Gary webb faced a storm of criticism for his threepart series, dark alliance, in the san jose mercury newspaper. Read dark alliance pdf the cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion by gary webb seven stories press major motion picture. The cia, the contras and the crack cocaine explosion by gary webb isbn. Tjames madisonthis text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Gary webb was american investigative journalist, pulitzer prize winner. Sep 26, 20 in 1999, seven stories press published webb s dark alliance. Gary webb sums up the story in his last major interview just days before his death. The original series claimed that, in order to help raise funds for efforts against the nicaraguan. These articles were first written for the san jose mercury news before later being published into a book. I read the entire dark alliance series by gary webb in the san jose mercury and was very sad when i learned of webbs suicide. If adding books to this author, please use garywebb. Webbs series, the dark alliance, has been the subject of intense media debate, and has focused attention on a foreign policy drug scandal that leaves many questions unanswered. The updated paperback edition of dark alliance features revelations in justreleased reports from the department of justice, internal cia investigations, and a new cache of recently declassified secret fbi, dea, and ins filesmuch of which was not known to webb when writing the first edition of this book. When the san jose newspaper published webbs series of stories under the title dark alliance and posted it online, it became an immediate sensation.
Oct 17, 2014 but webb was a real person who wrote a real story, a threepart series called dark alliance, in august 1996 for the san jose mercury news, one of the flagship newspapers of the thenmighty. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. This is why webbs dark alliance series is an essential source, a primary text that every journalism student should study. Gary webb san jose mercury news aug 1996 permalink. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb in 1996, journalist gary webb began looking into links between nicaraguas drugrunning contra rebels and the cia. In 1996, gary stephen webb was best known for his three part article series, dark alliance. Dark alliance is as necessary and valuable as it is horrifying and grim. While the original series is apparently no longer available on the newspapers website, it has been archived by others. Frequently identified as a conspiracy theory in mainstream press coverage, webbs work evoked widespread african american support. Under intense pressure, webb s top editor abandoned him.
Today, it is hard to say how webb will be remembered by history. But if there is any justice, he will be remembered favorably. Webbs bold, controversial reporting was the target of a famously vicious media backlash that. He was one of six reporters at the san jose mercury news to win a 1990 pulitzer prize for general news. Dark alliance gary webb the cia, the contras, and the. Titled dark alliance, the headline ran beneath the provocative image of a man smoking crack superimposed on the official seal of the cia. Sep 25, 2014 the cia didnt really need to lift a finger to try to ruin gary webbs credibility, schou told the intercept. How the cia watched over the destruction of gary webb. In 2004, at age 49, gary was found dead with 2 bullet wounds to his head. In july 1995, san jose mercurynews reporter gary webb found the big one the.
Mar 21, 2015 the cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb in 1996, journalist gary webb began looking into links between nicaraguas drugrunning contra rebels and the cia. After an arduous journey, the historic document about u. Gary webb on the cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion, audio interviews 19971998 with gary webb from democracy now. Articles published by san jose mercury news on longform. Oct 24, 2014 gary webb sums up the story in his last major interview just days before his death. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion, complete with extensive source citations. In july 1995, san jose mercurynews reporter gary webb found the big. The cia, the contras, and the cocaine explosion kindle edition by gary webb, maxine waters.
Dark alliance by gary stephen webb 622 words bartleby. In 1999, seven stories press published webbs dark alliance. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion is a 1998 book by journalist gary webb. He discussed his book, headline news and responded to audience telephone calls, faxes, and. Several of webb s critics were merely acting as gatekeepers. The dark alliance gary webb s incendiary 1996 sj mercury news expose aug 22, 1996 cocaine pipeline financed rebels evidence points to cia knowing of highvolume drug network by gary webb san jose mercury news for the better part of a decade, a san francisco bay area drug ring sold tons of cocaine to the crips and. Within the this audiobook version of dark alliance, webb produces a. Facing increasing public scrutiny from the fallout after webbs dark alliance series, the cia conducted its own internal investigations. Pulitzer prizewinning journalist gary webb stunned the world with a series of articles in the san jose mercury news reporting the results of his year. There is more than one author in the goodreads database with this name. This collection of texts, images, and audio files is a copy of the online library that accompanied the publication of gary webb s dark alliance series and his followup reporting for the san jose mercury news from 199697 about the cias role in the crack cocaine epidemic in the 1980s. Major motion picture based on dark alliance and starring jeremy renner, kill the messenger, to be be released in fall 2014 in august 1996, pulitzer prizewinning journalist gary webb stunned the world with a series of articles in the san jose mercury news reporting the results of his yearlong investigation into the roots of the crack cocaine. It is a story now told in the hollywood film, kill the messenger, based on the book of the same name by nick schou and webbs dark alliance. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come.
Have not added any pdf format description on dark alliance. An august, 1996, series in the san jose mercury news by reporter gary webb linked the. Dark alliance a threepart investigation into links between the cocaine trade, nicaraguas ciabacked contra rebels, and californias crack epidemic in the 1980s. The dark alliance gary webbs incendiary 1996 sj mercury news expose aug 22, 1996 cocaine pipeline financed rebels evidence points to cia knowing of highvolume drug network by gary webb san jose mercury news for the better part of a decade, a san francisco bay area drug ring sold tons of cocaine to the crips and. Gary webb san jose mercury news with the release of the film kill the messenger this week, there is bound to be an uptick in media discussions about gary webb, the crusading investigative journalist whose 1996 dark alliance series forms the basis of the movie. His book demonstrates that the original expose was on the right track. Tribute to dark alliance and journalist gary webb, transcripts of a 1997 webb speech and interview from san francisco bay area independent media center. The cia, the contras and the crack cocaine explosion. Several of webbs critics were merely acting as gatekeepers. Read dark alliance pdf the cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion by gary webb seven stories press major motion picture based.
In 1996, pulitzer prizewinning journalist gary webb 19552004 wrote a shocking series of articles for the san jose mercury news exposing the cias link to nicaraguan cocaine smuggled into the us by the contras, which had fueled the widespread crack epidemic that swept through urban areas. Oct 01, 2014 gary webb pushed his investigation even further in his book, dark alliance. Gary stephen webb was an investigative reporter, focusing on government and private sector corruption and winning more than 30 journalism awards. This is why webb s dark alliance series is an essential source, a primary text that every journalism student should study. Dark alliance gary webb the cia, the contras, and the crack. They just sat there and watched these journalists go after gary like a. In the dark alliance, drawing from the newly declassified documents, undercover dea drug enforcement administration audio and videotapes that had never been publicly released, federal court testimony, and interviews, webb demonstrates how us government knowingly allowed massive amounts of drugs and money to change hands at the expense of communities. His book serves as both a complex memoir of the time of the contras and an indictment of the current state of americas press. The cia didnt really need to lift a finger to try to ruin gary webbs credibility, schou told the intercept.
But webb was a real person who wrote a real story, a threepart series called dark alliance, in august 1996 for the san jose mercury news, one of. In 1996, pulitzer prizewinning journalist gary webb 19552004 wrote a shocking series of articles for the san jose mercury news exposing the cias link to nicaraguan cocaine smuggled into the us by the contras, which had fueled the widespread crack epidemic that. This is essential reading for anyone interested in this topic. The courageous journalist was hounded to death for linking the crack epidemic with thenpresident ronald reagans drive to overthrow the sandinista government. The mainstream media largely dismissed webbs conclusions and portrayed the black community as gullible conspiracy advocates. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion pdf ebook. Kill the messenger gary webb told the truth about ciabacked contra terrorists selling drugs to finance their dirty war against nicaragua in the 1980s. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion. Under intense pressure, webbs top editor abandoned him. The book is based on dark alliance, webb s threepart investigative series published in the san jose mercury news in august 1996.
Dark alliance the cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion. Crack in the system premiering on al jazeera america in early 2015. Dark alliance the story behind the crack explosion. Jan 24, 2015 gary webb told the truth about ciabacked contra terrorists selling drugs to finance their dirty war against nicaragua in the 1980s. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion, was the journalist with the san jose mercury news who caused such a fuss two years ago when his series of articles pointed to central intelligence agency cia complicity in the crack cocaine epidemic. Aug 18, 2006 titled dark alliance, the headline ran beneath the provocative image of a man smoking crack superimposed on the official seal of the cia. Dark alliance by gary webb penguin books australia.
Drawing from then newly declassified documents, undercover dea audio and videotapes that had never been publicly released, federal court testimony, and interviews, webb demonstrates how our government knowingly. Pdf the publication of a series of articles in the san jose mercury, though they did contain a. Gary webb pushed his investigation even further in his book, dark alliance. Just as the invention of crack was bringing cocaine out of the parlors and clubs of the elite and into poor urban neighborhoods, a young ricky ross used his. O wish he had taken a kind of sabbatical and perhaps moved to costa. Backers of cialed nicaraguan rebels brought cocaine to poor l. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. A threepart investigation into links between the cocaine trade, nicaraguas ciabacked contra rebels, and californias crack epidemic in the 1980s. Webb was gradually drummed out of journalism while still defending his position, his research, and his witnesses.