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Tha aim of American foreign policy for the last hundred years, as far back as Theodore Roosevelt, has been to have friendly governments in 'America's Backyard'. Since the CIA was established after the Second World War it has followed the various Presidents' 'Doctrines'.

In many Latin American countries, governments have tended to be right wing Dictatorships, military dictatorships or 'popular', which is often a cover for Communist or quasi-Communist.

In the context of the Cold War it was unacceptable for the USA to merely spectate if Communism and Soviet influence spread into the New World. Accordingly the CIA interfered in some counties' internal affairs to try to topple Communist governments. The example of Allende's Chilean government comes to mind. Equally, the CIA propped up unpopular and corrupt governments if they were anti-communist or pro-American. The growth of the drugs trade led to CIA involvement in anti drug baron operations.

More recently, the CIA has been implicated in the promotion, if not the use, of torture in the fight against Al Quaeda and the detention without charge or trial of 'suspects' at Guantanamo in Cuba.

Has the CIA's involvement as an arm of American foreign policy resulted in the establishment of governments friendly to the USA? The question is purely rhetorical, of course. Some Latin American countries are friends of the USA , but no thanks to the CIA. Many countries are less than friendly and some are hostile.
The CIA's efforts have largely been counter-productive, breeding resentment. At the same time the drugs trade continues and the stain of prisoner abuse and the use of torture have stuck not just to the CIA but to the USA as a whole. How can one square the idea that,' all men are created equal and are endowed with certain inalienable rights' with the treatment of inmates in Guantanamo?

'Disastrous' is probably too strong a word to describe the CIA's involvement, but 'ultimately counter-productive' might be a fairer verdict.

Learn more about this author, Mark Hopkins.
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