of pennsylvania. This is a must read for every person searching for answers to why crack cocain flooded our country seemingly unbridled, into our country. How bad was new york city during the crack epidemic. Cia allegations of cocaine trafficking conspiracy crack.
A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was. Allegations of a cia connection to crack cocaine epidemic. The series implied that the central intelligence agency encouraged the drug trafficking and knew that some of the profits were being funneled to the contra rebels in nicaragua. Dark alliance, gary webbs landmark 1996 newspaper series alleging cia involvement in the crackcocaine epidemic, created a firestorm of controversy that ultimately drove webb out of. Did the cia play a role in launching the crackcocaine epidemic. When the story first appeared in 1996 on the website of the san jose mercury news, it became an unprecedented internet sensation, receiving up to 1. A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose mercury news says the answer may be yesand the charge. These laws were stricter than laws against powder cocaine. Titled dark alliance, the series linked drug smuggling by ciatrained contras to the crack epidemic that has ravaged america.
The crack epidemic is when crack cocaine flooded inner cities between the early 1980s and early 1990s. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum rt. Conspiracy theories can often ring true the washington post. The articles did not say directly that the spy agency knew about. Crack epidemic united states history 1980s britannica.
Crack cocaine was popularized because of its affordability, its immediate euphoric effect, and its high profitability. 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 in 1996, journalist gary webb began looking into links between nicaraguas drugrunning contra rebels and the cia. An awardwinning investigative reporter, gary webb 19552004 is best known for his dark alliance series that linked a northern california drug ring with the cia and the united states burgeoning crack epidemic. Cia concludes, after interviewing nearly 400 people on four continents, that its officers had nothing to do with explosion of crack cocaine in us, as charged by some blacks. After reading about gary webb exposing the cias potential complicity in l. Cooper was a journalist for the village voice, who had received acclaim for a 1987 story about the crack epidemic in detroit titled kids killing kids. The cia and the cocainecrack epidemic an undercover odyssey. How one journalist linked the cia to the crack epidemic. 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. Aug 12, 2014 the earliest instance was a november 1985 story in the new york times. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion. According to the stories, the cia and its operatives used crack cocainesold via.
The new york times published two articles on the series in midoctober, both written by reporter tim golden. Oct 21, 1996 in 1990, long before any major news organizations had connected crack and the c. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy studies. Fellow journalists at the washington post, new york times and webbs own. Crack epidemic, the significant increase in the use of crack cocaine, or crack, in the united states during the early 1980s. Ciacontracrack cocaine controversy department of justice. Within a year more than a thousand press stories had been released about the drug.
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