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Argumentative Essay: Should Government Use Covert Action?

1136 Words5 Pages

Covert action developed as a staple in US statecraft in response to the spread of Soviet influence during the Cold War. This response led to the creation of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in 1947 to conduct all covert action for the US. The CIA remained the sole government entity allowed to conduct covert action until 2003 when President George W. Bush authorized the military special forces to use this capability. Civil liberty and other non-interventionist proponents have argued that the US cannot and should not use covert action because the secretive nature of this activity runs counter to the American values of openness and transparency in government–citizen relations. Nevertheless, covert action has been and will remain a viable and necessary tool for the US to advance its foreign policy objectives when overt means prove incapable of countering states and terrorist groups that partake in activities similar to covert action. Nevertheless, American democratic values and standards require limits to …show more content…

American democracy demands transparency in actions undertaken in the name of the US, even when hidden. Covert action, therefore, should not be used when overt means would suffice. The employment of covert action should also be defendable because of the high risk of exposure associated with it. If the political risk that comes with exposure is not worth the use of covert action, then covert action should not be employed. Covert action that does not align with American values and which is later exposed can severely damage US foreign policy. The Iran–Contra debacle of the 1980s is probably the most relevant example of this. This incident hurt the US’ image and political power domestically and

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