Operation CHAOS was a covert program initiated by the CIA in the 1960s and 1970s. Its primary goal was to monitor and disrupt anti-war and civil rights movements within the United States. The operation aimed to gather intelligence on various groups, including Students for a Democratic Society and Black Panther Party, which were seen as potential threats to national security. The program involved surveillance, infiltration, and the collection of information on activists and organizations. It raised significant ethical concerns regarding government overreach and the violation of civil liberties, leading to public outcry and eventual scrutiny of intelligence practices in the U.S.