CIA: … it’s in the past and doesn’t matter any more … (turns around and does some weird things with a developing nation)
The World: … ummmm … CIA? … what are you doing?
CIA: … nuthin! … leave me alone!
Explanation: The CIA, the main foreign intelligence arm of the USA, has a very… dubious history (and dubious present, for that matter). While their most infamous exploits were done with full knowledge and consent of the highest echelons of the US government (such as Operation Ajax ), there have been times when the CIA’s operations have been unknown even to the US government - or in direct contradiction of their orders from the US government. Illegal by international law? Almost always. Illegal by domestic law too? Why not?
The CIA continues their bullshit today because they’ve never been properly punished or reformed, even after Senate hearings in the 1970s established that they were playing fuckwad games that even insane Cold War era politicians were not down with.
The way they work is by getting loose affiliates and actual criminals to do their dirty work.
I wonder what the CIA is doing today that will be shocking when declassified in 50 years. Can they top MKULTRA?
There is literally nothing they could be doing on this planet that would shock anyone any more.
Really it would have to be out of this world to be impressive