[AndyJackson]

The CIA operatives ... were captured alive, imprisoned by China for two decades and released only after Washington acknowledged they were spies. The U.S. government initially told family members the men went down in the Sea of Japan on a routine flight to Tokyo, maintaining a cover story in order to keep a lid on the CIA's covert actions in China.

This is the CIA that predicted the collapse of Iran, the invasion of Afghanistan and the 9/11 bombings.

Although the Chinese shot the plane down and captured the agents - alive - the CIA thought they could keep a lid on the fact that they were conducting "clandestine" operations? I wonder if they signal each other with their Captain Marvel decoder rings too?

[Caesar Soze]

Covert operations, not clandestine operations. There's a difference, and the article used the correct word. Your use of quote marks makes it look like you're quoting the article.

[Chu Gary]

"I wonder if they signal each other with their Captain Marvel decoder rings too?"

It would do you wonders to do some research on the intelligence services of the U.S., incl. the DIA, NSA, CIA, etc. You are obviously uninformed and have a low opinion of these groups.