Editing William Casey (section)

==Post WWII==
After the war, Casey returned to New York, leveraging his OSS contacts to build a successful career in law, business, and publishing. He co-founded the **Research Institute of America**, a business advisory firm, and amassed wealth through investments in oil, real estate, and venture capital, notably as a founding director of **Capital Cities Communications**. His legal work included tax law, and he authored books like *Tax Sheltered Investments* (1952), cementing his reputation as a financial strategist. Politically active, Casey served as counsel to the **New York State Republican Committee** and ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1966, aligning with the conservative wing of the GOP.

Casey’s return to public service came under President **Richard Nixon**. In 1971, he was appointed chairman of the **Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)**, where he cracked down on insider trading and strengthened market regulations, earning praise for restoring investor confidence post-Watergate. From 1973 to 1974, he served as **Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs**, negotiating trade agreements and advocating for U.S. economic interests. In 1976, President **Gerald Ford** named him to the **President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board**, deepening his intelligence ties.

Casey’s most consequential role came under President **Ronald Reagan**, who appointed him **Director of Central Intelligence (DCI)** in January 1981, serving until May 1987. As DCI, Casey revitalized the CIA, which he believed had been weakened by post-Watergate reforms and President **Jimmy Carter**’s policies. Granted cabinet rank, a rarity for a DCI, he pursued an aggressive anti-communist agenda, expanding covert operations against the Soviet Union and its allies. His tenure saw increased funding for the CIA, from $1.5 billion to $3 billion annually, and a focus on paramilitary actions, intelligence gathering, and psychological warfare.

Casey’s major initiatives included supporting the **Afghan Mujahideen** against Soviet forces in Afghanistan (Operation Cyclone), funneling $3–5 billion in aid through Pakistan’s ISI, and arming anti-communist insurgencies in Nicaragua (Contras), Angola (UNITA), and Cambodia. His covert programs, often bypassing congressional oversight, reflected his OSS-honed belief in decisive action. Casey’s strategy also involved disinformation campaigns, such as planting false stories in foreign media to destabilize adversaries, and strengthening ties with allied intelligence services, including Israel’s Mossad and Britain’s MI6.