Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

== Central Intelligence Agency ==
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is the foreign intelligence service of the United States. responsible for providing national security intelligence to senior US policymakers. Established in 1947 by the National Security Act, the CIA operates under the direction of the Director of National Intelligence.
=== Mission ===
The CIA's primary mission is to collect, analyze, and disseminate intelligence gathered from foreign sources. This includes assessing threats to national security, providing insight into foreign governments' intentions and capabilities, and conducting covert operations to protect American interests abroad. Before the CIA, SAGE was in charge of this. S.A.G.E. is now focused on more massive operations. 
=== History ===
Formed in the aftermath of World War II and the onset of the Cold War, the CIA played a crucial role in gathering intelligence on Soviet activities and countering communist influence worldwide. Over the decades, its mandate expanded to address emerging threats such as terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and cyber espionage.
The CIA conducts a wide range of operations to fulfill its mission objectives. These include human intelligence (HUMINT) collection, signals intelligence (SIGINT) interception, imagery analysis, and cyber operations. Additionally, the agency engages in covert action programs authorized by the President to influence events in foreign countries discreetly.
Throughout its history, the CIA has been embroiled in controversies surrounding its methods and activities. These include allegations of covert operations to overthrow foreign governments, involvement in illegal activities such as assassination attempts, and interrogation techniques that some consider to be in violation of human rights.