Did CIA interventions increase US arms exports? Evidence from the Cold War (1962-1989)

This letter explores the impact of CIA interventions on US arms exports during the Cold War. Analyzing data from 1962-1989, our findings reveal three key insights: (i) CIA interventions significantly increase US exports of both small arms (SALW) and major conventional weapons (MCW) to intervened countries; (ii) The duration of CIA influence is also positively correlated with arms exports; (iii) the impact of CIA interventions on arms exports of other NATO states to intervened countries differs based on the type of weapons.