State Department

The State Department serves as the federal executive department responsible for the United States' foreign policy and international relations.

Middle East Policy and the Osirak Incident

In June 1981, following Israel's bombing of the Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak bombing, the State Department issued a formal condemnation. This public stance contradicted President Ronald Reagan's private acceptance of the raid.²

The Moscow Signal Cover-Up

The State Department played a central role in managing the U.S. government's response to the Moscow Signal, establishing a classified program code-named the Moscow Viral Study to secretly conduct genetic testing on embassy personnel. Embassy employees were deliberately misled about the testing's purpose. The department publicly minimized the dangers despite scientific concerns.³

BCCI Banking Scandal Involvement

Beginning in 1983, the CIA started distributing intelligence about the criminal activities of the BCCI to the State Department.⁵ By September 1986, the State Department had access to a CIA report indicating BCCI had owned First American Bank since 1982.⁴ Rather than pursuing criminal allegations, the department silenced Paula Hawkins and worked to protect BCCI's operations.⁶

Odyssey Network Evidence Destruction

The State Department under Secretary of State Henry Kissinger received over 30,000 index cards containing client names from John David Norman's child trafficking operation in 1973 and subsequently destroyed them, preventing further investigation.⁷

Dark Alliance Investigation

The State Department granted Danilo Blandón political asylum in 1984 despite the DEA having identified him as a major cocaine trafficker since 1983. It is State Department policy to check with the DEA before approving asylum applications. When the Justice Department's Inspector General examined Blandón's immigration records, he found them "in disarray." The same occurred with Blandón's wife Chepita, granted asylum in 1985 despite being reported as a "member of a cocaine distribution organization."⁸

The State Department's Office of Public Diplomacy for Latin America was described by a 1992 House committee report as "a domestic, covert operation designed to lobby the Congress, manipulate the media and influence domestic public opinion" regarding the Contra war. The State Department issued a White Paper on Contra drug allegations that belittled every claim except those involving the Sandinistas, studiously avoiding any mention of Norwin Meneses.⁹