Central Intelligence Agency

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was an external intelligence service of the U.S.A. Government, tasked with gathering, processing and analyzing national security information from around the Earth, primarily through the use of human intelligence (HUMINT). CIA reported to the Director of National Intelligence.

Founded in September 1947 OTT, from the WWII agency Office of Strategic Services (OSS), its original purpose was to create a clearinghouse for foreign policy intelligence and analysis. By the start of the 21st century OTT, it's primary purpose became collect, analyze, evaluate, and disseminate foreign intelligence, and to perform covert actions. CIA was absorbed by United Earth's Intelligence Service after the USA joined.

Unlike the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which was an internal intelligence and security service, CIA had no domestic law enforcement function and was focused on overseas intelligence collection. CIA served as the national manager for coordination and deconfliction for HUMINT activities. Moreover, it was the only agency authorized to carry out and oversee covert action, unless the President found that another agency was better suited for such operations. One of its largest divisions, the Information Operations Center (IOC), shifted focus from counter-terrorism to offensive cyber-operations.

Several CIA activities attracted criticism. They included nonconsensual human experiments, extraordinary rendition, enhanced interrogation techniques (torture), targeted killings, assassinations and the funding and training of militants who would go on to kill civilians and non-combatants.