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NOTE: Archive is current through Sept. 17, 1996
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What do you think?

FOR THE BETTER PART of a decade, a Bay Area drug ring sold tons of cocaine to the Crips and Bloods street gangs of Los Angeles and funneled millions in drug profits to a Latin American guerrilla army run by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, a Mercury News investigation has found.

From: Michael Hoffman (michael@cybtrans.com), Palo Alto, CA
Date: Wednesday, September 11, 1996
Comment:

The CIA should be punished for breaking the laws, such as they are. But the laws are wrong, and the CIA's act only caused so much devastation because of the terrible side-effects of the laws, of prohibition. The CIA's act did not occur in a vacuum, and in itself would not have caused devastation; it only became an evil act given that there was already a network of violence-spawning laws in place. The devastation was not simply a function of the crack chemical itself or the agency that supplied it, but is *mostly* a result of the War On Drugs, an extremist and unwinnable effort that backfires and brings more devastation that it supposedly prevents.

Your articles should probably concentrate on the CIA's breaking of laws, not on the real root of the devastation, the evil of these laws. I hope your work does not attitibute all the devastation to the recreation chemical itself, but reminds people that *given* the War On Drugs, the CIA's introducing crack was reprehensible. As to whether that given circumstance (prohibition) was good, that is a distinct issue.

From: Brent Arnold (friction88@aol.com), Seattle, WA
Date: Wednesday, September 11, 1996
Comment: I have been hearing people discuss this idea for years, but I never figured there would be any proof to come to light.

So now here it is... where is the response of the rest of the media, the government, etc??

I have been waiting to see the NYtimes cover this... all I got was convention junk. The Seattle papers did run the story, for a sec...

From: Professor J. Newman (jmnewman@erols.com), Odenton Maryland
Date: Wednesday, September 11, 1996
Comment: Dick Gregory, Joe Madison (and I)gave a
press conference at the National Press
Club at 1:30 pm eastern today. We urged
the media to follow Gary Webb's and the
San Jose Mercury News' example by
further investigating this story, or
to at least cover it in detail. We filed
a Freedom of Information Act request for
the CIA files of Enrique Bermudez and
announced that we are seeking a new
"Cocaine-Contra Records Act" to compel
all agencies to release any documents in
their possession on this matter. Gregory
and Madison were then arrested at CIA HQ
where they charged with creating a dis-
turbance on protected property. They are
currently being held at the Alexandria
Detention Center and will be arraigned
at 9:00 am eastern tomorrow in US Court.
As of this time both have begun a fast
until Congress agrees to pass this new
Records Act. Call congress now!

From: Aton-Re' Ausar (Khemi@aol.com), West Orange, NJ
Date: Wednesday, September 11, 1996
Comment: The print and braodcast media have been trumpeting the 40% rise in drug use among american teen agers during much of this presidential election year.
Given past duplicity and subterfuge commited by playing to america's "drug paranoia", what civil freedom are we being set up to sacrifice unto the constitution's funeral pyre called the "War on Drugs"?
Can somebody hip me to that? Inquiring minds must survive.

From: Ted Coe (tcoe@humanitas.ucsb.edu), Santa Barbara
Date: Thursday, September 12, 1996
Comment: This from today's L.A. Times: Atty. Gen. Janet Reno says a preliminary inquiry by the Department of Justice does not substantiate published allegations that the CIA acted in support of a Northern California drug ring that smuggled cocaine from Latin America to South-Central Los Angeles. . . .The CIA has agreed to conduct its own investigation of the allegations while casting skepticism on them. . . .Reno's action came in response to requests for an investigation by several members of Congress. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Does she *REALLY* think that this will put the story to rest *that* easily?!? This seems at the very least like an attempt on the part of the Dept. of Justice to further disuade the major news media from picking up on this story -- which they've done an excellent job of doing already, wouldn't you say? I am simply furious about this, though!

From: David Stock (racetratr@aol.com), Long Beach, CA
Date: Thursday, September 12, 1996
Comment: These are great stories, which, as others note, are being buried by much of the major news media. They bring back memories of CIA drug operations in Southeast Asia during the 1960's, and provide further evidence that the U.S. government is participating in the destruction of Black communities. The "war against drugs" is a smokescreen for those in government--including almost certainly ex-CIA director George Bush--who expedited the explosion of crack cocaine and gang warfare. It seems to me that the next step is to follow the chain of command up as far as it goes. Who ordered the drug investigations stopped? How could Salvadoran planes have landed at U.S. airbases without the knowledge of the military here? How could trucks enter such bases to pick up drugs? Who gave the commands? Thanks for the expose.

From: M. (ltolah@umd.umich.edu), In, MI.
Date: Thursday, September 12, 1996
Comment: Drug sales fill a vacuum that the demand creates. Therefore, the addicts are partly to blame.

I have a question: Will you investigate Libya's sales of arms to these same gangs. This problem will have a more serious impact on innocent citizens.

Any words?

From: MIKE CURTIS (HARDWORKING_NICEGUY@MSN.COM), SEATTLE
Date: Thursday, September 12, 1996
Comment: This story was featured on the front page of our largest newspaper's weekend edition, and is being splashed all over the radio talk shows, including both the right and left wing ones. This has the capabillity of becoming the 90's version of an overused analogy, the 'watergate' scandal. I sense that there is a growing public resentment of unchecked public officials making their own policy outside of local and international law, and this election cycle will show the results of their disenchantment with the status quo with another 'throw the bums out!'
unfortunfately, without a scouring of the lower levels of bureaucracy, all we will get is a repeat in another form of this ugly opportunism.
it's time for a full range of congressional investigations, and in my opinion time for the dismantling of the CIA in it's present form. We have other agencies (nsa, fbi, etc) that can take up the slack without causing the international embarassment and local damage to citizen trust. If this is not stopped dead in it's tracks, there is the distinct possibility of our already damaged race relations degenerating into all out anarchy in the inner cities with unforeseen consequences for all of us in the near future.
wake up america!

From: George V. King, II (s1b0031@mail.wvnet.edu), Harpers Ferry, WV.
Date: Thursday, September 12, 1996
Comment: There should be an immediate injuction placed on CIA
files or you will never get to the bottom of this.
I guess Ted Turner has been greased already.
Rupert Murdock will play ball with the agency and
put a hush on. It's now us against them!

From: Lee (leebert@io.com), Austin
Date: Friday, September 13, 1996
Comment: From the L.A. Times:
"Atty. Gen. Janet Reno says a preliminary inquiry by the Department of Justice does not substantiate published allegations that the CIA acted in support of a Northern California drug ring that smuggled cocaine from Latin America to South-Central Los Angeles. . . .The CIA has agreed to conduct its own investigation of the allegations while casting skepticism on them. . . .Reno's action came in response to requests for an investigation by several members of Congress..."

RENO _should_ know, she was the State's attorney in Miami, FL while the CIA was flying CIA SAT planes into corrosion corner at Miami int'l airport. The constant problems w/ the DEA & Customs finding, hell, SEEING traces of cocaine in the SAT planes werer a constant source of Miami Herald expose's in Miami during the 1980's. RENO was known to be very PO'd by the CIA's activities in her district, but she became increasing powerless to do a thing about it.

Now she's poo-poo'ing the new reports. What a stench!

After the Christic Institute lawsuit in Miami got killed at the 11th hour by Judge Hoover, the newspapers and local 'zines started ignoring the story.

From: smiranda (smiranda@usatncs.gannett), Danville, VA
Date: Friday, September 13, 1996
Comment: This is proof that the U.S.
government does give a hoot about the
African American race. We were never
considered to be human beings. I'm
ashamed of being a citizen of
this country.

From: Danny Menendez (dannym@address.net), Los Angeles
Date: Saturday, September 14, 1996
Comment: We the people of the United States (including non-citizens)
should demand the the C.I.A. be investigated by
a independant agency and that an agency be
placed permanently to check for
any unethical behaviour on the part of the agency.
The Judiciary branch, The Legilative Branch, and even
the Executive branch are overlooked and checked by
various committies and so should the C.I.A.
We must demand that the C.I.A. dismantle itself if
it is tied to the drug trafficking connections
in our cities. If Richard Nixxon can be called
upon for unethical behaviour so can the
C.I.A. Remember Watergate. Should the
C.I.A. be given absolute power to do what
ever it wants. You mean we can investigate
our own President and not an agency?

We can not let ourselves to believe that the
agency can monitor its self. Think about it.
If you were accused of a crime and a prosecutor
asked you to bring damaging evidence upon yourself and
investigate the case, would you really do it. I don't think
so. We must create a new agency that may be
called something like Ethics Commitee
for National Intelligence Agencies to oversee
their actions.

I am a Salvadorean who fled the contry in 1983
because of the war that was created partially
by the United States. Central Americans
are tired of being used as tools for American
interest. We are exploited as cheap labor and
when we try to express our discontent of our
exploitation and oppression we are murdered
or harrased by C.I.A. trained death squadrons.
If any Central American government is not
in tuned with U.S. interest it is quickly
overturned by C.I.A. commanded coup d'etats.

Anyone is welcome to write me back directly at my
E-mail address.

Thank you (Mercury News)for you devotion to investigate the true
causes that have contributed to killing
our fellow Americans in our inner cities.
Keep up the good work!

From: Carol Coney (ckc.atlanta@worldnet.att.net), Atlanta , GA
Date: Saturday, September 14, 1996
Comment: Thanks for the expose, but unfortunately it comes ten years too late. Does anyone remember the La Penca bombing? The Christic Institute worked throughout the 80's to expose the drugs-for-weapons ring that was used by CIA operatives to bankroll the Contra War against Nicaragua. The Christic Institute amassed extensive documentation in order to bring a legal case against those responsible for the illegal venture. Ultimately, they were shut down for taking on Uncle Sam. It is a moral outrage and a flagrant abuse of taxpayer money that any U.S. government agency would provide a conduit whereby illegal drugs could be sold for profits to be channeled to a subversive guerilla army charged with overthrowing a legitimate sovereign government. The "chickens came home to roost", to quote Malcolm X, and the drugs and weapons that were the byproduct of our government's misdeeds continue to plague our urban centers. Hey, wasn't it the Reagans who invented the "Just Say No to Drugs" campaign? What sickening irony!

From: Jane Marcus (mmfamily@ix.netcom.com), Palo Alto
Date: Sunday, September 15, 1996
Comment: Last night I posted a question in an online discussion to
William Claiborne, West Coast resporter for the Washington Post.
I asked why the Post had not yet reported on the Mercury's Dark Alliances
series.

I got a prompt response this morning correcting my claim that
the Post has been silent. Claiborne said it had run articles
about Senator Boxer's letter to Deutsch and about the recent
Black Political Caucus meeting.

He also said that a piece about the series appears in the 9/15/96
Outlook section. It is an essay by author Ishmael Reed
and can be found at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1996-09/15/081L-091596-idx.html

From: Jane Marcus (mmfamily@ix.netcom.com), Palo Alto, CA
Date: Sunday, September 15, 1996
Comment: Last night I posted a question in an online discussion to
William Claiborne, West Coast resporter for the Washington Post.
I asked why the Post had not yet reported on the Mercury's Dark
Alliances series.

I got a prompt response this morning correcting my claim that
the Post has been silent. Claiborne said it had run articles
about Senator Boxer's letter to Deutsch and about the recent
Black Political Caucus meeting.

He also said that a piece about the series appears in the 9/15/96
Outlook section. It is an essay by author Ishmael Reed
and can be found at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1996-09/15/081L-091596-idx.html

From: M. Blyden (blydema@texaco.com), O.C. USA
Date: Monday, September 16, 1996
Comment: Please give an update on Dick Gregory and
let us know if he is still on a hunger strike.
Anyone out there have the facts??

From: Dr. Newman (jmnewman@erols.com), Odenton
Date: Monday, September 16, 1996
Comment: In response to query about the outcome in court on Thursday, September 12. Madison and Gregory were arraigned by a magistrate who asked if they wished the he rule on the matter or if the pair wished a hearing in district court. Their attorney, Dan Alcorn, indicated they wished a trial in district court. The judge approved this and stated the two were to be released and then to reappear on the 20th for a preliminary hearing. The two had decided that Madison would attend the Black Cuacus hearing and that Gregory would stay. Gregory then demanded that he remain in his jail cell until his trial, where he intended to fast. Later that day, the CIA dropped all charges against both, thus preventing Gregory from remaining in prison. The CIA also agreed to their demand for a meeting, but both sides have so far been unable to agree on the participants of a meeting. Madison and Gregory held a press conference today to release their written response to DCI Deutch.

From: Jane Marcus (mmfamily@ix.netcom.com), Palo Alto, CA
Date: Monday, September 16, 1996
Comment: It looks like the New York Times had a small
article on page A16 today (9/16) about Drug Czar
McCaffrey's calling for a hearing on the Dark Alliances
allegations. The article apparently also mentioned the Black Political Caucus'
demands for an investigation as well.

According to a comment on the NYT online forum,
the Boston Globe ran quite a long article over
the weekend.

From: Ulysses Brown (ujbrown@grits.valdosta.peachnet.edu), Tifton, Georgia
Date: Tuesday, September 17, 1996
Comment: Yes, I believe that the United States government would seek to systematically destroy African-Americans by polluting their neighborhoods with drugs and assault weapons. Unfortunately, the U.S.government is no stranger to engaging in nefarious genocide plans that seek to destroy a people. I'm sure that many citizens remember the Tuskegee Experiment and the shameless attempt by the govenment to expunge the Indian population. Yes, America is quite capable of killing people that it perceives as its problem. Most people of color are not surprised by this unconscionable act but saddened that America's history is still being written in other people's blood.

From: Brad Ems (bems@hilco), St. Louis, MO
Date: Tuesday, September 17, 1996
Comment: The relative silence of Big Media in response to the SJMN's revelations
speaks volumes. It seems that the major media's DC-centric focus would be in jeopardy should the
bottom of this particularly loathsome barrel be sounded out. Just what role did George Bush have
in the running of cocaine (let's remember that Boy Scouts rarely get to head the CIA)? Are the
claims of LD Brown, Bill Clinton's security chief, to be heard with a bit more credence now that
corroborating evidence has been found of CIA involvement?

The drug was was and is a stupid idea, but it seems that the primary objective of it has been to restrict
supplies to jack up prices to enrich our "leaders."

This story should be pursued with all due zeal. Congrats, SJMN.

Brad Ems
bems@hilco.com

From: Barbara Jean Hope (bjhope@mail.biosis.org), Philadelphia, PA
Date: Tuesday, September 17, 1996
Comment: Thanks to all staff members who worked on this story. Gary Webb deserves every prize there is out there for his marvelous job. As an African American woman, I deeply angered that the CIA has been dumping drugs into inner city neighborhoods, beginning with LA. I call talk radio often, my friends who also call talk stations are keeping this story alive. This story must not die until there is a full investigation.