LETTER TO LLOYD SHEARER FROM W. E. COLBY RE ISSUE OF JANUARY 9TH, ONE OF WALTER SCOTT'S PERSONALITY PARADE RESPONSES STATED THAT CIA "USES POLITICAL ASSASSINATION AS A WEAPON"

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01430513
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: August 7, 2017
• Case Number: F-2007-00094
• Publication Date: January 11, 1972

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(b)(3)
Mr. Lloyd Shearer
Editor at Large
Parade Magazine
733 Third Avenue
New York, New York 10017
Dear Mr. Shearer:
5317 Briley Place
Washington, D. C. 20016
January 11, 1972
In your issue of January 9th, onc of Walter Scott's Personality Parade
responses stated that CLA "uses political assassination as a weapon" and
that Operation Phoenix "run by the CIA established a new high for U. S.
political assassinations in Vietnam." Since I have held responsible positions
in CIA for many years and was also (during detached service from CIA) re-
sponsible for U. S. support to Operation Phoenix, I believe I am uniquely
qualified to testify (as I have in public session under oath to Senate and House
Committees) that:
a. CIA does not and has not used political assassination as a
weapon.
b. Operation Phoenix was run not by the CIA but by the Govern-
ment of Vietnam, with the support of the CORDS clement of the U. S.
Military Assistance Command in coordination with several U. S.
agencies including CIA.
c. Operation Phoenix is not and was not a program of assassina-
tion. It countered the Viet Cong apparatus attempting to overthrow
the Government of Vietnam by targetting its leaders. Wherever pos-
sible, these were apprehended or invited to defect, but a substantial
number were killed in firefights during military operations or re-
sisting capture. There is a vast difference in kind, not merely in
degree, between these combat casualties (even including the few
abuses which occurred) and the victims of the Viet Cong's systematic
campaign of terrorism to which Mr. Scott quite accurately referred.
In order to clarify this important question to the millions of concernt:d.
Americans who read Parade, I should appreciate your publishing this letter.
Sincerely,
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� Q. four years ago actress
.. Hedy Lamarr had a man
. 'named nonohl Myth jailed
for attempted rape. He
claimed at the time that
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Ipairman for the Los Angeles
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lenouncing him as a rapist.
aid of girls and marriage?�
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Chicago, ill.
n in Eltham, England, on July
:t his zcst for flying it up.
tan is one with whom you can
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ACTOR ERNEST CORGNINE WITH HIS FOURTH WIFE.
Q. How many times has actor Ernest Borgnine been
married, and is he a wile-beater?�E.T.R., Springfield,
Mass.
A. Borgnine has been married four times. His last'
wife, Donna, has charged him with beating her, ;is
seeking a divorce.
Q. Is there any agency of the U.S. Government whiat \
has been authorizer! to include political assassination
in .its practices?�M. Wilson, Austin, Tex.
� A. The one U.S. agency which uses political assassi�
- nation ac a weapon is the Central Intelligence
i
Agency. Many of its men in Vietnam have assassi-
nated civilian Communists in an effort to destroy the
- Vietcong infrastructure. Operation Phoenix run by
the CIA established a new high for U.S. political
assassinations in Vietnam, largely in response to
enemy terrorist tactics which also include assassina-
tion, kidnapping, terrorism of all sorts.
Q. Does Richard Nixon
have his own private golf
course at Key Biscayne?�
Emma Reynolds, Orlando,
Fla. . .
A. Not at Key Biscayne. He
'owns a six-hole pitch-and-
putt course on his San
Clemente, Ca lif, estate.
Q. How long does it take
radioactive fallout from
Chinese nuclear tests to
reach the US.?�Mark
Cheseboro, Barstow, Calif.
A. Approximately three
days depending on the
wind.
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resident. DANIEL D. KINLEY editor, JESS CORKIN
Or, CAMPBELL GEESLIN senior editor, DAVID PALEY
publisher, WARREN J. REYNOLDS
issociate editors, LINDA GUISTFIN, HERBERT KUPFERBERG, MARTIN AtARGULIES, JOHN G. ROGERS
) F. MILKUHN art associate, AL TROIANI
I assistants, MARY 11000ROWSZI, SUZANNE CURLEY, DORIS SCHORTMAN
3, DEMETRIA TAYLOR lash;on, VIRGINIA POPE cartoon editor, LAWRENCE LARIAR
BUJM(NTI1At, OPP.t. GINN
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LLOYD SFI EAR ER
Editor-al-Large
Mr. W.E. Colby
5317 Briley Pl.
Washington, D.C. 20016
Dear Mr! ColbyY
Parade Publications. Inc.
140 N. Hamilton Drivc
Beverly Hills, Calif 90211
February 7, 1972
OL 3 - 207J
Thank you for your kind and informative letter of
January 11 concerning Operation Phoenix.
I don't want to get into a running word-battle with
you on the subject of political assassination in Indo-China
.or the role of CIA and other of our agencies in Operation
Phoenix.
I am just wondering Ed* you would care to gay flatly
that the CIA has never used political assassination in
Indo-China or elsewhere and has never induced, employed, or
suggested to others that such tactics or devices be employed.
If you will make that flat statement under oath, I will
not only apologize, I will tango with Dick Helms I
Garfinckel,s largest show window at 14th and F--providing,
of course, Mrs. Helms gives her permission.
Again, I thank you for your interest and commend you
for the really outstanding service you have rendered the
country. You are indeed one of Helms, finest.
Re 1.)ectfi,'
Ola
ILO D SHEARER
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5317 Briley Place, N. W.
Washington, D. C. 20016
29 February 1972
Mr. Lloyd Shearer �
Editor-at-Large
Parade Magazine
140 N. Hamilton Drive
Beverly Hills, California 90211
Dear Mr. Shearers
Thank you for your letter of February 7, 1972, and its
kind words about me. As you can imagine, your challenge set
me to work to meet it. As a result I can say, under oath if
need be, that CLA. has never carried out a political assassination,
nor has it induced, employed or suggested one which occurred.
Whether this fully meets your challenge, I cannot say (it takes
two to tango), but it is a long way from the original statement in
Mr. Scott's column that CIA "uses political assassination as a
weapon." Perhaps I am too sensitive, but I would hope you could
set the record straight for your readers.
eis
Sincerely,
[Zs7, g,
W. E. Colby
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. �
5317 Briley Place, N. W.
Washington, D. C. 20016
29 February 1972 �
Mr. Lloyd Shearer
Editor-at-Large
Parade Magazine
.140 N. Hamilton Drive
� Beverly Hills, California 90211
Dear Mr. Shearer:
Thank you for your letter of February 7, 1972, and its
kind words about me. As you can imagine, your challenge set
me to work to meet it. As a result I can say, under oath if
need be, that CIA. has never carried out a political assassination,
nor has it induced, employed or suggested one which occurred.
Whether this fully meets your challenge, I cannot say (it takes
two to tango), but it is a long way from the original statement in
Mr. Scott's column that CIA "uses political assassination as a
weapon." Perhaps I am too sensitive, but I would hope you could
set the record straight for your readers.
Sincerely,
W. E. Colby
CA
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LLOYD SHEARER
Editar-o1-Larg�
Parade Publications, Inc.
140 N. llamillon Drire
Beverly !/ills Calif 90211
April 30, 1972
OL .1-2013
Dear General Colby:
(1) Thank you for your article, "Should Lesbians Be
Allowed To Play Professional Football?" I found it intriguing,
and we plan to run it in a future issue under your by-line, of
course.
(2) Thank you for arranging a tango with me and Dick
Helms of Her Majesty's Tel Aviv Rifles. Even At Williams,
Dick was one of the great tango-artists of our time. Carfinkels,
Woodrop-Lathrop, even Hechts---in fact.any place and time of
your choosing is O.K. with me.
(3) One sad notes Will you tell Angus we cannot use
his new car bumper sticker: LICK DICK in "72, because it is
.open to misinterpretation. In addition, we try to remain
politically neutral.
(4) As to your willingness to say under oath that the
CIA has never been party to political assassination, I, of
late, have been 'travelling a good deal. In the course of my
travels I happened to encounter Ole- Penkovsky--not your
Ole---but Penkovsky, a bartender in Cleveland,-Ohio.
Penkovsky told me that you signela secrecy agreement,: Forzr.
270, witnessed by Victor L. Marchetti. Under the terms of
this agreement you are pledged to eternal silence concernina
CIA activities. Unless you have a special Papal dispensation---
the kind given Allen Dulles and Lyman Kirkpatrick,Jr., it seems
to me you are lip-sealed.
Perhaps this does not apply to hearings before
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee or the prestigious
Council o% Foreign Relations. If this is so, please let me
know; and we will take it from there.
(5),I will be in Washington Shortly staying at the
home of Jack Anderson out in Silver Spring. Perhaps Ile can
meet there for a small slimmit. I will have with me several
former Green Beret members who want to discuss with you
the subject of CIA imposters in South Vietnam, who lied to
them and me, too.
Let me hear fruLa you.
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best,
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