Covert action and its contemporary status in the United States of America and the Republic of South Africa

Abstract

Covert action was an acceptable alternative to warfare during the Cold War. The end of the Cold War redefined the world as it was previously perceived, with the result that the need for intelligence services and the use of covert action were questioned. New threats also emerged that warranted new approaches to national security management and a reassessment of the use of covert action as a security instrument.