Blowback
Blowback is a term, originally CIA slang, which denotes the unintended consequences, unwanted side-effects, or suffered repercussions of a covert operation that fall back on those responsible for the aforementioned operations. The inspiration comes from nuclear explosions, where the radioactive dust might blow back on the wind to the sender.[citation needed] To the civilians suffering the blowback of covert operations, the effect typically manifests itself as "random" acts of political violence without a discernible or direct cause. In the wake of such events, the establishment media in countries responsible habitually neglect to explain the true origins of the event.
Although the term "blowback" implies unforeseen outcomes, effects described as blowback are sometimes intentional;[citation needed][instances needed] however, far more often, state or clandestine actors are typically able to predict the negative effects of a certain policy and simply believe that the benefits outweigh the costs, or that the costs can be externalized or managed.
Some notable instances of blowback include the 9/11 attacks and the broader Islamist movement; the proliferation of drug use in the 1980s; and, in the 2020s, coups carried out by African militaries directly trained by the United States. Note that in these examples, regardless of whether they were intended outcomes, they still can and do prove beneficial to Western powers and the United States. Some examples, such as the rise of ISIS, have serious evidence in favor of intentional manipulation.