▁the ▁conversion ▁of ▁the ▁O SS ▁into ▁the ▁Str ateg ic ▁Services ▁Unit ▁on ▁ 1 ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁Cop eland ▁joined ▁what ▁would ▁become ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Central ▁Int elligence ▁Agency ▁( CI A ). ▁Ser ving ▁in ▁London , ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁lif el ong ▁Ang lo ph ile . ▁He ▁married ▁Lor raine ▁Ad ie , ▁a ▁Scot ▁he ▁had ▁met ▁during ▁the ▁war ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁serving ▁in ▁the ▁Special ▁Oper ations ▁Executive . ▁ ▁C IA ▁career ▁Among ▁Cop eland ' s ▁first ▁post ings ▁was ▁Dam asc us , ▁Sy ria ▁( Se ptember ▁ 1 9 4 7 ) ▁beginning ▁a ▁long ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁East . ▁T ogether ▁with ▁Stephen ▁Me ade ▁he ▁played ▁a ▁role ▁in ▁supporting ▁the ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁Sy rian ▁coup ▁d ' état . ▁Working ▁with ▁Kim ▁Ro ose vel t , ▁he ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁arr anging ▁Operation ▁Ajax , ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁technical ▁coup ▁d ' état ▁against ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁Iran ▁Moh amm ad ▁Mos ad deg h . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁Cop eland ▁returned ▁to ▁private ▁life ▁at ▁the ▁consult ing ▁firm ▁Bo oz ▁Allen ▁Hamilton ▁while ▁remaining ▁a ▁non - o fficial ▁cover ▁oper ative ▁for ▁the ▁C IA . ▁He ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁C airo ▁to ▁meet ▁Gam al ▁Ab del ▁N asser , ▁who ▁had ▁over th rown ▁King ▁Far ou k ▁and ▁taken ▁power