Tag Archives: politics

On This Day — Mandela Is Released From Prison (February 11 1990)

“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (July 18, 1918 – December 5, 2013) February 11 2025 — … Continue reading

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On This Day — U2 Pilot Francis Gary Powers Exchanged in Spy Swap for KGB Rudolf Ivanovich Abel (February 10 1962)

“Francis Gary Powers performed his duty in a very dangerous mission and he performed it well, and I think I know more about that than some of his detractors and critics know, and I am glad to say that to … Continue reading

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CIA Memorial Wall — STAR 22 : Billy Jack Johnson (Southeast Asia – February 1, 1968)

“Billy Jack Johnson was a talented instructor, and he became known throughout the Agency for his skill and expertise in unique specialties, such as sabotage, escape and evasion, fingerprint analysis, and lock picking.” CIA Website February 1, 2025 — Billy … Continue reading

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On This day — Ayatollah Khomeini Returns to Iran (February 1 1979) [MI6 and the CIA collaborated with Tehran until at least 1983]

“You will see we are not in any particular animosity with the Americans. [The Islamic Republic of Iran] will be a humanitarian one, which will benefit the cause of peace and tranquility for all mankind. (…) It is advisable that … Continue reading

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On This Day — CIA Director William Casey Resigns (January 29 1987) [UPDATE : History in the Age of ChatGPT]

“We’ll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false.” William Casey CIA Director (1981-1987) January 29 2025 — William Joseph Casey (March 13, 1913 – May 6, 1987) was the Director of Central Intelligence … Continue reading

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On This Day — Nixon Announces Vietnam Peace Agreement [Was Nixon a Traitor?] (January 23, 1973) [UPDATE : Did Kissinger intentionally sabotage the Peace Talks?]

“We have found that our friend, the Republican nominee, our California friend, has been playing on the outskirts with our enemies and our friends both, he has been doing it through rather subterranean sources. Mrs Chennault is warning the South … Continue reading

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On This Day — President Truman Creates the Central Intelligence Group (January 22, 1946) [Gallup Poll : Americans’ rating of the CIA]

“At lunch today in the White House, with only members of the Staff present, Rear Admiral Sidney Souers and I were presented by President Truman with black cloaks, black hats, and wooden daggers, and the President read an amusing directive … Continue reading

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On This Day — Tehran Releases 52 US Hostages After 444 Days (January 20 1981)

“It is now very clear that there were two separate agreements, one the official agreement with Carter in Algeria, the other, a secret agreement with another party, which, it is now apparent, was Reagan. They made a deal with Reagan … Continue reading

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On This Day — U.S. Admits CIA Payments to Noriega (January 19 1991)

“US officials in Central America failed to address this drug issue for fear of jeopardizing the war efforts against Nicaragua… and senior US policymakers were not immune to the idea that drug money was a perfect solution to the Contras’ … Continue reading

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On This Day — Former DCI Admiral Stansfield Turner Dies (January 18 2018) [Opinion — The CIA Knew the Truth about the Vela Incident. And I suspect, they know the Truth about Havana Syndrome.]

“Turner’s most disturbing discovery was the harsh questioning and illegal imprisonment that the Agency’s Counterintelligence Staff had imposed for several years on Soviet defector Yuri Nosenko. This convinced him that CIA could be a dangerous organization if not kept closely … Continue reading

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