Ben LawsonOver the past decade, the CIA has fought al-Qaeda in all ways possible: using satellites, ground troops, drone strikes — and it even briefly-considered using action figures.
The Washington Post reports that in 2005 the CIA began "Project Devil-Eyes" to create evil-looking Osama bin Laden action figures in hopes of turning parents and children away from the real bin Laden.
The doll's face was painted with a heat-dissolving paint, designed to peal away and reveal a red-faced, green-eyed bin Laden, who looks a bit like a demon.
The CIA recruited former Hasbro executive Donald Levine for project. (Via Christian Broadcasting Network)
Levine, best known for creating G.I. Joe, was brought in for his industry contacts in China. (Via Flickr / Michael Anthony)
Propaganda isn't exactly a new tool for the CIA, though.
For example, during the Cold War the agency published a novel from a popular Russian writer and spread it throughout the country in hopes of sowing unrest in the USSR. (Via The Guardian)
And earlier this year, the Obama administration acknowledged the CIA built ZunZuneo, a social media site meant to be a copy of Twitter aimed at Cubans. However, it denied claims that the site was an attempt to overthrow the government but insisted it was to encourage political discussion. (Via CBS)
However, it denied claims that the site was an attempt to overthrow the government but insisted it was to encourage political discussion. (Via The New York Times)
The CIA claims only three bin Laden figurines were made before the project was canceled.
