Definitions
This term describes an operation meant to influence events abroad while keeping the U.S. government’s role hidden.
What is covert action?
This least-violent covert action uses media and organizations to shape outcomes.
What is covert propaganda?
This U.S. Code title primarily governs covert action.
What is Title 50 U.S. Code?
This agency primarily handles foreign intelligence and covert operations abroad.
What is the CIA?
During Operation Fortitude South, the Allies used these inflatable battlefield items to fool German intelligence.
What are inflatable tanks (or dummy tanks)?
True or False: Covert action is considered a departure from diplomacy.
What is false?
Direct intervention into another country’s political affairs describes this type of covert action.
What are covert political operations?
Section 3091 requires the President to keep these congressional bodies informed.
What are the congressional intelligence committees?
This agency has arrest authority and focuses on domestic law enforcement.
What is the FBI?
Despite common belief, most covert actions are not primarily about this traditional intelligence activity.
What is intelligence collection (or traditional intelligence gathering)?
Title 50 defines covert action as activities intended to influence these three types of conditions abroad.
What are political, economic, or military conditions?
Operations intended to disrupt an enemy’s production or technological development fall into this category.
What are covert economic operations?
Before conducting covert action, the President must issue this formal authorization.
What is a presidential finding?
Signals intelligence and cybersecurity are the primary mission of this agency.
What is the NSA?
This person was the first American to engage in covert action.
Who is Benjamin Franklin?
Covert action is best described as a tool of this broader statecraft function.
What is diplomacy?
The overthrow of an adversary’s government is known as this.
What is a coup?
Section 3093 prohibits covert actions that violate these two things.
What are the Constitution or any U.S. statute?
This type of intelligence is the NSA’s primary mission.
What is SIGINT?
True or False: The main goal of covert action is to hide the activity itself.
What is false? (The goal is to hide the U.S. role.)
Which type of operation typically does NOT require a presidential finding: covert action or clandestine operations?
What are clandestine operations?
Use of armed force by nonmilitary personnel describes this category.
What are paramilitary operations?
The President must determine covert action is necessary to support these objectives and important to this interest.
What are identifiable foreign policy objectives and national security?
This is the year the CIA was created.
What is 1947?
In one of history’s most creative deception operations, the Allies built an entire fake army group before this invasion.
What is D-Day (the Normandy invasion)?