| This thesis examines the pitfalls that can accompany the use of covert action by an open and democratic society. It investigates two cases of clandestine CIA activity: Operation Valuable, a little-known paramilitary operation in Albania that has been largely neglected in the relevant literature; and the secret involvement of the CIA in the funding and policy control of Radio Free Europe. In Operation Valuable, the CIA and British intelligence insufficiently trained and then inserted Albanian emigres in order to foment revolution in their homeland. Over a period of five years, the Anglo-American trained agents were killed, captured, tortured, executed, or imprisoned after short show trials by the Albanian government. It became evident that communist forces knew in advance the details of the operation. In the case of Radio Free Europe, the CIA covertly funded a broadcasting station which was intent on sowing dissension in the Eastern Bloc. This thesis focuses on the failure of the CIA to restrain inflammatory Radio Free Europe broadcasts during the Hungarian Uprising. These broadcasts convinced their Hungarian listeners that Allied help would assist them and many took to the streets only to be crushed by Soviet troops. Furthermore, unbeknownst to the American people, who were being asked to contribute donations to Radio Free Europe, the CIA had both funding and policy control over the radio station. In the end, the public disclosure of this funding created a scandal which threatened to close Radio Free Europe. |
