Uneasy over a Secret War

When should an open society resort to covert action ?

The debate was not merely over the activities involved, although they were indeed controversial. What caused greater worry was the fact that, at least in theory, the operation was secret, evoking disquieting memories of dubious CIA ventures that had backfired in the past. After a decade of discomfort over even the thought of using covert action to interfere in the affairs of other nations, President Reagan was unabashedly restoring the role of that weapon by supporting contra guerrillas fighting the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua....

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