“The CIA is a state-sponsored terrorist association. You don’t look at people as human beings. They are nothing but pieces on the chessboard.” — Verne Lyon, former CIA agent in revealing documentary “Secrets of the CIA”
Secrets of the CIA is a revealing 90-minute documentary. In this riveting exposé, five former CIA agents describe how their initial pride and enthusiasm at serving their nation turned to anguish and remorse, as they realized that they were actually subverting democracy and killing innocent civilians all in the name “national security” and promoting foreign policy agendas.
A Notre Dame football star, an aerospace engineering senior at Iowa State, an attractive high school graduate, a young patriot, and an Olympic shooting champion all were recruited by the CIA at a young age. These five brave individuals risk retaliation in revealing the story of their gradual disillusionment and finally defection from the CIA, as they eventually became convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were serving neither democracy, nor the people of their country.
The Olympic shooting champion describes being put in charge of overthrowing the democratically elected government of Guatemala. The patriot relates his deep remorse for his direct responsibility in the deaths of numerous innocent people for which he can never make amends. The pretty high school graduate describes how her initial addiction to power and intrigue turned to disgust and horror. This powerful documentary is a rare and remarkable look at the results of unbridled secrecy and the lengths to which some elements in government will go to achieve questionable foreign policy goals.