Covert Action (CA) remains a highly controversial and generally misunderstood element within the Intelligence Community. Title 50 of the United States Code defines Covert Action as: “…an activity or activities of the United States Government to influence political, economic, or military conditions abroad, where it is intended that the role of the United States Government will not be apparent or acknowledged publicly…” Lying somewhere between overt diplomatic initiatives and direct military intervention, CA is often referred to as the “third option” when addressing foreign policy issues that impact on U.S. national security interests. This course will address the many facets of CA, both through selected case studies as well as the parameters that have evolved over the years to manage its myriad aspects – determining what CA can, and equally important, cannot accomplish. We will also see how CA, as conducted by the CIA, is often used in a dual track program alongside State Department initiatives in an effort to resolve particularly difficult foreign policy dilemmas.
Course Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7WTWonQUCg
Professor
Semester Available
Spring
Summer
Additional Information
This course may be taken as a part of the following programs:
- Master of Arts in Statecraft and National Security Affairs
- Master of Arts in Statecraft and International Affairs
- Master of Arts in Strategic Intelligence Studies
- Master of Arts in Statecraft and Strategy (Online)
- Professional Master of Arts in Statecraft and Strategy (Online)
- Certificate in Conflict Prevention
- Certificate in Counterterrorism
- Certificate in Intelligence
- Certificate in National Security Affairs
- Certificate in Nonviolent Conflict
- Certificate in Public Diplomacy and Strategic Influence
- Certificate in Strategic Soft Power
- Certificate in Statecraft (Online)
- Continuing Education Program