About The national security archive
The National Security Archive: A Comprehensive Resource for Historical Research
The National Security Archive is a non-profit organization that specializes in the collection, preservation, and dissemination of declassified government documents. Founded in 1985 by a group of journalists and scholars, the Archive has become one of the world's leading repositories of primary source materials on U.S. foreign policy, intelligence operations, human rights abuses, and other topics of historical significance.
With over 100 staff members and affiliates working in Washington D.C., New York City, and around the world, the National Security Archive provides researchers with access to millions of pages of previously secret or restricted documents from government agencies such as the CIA, FBI, State Department, Defense Department, White House staff offices and others.
In addition to its extensive document collections (which are available online), the Archive also conducts research projects on various topics related to national security policy. These projects often involve collaborations with other organizations or academic institutions.
One example is "The Iran-Contra Affair," which was a major scandal during Ronald Reagan's presidency involving secret arms sales to Iran (which was under an arms embargo) in exchange for hostages held by Iranian-backed militants in Lebanon. The proceeds from these sales were then used to fund anti-communist rebels (known as Contras) fighting against Nicaragua's socialist government - despite Congress having banned such aid.
Through Freedom of Information Act requests and lawsuits against various government agencies involved in this affair (including Oliver North's office at the White House), The National Security Archive obtained thousands of pages of documents that shed light on how this illegal operation was planned and executed - including memos from top officials like Secretary Of State George Shultz warning Reagan about its potential consequences.
Another project is "The September 11th Attacks," which seeks to uncover what U.S. intelligence agencies knew about Al Qaeda before these attacks occurred - particularly regarding their plans for using commercial airliners as weapons. This project involves analyzing thousands of pages worths' worths' worths' worths' worths' worths'worthof declassified reports from various sources such as FBI field offices around America; CIA headquarters overseas; NSA intercept stations worldwide; etcetera).
Other notable projects include "The Kissinger Telcons" (which reveal Henry Kissinger's conversations with foreign leaders during his time as Secretary Of State); "The Guatemala Project" (which exposes U.S.-backed atrocities committed during Guatemala's civil war); "The Nixon Tapes" (which capture Richard Nixon discussing Watergate-related matters with his aides); among many others.
Overall,the National Security Archive serves an important role not only for historians but also for policymakers who need accurate information about past events when making decisions today. Its work helps promote transparency accountability within our democracy while also providing valuable insights into how our country has conducted itself abroad over time