One, a docudrama produced for the big screen called kill the messenger, and the other is a documentary titled freeway. Thirty years of americas drug war drug wars frontline pbs. Allegations of a cia connection to crack cocaine epidemic. In short, the cia supported the contra rebels in nicaragua who were funded by cocaine shipments to the us. 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 cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. Secrets of americas war on drugs new history channel series explores the dark corners of prohibition and takes viewers on great, freaky. At the same time, he acknowledged, were not doing a documentary. Any one with a pea brain knows whites are the biggest drug addicts. Oct 04, 2016 freeway ricky ross, who managed a billiondollar drug empire in l. A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s. Carl john revisits his home town in liverpool where there is a major crack cocaine problem in the uk, he visits his old friends from school who are all now hooked on the drug and gives an inside view of crack addicts in the uk.
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. Thirty years of americas drug war drug wars frontline. Is it true that the cia helped bring drugs and guns. Outraged at cia role in drug trade duke university. Secrets of americas war on drugs new history channel series explores the dark corners of. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum. Get youtube premium get youtube tv best of youtube music sports gaming. 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. Aug, 2017 this brings us back to the us crack epidemic in the 1980s and the chuck pillon story.
Police install video cameras into a house that is rented out by drug dealers. In 1996, a bombshell report by journalist gary webb claimed that the central intelligence agency cia supported cocaine trafficking into the u. Secrets of the cia reveals the truth about the cia and how this organization is behind numerous terrorist plots throughout history. Fx series pins crack epidemic on the cia salt lake city. It refuted charges that cia officials knew that their nicaraguan allies were dealing drugs. 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. The allegations were made by a californiabased newspaper in 1996. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. Oct, 2014 in this crack in america, featurette, jeremy renner gary webb, director michael cuesta and others reveal the shocking real story of a cia cover up and crack epidemic that forms the. It has long been known that the cia has illegally toppled foreign governments. They did not start the crips or bloods crips became big out of the black panters, and bloods came when crips were taking over the streets harassing people and it was just a response to that.
Now, webbs bombshell expose is being explored anew in a documentary, freeway. The first article also made other specific allegations of cia knowledge of, or involvement in, the drug rings activities. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy. 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. In this case, the cias activities led to the crack epidemic in americas inner cities, which caused american citizens much pain and misery. The drugs the cia let into the country contributed to the deaths of many africanamericans in the ghetto, these drugs were part of the crack epidemic.
The story of a gang of drug dealers, the feds who set them up, the wire tap that caught them and their families. Oct 05, 2011 the drugs the cia let into the country contributed to the deaths of many africanamericans in the ghetto, these drugs were part of the crack epidemic. Mar 21, 2015 in 1996, journalist gary webb began looking into links between nicaraguas drugrunning contra rebels and the cia. Freeway ricky ross gets candid about the opioid crisis.
Mind control experiments station w d v m t v cbs network washington, d. The united states justice department has issued a report clearing the central intelligence agency of any role in introducing crackcocaine into americas inner cities in the 1980s. Jul 03, 2017 the cia plotline in snowfall is based on dark alliance. The true story of the 1980s crack epidemic is still untold. 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. In this crack in america, featurette, jeremy renner gary webb, director michael cuesta and others reveal the shocking real story of a cia cover up and crack epidemic that forms the.
With jeremy renner, robert patrick, jena sims, robert pralgo. Bbc documentary drugs, addiction and the young people in britain. 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. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum rt. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion, the book by journalist gary webb, which expanded on webbs 1996 investigative series in the san jose mercury news. Many excia agents speak out about their experiences as agents and what they were required to do. Jan 16, 2011 a steady course of africanamerican progress was essentially halted in its tracks as the crack epidemic escalated, peaked and, finally, in the late 1990s, began to subside. This brings us back to the us crack epidemic in the 1980s and the chuck pillon story. The crack epidemic surged between 1984 and 1990, as routine users of hard drugs went from 4. A steady course of africanamerican progress was essentially halted in its tracks as the crack epidemic escalated, peaked and, finally, in the late 1990s, began to subside. Aug 30, 2012 one of the most talked about conspiracy theories of the mid80s and early 90s had to do with the crack epidemic. Good documentaries on 80s crack epidemic lipstick alley.
Its debated to what degree the cia helped them ship cocaine into the us, and they definitely werent involved in drug distribution, but it seems pretty clear the. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come forward. Crack in the system, directed by marc levin, which tells the story of freeway rick ross, who created a. Freeway ricky ross, who managed a billiondollar drug empire in l. Did the cia play a role in launching the crackcocaine epidemic. Some of these missions even included killing of children. The hollywood film industry has churned out two movies this month covering the crack cocaine epidemic that ravaged black communities in the 1980s. Although snowfall is using the same cia technical adviser. It was just another ploy to blame black people for what is wrong in america. However, the introduction of crack was destructive to black communities. Oct 11, 2014 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 return of freeway ricky ross, the man behind a crack.
A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose mercury news says the answer may be yesand the charge. Many ex cia agents speak out about their experiences as agents and what they were required to do. The igs report cleared the cia of complicity with the innercity crack cocaine trade. Usually the cias activities have harmful effects on innocent civilians in foreign countries. 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. Through a secret program called the counter intelligence program cointelpro, there was a concerted effort to subvert the will of the people to avoid the rise of a black messiah that would mobilize the africanamerican community into a meaningful political force this documentary establishes historical perspective on the measures initiated by j. Gacha life meps, memes, fan art, parts of meps, collabs, mini movies, music videos and skits. Apr 25, 2007 the first article also made other specific allegations of cia knowledge of, or involvement in, the drug rings activities. A commonheld belief was that the cia flooded the black community with crack so. Most notably the film befriends freeway ricky ross. By 1985, cocainerelated hospital emergencies rose by 12 percent, from. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. Its debated to what degree the cia helped them ship cocaine into the us, and they definitely werent involved in drug distribution, but it seems pretty clear the cia has some level of responsibility. Crack explodes in new york crack, a potent form of smokeable cocaine developed in the early 1980s, begins to flourish in the new york region.
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. Theres a decent summary in the wikipedia article about the crack epidemic. One of the most talked about conspiracy theories of the mid80s and early 90s had to do with the crack epidemic. 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. Did the cia play a role in launching the crack cocaine epidemic. Three and a half years in the making, the film follows gang members, former dea agents, cia officers, narcotics officers, judges, politicians, prisoners and celebrities. Moreover, the idea that blandon and ross alone could have launched the crack epidemic is contradicted by welldocumented evidence about the nature of the cocaine trade and the emergence of crack. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy studies. A november 1985 new york times cover story brings the.
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