Since its inception, the U.S. has undertaken numerous secret missions, ranging from rescue operations and espionage to intelligence gathering and combating the international drug trade. While some have been successful, others have gone terribly wrong. Here are ten U.S. secret missions that ended in failure.
Operation Eagle Claw
In 1980, Operation Eagle Claw aimed to rescue 53 Americans held hostage by Iranian militants at the U.S. embassy in Tehran. President Jimmy Carter approved the joint military operation after diplomatic efforts failed. However, a dust storm led to a collision between a transport helicopter and a C-130 aircraft. With several helicopters unable to continue and another breaking down, the mission was aborted. The failure resulted in loss of life and was considered a humiliating blow for the U.S.
Zuma
On January 7, 2018, a classified SpaceX satellite, code-named Zuma, crashed into the Indian Ocean shortly after its launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Despite the rocket operating normally, the satellite, built by Northrop-Grumman, failed. Due to its classified status, details about the payload and the mission’s failure remain undisclosed. The Wall Street Journal reported that the satellite didn’t separate as planned from the rocket’s upper stage, leading to its demise.
Foley Rescue Mission
The secret operation to rescue American journalist James Foley and other hostages held by Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria also failed. Authorized by President Obama, the mission involved air and ground components. However, the hostages were not present at the targeted location. Following the mission’s failure, Foley was decapitated, and a video of the beheading was released, prompting international condemnation.
Weapons of Mass Destruction
President George W. Bush’s decision to conduct military operations against Iraq in 2003 was based on faulty intelligence from the CIA. The CIA claimed that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, endangering the U.S. and its allies. This led to the Iraq War, resulting in hundreds of thousands of casualties. The Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction later declared that the CIA’s intelligence was “dead wrong” and recommended corrective measures.
Ghetto Information Program
The FBI’s Ghetto Information Program (GIP), active from 1963 to at least 1972, involved 7,000 informants gathering intelligence within African-American neighborhoods. This constituted nearly half of the FBI’s domestic intelligence force. The program faced criticism for violating constitutionally protected rights. The Nation of Islam (NOI) was targeted, despite not being directly involved in violence against the police, because it was considered a potential paramilitary force.
Thin Thread
Thin Thread, a 1990s pilot program, could analyze massive amounts of telephonic communications more efficiently than the NSA’s Trailblazer program. However, the NSA rejected Thin Thread due to bureaucratic infighting. Seen as a threat to the $1.2 billion Trailblazer program, Thin Thread was also criticized for potentially violating American citizens’ civil liberties. Ultimately, support shifted to the inferior Trailblazer program.
Operation CHAOS
During the presidencies of Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon, the CIA initiated Operation CHAOS to conduct secret domestic surveillance on suspected “American radicals.” The program amassed a significant amount of illegal domestic intelligence, creating 7,200 files on American citizens. Despite finding no links between peace movement leaders and U.S. embassies, the CIA continued the program until 1973, fearing its discovery.
The Black Chamber
The American Black Chamber (MI-8), a precursor to the NSA, was highly successful at deciphering coded messages. Headed by cryptologist Herbert O. Yardley and financed by the Department of State, it operated secretly from a building in New York City. However, Secretary of State Henry Stimson shut down the office in 1929 after learning of its clandestine activities. Yardley then wrote a book about the operation, prompting other countries, including Japan, to change their codes, inadvertently damaging U.S. intelligence efforts.
Bigfoot
The FBI collaborated with Peter Byrne, director of the Bigfoot Information Center and Exhibition in Oregon, to test hairs and tissue samples that might be from Bigfoot. While initially denying any previous involvement, the FBI laboratory eventually conducted a “light microscopy” of Byrne’s specimens, concluding they were hairs from the deer family. Despite the findings, the FBI’s involvement fueled speculation about the agency’s interest in the mythical creature.
War on Drugs
Launched in June 1971, the international “war on drugs” led by the U.S. continues today, widely regarded as a failure. Ironically, the CIA was once involved in the drug trade, transporting opium grown by “anti-communist” Laotian tribesmen. The war on drugs has faced numerous challenges, including questionable international relationships and a resurgence of drug use in the U.S., highlighting the complexities and failures of this ongoing campaign.
These missions, though diverse in their objectives, share a common thread of failure, often due to a mix of flawed intelligence, unforeseen circumstances, and internal conflicts. They serve as stark reminders of the complexities and risks inherent in secret operations.
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