I'm pretty sure things didn't get better from 1970 to the present, Do you think they just folded up shop and stopped spying on dissidents and suspected entities. Thats what they do, look for reasons to invade resource rich nations. They have to unveil the despots and make them the evil empires so we (The USA) can cause a coup d'etat or just go ahead and invade (Iraq). It's neo-Imperialism. I love my country but hate the government.