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C.I.A. - Central Intelligence Agency

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Organization

The Resume

    (September 18, 1947- )
    Descendant of the Office of Strategic Services during World War II
    Created by the National Security Act (1947)
    Powers expanded with the Central Intelligence Agency Act (1949)
    Involved in intelligence gathering, covert military operations, assassination plots, regime changes and generally anything that is controversial

Why C.I.A. - Central Intelligence Agency might be annoying:

    It was created even though it faced strong opposition from the military, the State Department and the FBI.
    It was already doing covert military and intelligence operations before it was even officially created by Congress, as the 'Central Intelligence Group' (1946).
    Much of its activities are undisclosed and it can decide not to disclose its 'functions, officials, titles, salaries or numbers of personnel employed,' which many see as a violation of the U.S. constitution which states that the federal budget be openly published.
    Though its tactics sometimes mirror that of the Soviet Union's KGB, it uses them a lot less effectively.
    It was responsible for 'Operation Ajax,' which orchestrated the overthrow of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadeq and returning the Shah back in power in Iran, as it thought Mossadeq was a communist.
    It had a habit of failing to kill Fidel Castro, with many lame attempts, such as with exploding cigars.
    It arranged the failure 'Bay of Pigs' invasion of Cuba, which lead to Cuba seeking support of the Soviet Union in the form of nuclear missiles.
    It arranged for a Laotian army known as the Secret army to take part in the Secret War in Laos, accompanied by a fleet of aircraft known as Air America during the Vietnam War (1962-1975).
    It conducted operations to prevent elections in Chile from giving Salvador Allende power, but they failed.
    It supported dictators like Augusto Pinochet simply because of their friendliness to US political interests, sometimes over democratically elected governments.
    It funded and armed the Contras in Nicaragua under Oliver North, violating international law, which resulted in the United States paying Nicaragua reparations.
    It failed to predict the collapse of the Soviet Union.
    It trained and equipped the Mujahedeen fighting in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union, which would later evolve to become al-Qaida.
    It gave misleading intelligence prior to Operation Iraqi Freedom.
    George Bush Sr. was a former head of the CIA.
    It has been accused of everything from covering up UFO and alien sightings to illegal drug trade in South America and Indochina.

Why C.I.A. - Central Intelligence Agency might not be annoying:

    It was created to deal with subversiveness of the Cold War and to prevent another intelligence failure like Pearl Harbor.
    It employed Kermit Roosevelt, Teddy Roosevelt's grandson.
    It has undergone some reform, including a 1976 presidential order which forbid it to assassinate world leaders.
    It provides the CIA World Factbook, made freely available to the public without copyright restrictions.

Credit: Captain Howdy


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 78 Votes: 65.38% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 50 Votes: 56.00% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 119 Votes: 43.70% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 145 Votes: 44.83% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 89 Votes: 41.57% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 194 Votes: 50.52% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 304 Votes: 51.97% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 131 Votes: 58.02% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 40 Votes: 55.00% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 26 Votes: 23.08% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 363 Votes: 47.38% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 143 Votes: 39.86% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 22 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 194 Votes: 48.97% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 63 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 47 Votes: 53.19% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 124 Votes: 77.42% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 130 Votes: 65.38% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 757 Votes: 75.96% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 279 Votes: 63.08% Annoying
    In 2004, Out of 1731 Votes: 65.28% Annoying