A uniquely American term applied to unavowed paramilitary operations undertaken in pursuit of United States foreign policy goals that may not have been declared. These projects are rarely clandestine in nature and often take the form of surrogate wars fought by local guerrillas or militias but supported by personnel drawn from the Special Activities Division of the Central Intelligence Agency’s Directorate of Operations. Covert action is, by its nature, an oxymoron, and such duties in other countries are usually performed by Special Forces.