1959-1965—Cuba (Bay of Pigs, Project Mongoose, etc.): Includes extensive bombings of Cuban infrastructure and the failed invasion at Playa Giron, which was waylaid by insufficient intelligence, planning, and support (sound familiar?) and only served to radicalize Castro, driving him into Soviet (nuclear) arms. Afterwards the Kennedy administration escalates efforts to take down el barbudo, targeting him with such thoughtful gifts as radioactive shoes, a scuba diving suit inlaid with tuberculosis and fungus, poisoned pens and cigars, and visits from Mafia hit men.
1960—the former Belgian Congo/ Zaire: the US, along with the Belgians (whose history of oppression here is a whole other tome), overthrows the democratically-elected government of Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba. The target of documented US assassination plots, he is eventually beaten and killed.
1963—Guyana: with the help of former colonists Great Britain, the US removes the legally-elected Cheddi Jagan from power. Guyana does not have another free election until 1992.
1964—’Nam: LBJ gets his Gulf of Tonkin resolution (in lieu of a declaration of war) in response to an attack that never was (although, in fairness, there was a real one two days before). You know the rest.
1968-1973—Chile: After the Nixon administration escalates covert operations to include the manipulation of world markets (in order to destabilize the country), they get the coup they wanted. Prime Minister Salvador Allende Gossens is overthrown and commits suicide. General Augusto Pinochet declares a state of emergency and begins a campaign of repression that will kill thousands.
1972-1975—Iraq (again): US provides covert support for the Kurds to help their ol’ buddy in Iran— until His Shahness works out a deal w/ Saddam and leaves a pile of steaming Kurds. As Henry Kissinger explains, “Covert action should not be confused with missionary work.” Or the missionary position.
