Logo of the Central Intelligence Agency.
The Central Intelligence Agency, or CIA, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the U.S. Government, tasked with gathering, processing and analyzing national security information from around the world, primarily through the use of human intelligence (HUMINT). As one of the principal members of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC), the CIA reports to the Director of National Intelligence and is primarily focused on providing intelligence for the President and his Cabinet.
Background[]
The Central Intelligence Agency was created on 26 July 1947, when Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act into law. A major impetus for the creation of the CIA was the unforeseen attack on Pearl Harbor. In addition, towards the end of World War II the U.S. government felt the need for a group to coordinate intelligence efforts.
Unlike the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which is a domestic security service, CIA has no law enforcement function and is mainly focused on overseas intelligence gathering, with only limited domestic collection. Though it is not the only U.S. government agency specializing in HUMINT, CIA serves as the national manager for coordination and deconfliction of HUMINT activities across the entire intelligence community. Moreover, CIA is the only agency authorized by law to carry out and oversee covert action on behalf of the President, unless the President determines that another agency is better suited for carrying out such action. It can, for example, exert foreign political influence through its tactical divisions, such as the Special Activities Division.
Before the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, CIA Director concurrently served as the head of the Intelligence Community; today these functions and authorities reside with the Director of National Intelligence. Despite transferring some of its powers to the DNI, the CIA has grown in size as a result of the September 11 terrorist attacks. In 2013, The Washington Post reported that in fiscal year 2010, the CIA had the largest budget of all IC agencies, exceeding previous estimates.
The CIA has increasingly expanded its roles, including covert paramilitary operations. One of its largest divisions, the Information Operations Center (IOC), has shifted focus from counter-terrorism to offensive cyber-operations. While the CIA has had some recent accomplishments, such as locating Osama bin Laden and taking part in the successful Operation Neptune Spear, it has also been involved in controversial programs such as extraordinary rendition and enhanced interrogation techniques.
History[]
Origin[]
The Central Intelligence Agency was created on 26 July 1947, when Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act into law. A major impetus for the creation of the CIA was the unforeseen attack on Pearl Harbor. In addition, towards the end of World War II the U.S. government felt the need for a group to coordinate intelligence efforts.
Activites During The Cold War[]
The CIA was involved in anti-Communist activities in Burma, Guatemala, and Laos. There have been suggestions that the Soviet attempt to put missiles into Cuba came, indirectly, when they realized how badly they had been compromised by a U.S.-UK defector in place, Oleg Penkovsky. One of the biggest operations ever undertaken by the CIA was directed at Zaïre in support of general-turned-dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.
In 1960, Eisenhower wanted to use the U-2 to disprove the Missile Gap, but he had banned U-2 overflights of the USSR after meeting Secretary Khrushchev at Camp David. Another reason the President objected to the use of the U-2 was that, in the nuclear age, the intelligence he needed most was on their intentions, without which, the US would face a paralysis of intelligence. He was particularly worried that U-2 flights could be seen as preparations for first strike attacks. He had high hopes for an upcoming meeting with Khrushchev in Paris. Eisenhower finally gave into CIA pressure to authorize a 16-day window for flights, which was extended an additional six days because of poor weather. On May 1, 1960, the USSR shot down a U-2 flying over the Soviet territory. To Eisenhower, the ensuing coverup destroyed his perceived honesty, and his hope of leaving a legacy of thawing relations with Khrushchev. It would also mark the beginning of a long downward slide in the credibility of the Office of the President of the United States. Eisenhower later said that the U-2 coverup was the greatest regret of his Presidency.
In 1962, here were fears of antagonism, and an election was around the corner. During this "photo gap" the CIA received a report from a source from Operation Mongoose, a road watcher describing covered tractor trailers moving that were shaped like large telephone poles. Control of U-2 flights was moved to the Air Force, and October 14 U-2 flights resumed. The Cuban Missile Crisis formally started the next day when American photo analysts identified R-12 1 Megaton MRBMs which could target parts of the east coast with its 2,000 km range. R-14s which could target most of the continental US, as well as 9M21 tactical nukes had also been deployed.
NOC List Recovery[]
In 1996, Ethan Hunt met with CIA-based IMF director Eugene Kittridge and was told the real objective of the mission -- Kittridge explained how the operation (referred to as Job 314) was basically a "molehunt," to learn the identity of an inside traitor who would benefit from the sale of the NOC list to an illegal British arms dealer known as "Max". "Max" would, in turn, sell the list to the highest bidder.
clear his name, Ethan decided to steal the list himself and use it as bait for the real traitor. He assembled a team of "disavowed" agents, including Luther Stickell, Franz Krieger and Claire Phelps.
The group of agents successfully infiltrated the CIA in Langley, Virginia, and acquired the real NOC list. It was offered to "Max" for $10 million, in exchange for the delivery of Job -- the code name for the mole.
Back in London, Ethan, although he played along when Phelps claimed that Kittridge was the mole, suspected that Phelps was the mole (Max's 'Job') who had caused computer hacker Jack's 'accidental' death during the mission.
In fact, Phelps had faked his own shooting on the bridge (he used a gun with blanks and then a soaked sponge to rub a blood-like substance on his hands). He also detonated the car bomb, while Franz Krieger knifed Golitsyn and Sarah.
Ethan was certain Kittridge would come after him, to acquire the NOC list. This was confirmed when the film concluded on a high-speed train from London to Paris where all the major players came together. The NOC list on disk was traded to "Max" in exchange for $10 million and "Job." The funds were to be handed over in the train's baggage compartment, where Ethan impersonated "Phelps" (with a latex mask) and discovered that Claire was her own husband's conspiratorial partner.
Phelps was conclusively proven to be the rogue agent, when Ethan wore special video-transmitting glasses and transmitted an image of Phelps to Kittridge on his video wristwatch, showing that the traitorous, duplicitous Phelps was still alive. Kittridge viewed Phelps on the wristwatch and greeted him: "Good morning, Mr. Phelps."
Phelps shot Claire dead, and then in the exciting conclusion atop the train inside the chunnel, Phelps met his own fiery and explosive end when his getaway helicopter (piloted by partner Krieger, who had all along partnered with Phelps) was blown up with explosive chewing gum, and he died in the falling wreckage that crushed him into the train tracks. Ethan narrowly escaped death by riding the fireball back to the train.
In the conclusion, the NOC list was returned to Kittridge from "Max," the Justice Department apologized to Ethan, and Luther was reinstated as an IMF agent, although Hunt was reluctant to join him.
Attack on Bare Island[]
On March 26th, 1999, Hunt infiltrated the meeting on Bare Island and stole the remaining samples of Bellerophon. While Ethan is pursued by Ambrose, Luther and Billy locate Nyah, who has wandered to a cliff side, intent on killing herself to prevent Chimera from spreading. Ethan eventually gains the upper hand over Ambrose and kills him.
Shortly after the attack, CIA director Alan Hunley, investigated the incident and suspected that the IMF was behind the attack.
Ghost Protocol Incident[]
Rogue Nation Incident[]
On Feburary 19th, 2014, Hunley appeared before a Senate oversight committee in Washington, D.C. with IMF director Theodore Brassel and IMF agent William Brandt. Brandt must respond to every question by refusing to confirm or deny anything without permission from the secretary... which he cannot get because there is, at the moment, no secretary in office. This allows Hunley to have his way with the committee. At his request the IMF is disbanded and absorbed into the CIA, guaranteeing that Ethan -- who Hunley thinks has gone rogue -- will be captured within the day.
Six months later, on August 21st, 2014, Ethan enlists his former colleague Benji, who's happy to take a break from the CIA -- Hunley is sure Benji knows how to find Ethan and subjects him to weekly polygraphs (which Benji beats handily). Ethan arranges for Benji to attend Turandot in Vienna to search for Solomon Lane, who Ethan suspects is the leader of the Syndicate. Although Ethan and Benji thwart three snipers at the opera (one of whom is Ilsa), the Austrian chancellor is killed by a car bomb. Ethan reveals to Benji that the Syndicate has been assassinating world leaders and presidents for some time; the chancellor of Austria had been assassinated as a result of a conspiracy involving the Syndicate, becoming one of the most shocking political assassinations since John F. Kennedy.
After the events in Morocco, Brandt contacts Hunley and reveals their location. At a charity auction in London, the two try and prevent Ethan from attacking Prime Minister David Cameron, whom they, along with MI6 director Atlee, take to a secure room. Ethan, having posed as Atlee, reveals himself and has the prime minister confirm the existence of the Syndicate, a classified MI6 project to perform missions without oversight (though it was confirmed that it was cancelled while it was still in the planning stages). When the real Attlee arrives, Ethan subdues him and he admits that he had been covering up the existence of the Syndicate since Lane hijacked the project and went rogue.
After Lane was captured, Hunley, Brassel and Brandt return to the oversight committee, where Brandt once again refuses to confirm or deny anything without permission from the secretary. Hunley secures the reinstatement of the IMF, claiming that his previous efforts to have it disbanded were all to allow Hunt to go undercover. The committee, though skeptical, approves, and on the way out Brandt addresses Hunley as "Mr. Secretary." Brassel, however, is not happy about Hunley becoming the IMF secretary since Hunley gave problems to the IMF in the past.
Notable Memebers[]
- Alan Hunley (Former director)
- Eugene Kittridge (Agent)
- Frank Barnes (Agent)
- Ethan Hunt (Agent, prior to joing the IMF)
- Jim Phelps (Agent, pior to joing the IMF)
- Alexander Golitsyn (Agent)
- William Donloe (Analyst)
- William Brandt (Briefly)
- Lauren (Analyst)