The CIA and the Super Spook Fantasy

Films condition how we interpret culture and society. Movies can open new doors to how we visualize foreign cultures, even though they have a tendency to portray them falsely as oriental or exotic. In American film and popular conception, the CIA and similar intelligence services often are depicted as omnipotent agencies staffed with brilliant and deadly spies who traverse cultures, languages, and geographies with little hesitation as they flip through their multiple passports, currencies, and dialects. The recent flap over secret CIA assassination teams points to another reality: the CIA couldn't manage the logistics and implementation. The CIA is powerful and can wield a tremendous influence abroad. Nevertheless, analysts and agents are people with normal limitations.