If I had to guess what the CIA did. Id say they get up in the morning, goto MSNBC, click on some of the webpages, read the articles and provide
briefings to the president and congress. At which point they spend more of our money on stuff we dont need.
Ahh, but this is only one branch...the FBIS (Foreign Broadcast Information Service), and they also read the newspapers of, watch the native language
news of, etc. their assigned country, and then give summary reports to committees...
The CIA also has Case Officers (likely at least one in each embassy, and others not attached to the embassy) all over the globe, with each of them
having their own private network of native informants and spies. (this takes bribes, and requires money)...to collect and gather intelligence.
In addition, even though legally the providence of the FBI, the CIA also has counter-intelligence agents in the US, who constantly look for those
spying on us, to keep our secrets safe.
Also, the CIA coordinates intel from the various military branch intelligence services (the public reason for its founding), so that one hand tries to
know what the other is doing....
Finally, they are also responsible for analysis of reconaissance photos, etc. and also the training of rebels who oppose leaders we disagree with, as
well as supporting coups in those areas, to install a more US-friendly leader.
However, in addtion to their "black budget", they supplement this with covert arms deals to questionable rebel groups (i.e. see Mujahadeen/Taliban),
as well as drug-trafficking, and blackmail, etc. amongst other means....(just like every other intelligence agency on the planet...)
Hope this little primer helps...
I'll agree with Skadi on the NSA (or jokingly called, "No Such Agency") They are the scary ones, as they are far more unaccountable to Congress,
and thus, to the American people... You can bet that it's an agency within the NSA, who are the ones holding the crafts, and the bodies...