WILLIAMS TO ARGUE THAT BERETS' TRIAL STEMS FROM BUREAUCRATIC RIVALRY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000100040026-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 10, 2000
• Sequence Number: 26
• Publication Date: September 23, 1969
• Content Type: NSPR

Fr d nk )1I ankiewiez and o n . Fad en
11ilims to ' Ar u e ' ` t '
Approved For Release 2000/0?t4 4tiq,c kA-RM f5liOO0b1 R0001 00040026-5
2 3 SEP 1969
The time was shortly,after'` cret networks and thus the;
man whose name-let us say formed Abrams that a pub.
r.:
Vietnam recalls a troubled; IlcAms might have in-;
World War II, and Duke, an national security. But Helms;
OSS agent, was called upon' r `` 1 s r# ~~; f, A, chose to back up his Vict-
by.U.S. headquarters to ex nom station chief, and short
plain why he had murdered Mankiewicz Braden "of Intervention from on,'
a French girl whose name-- high, the. whole affair is not::
,:,lot us say-was Marie. the Vietcong, who were:" ,too big to stop.
The story he told, erased ?. 'using them as bases. Bureaucratic struggles be.,
'the most immediate of his CIA had been providing tween intelligence agencies,
troubles. For, as Duke ex- ::,;afros . to these tribesmen, are not new. During World
War II, Army G-2 frequently,
pIained it it became quite ;who bear allegiance neither complained about William J.
clear to his superiors that to the Vietcong nor to Sal-', , Donovan's OSS. And during.A
he had taken the only possi?. gon, For fun and profit, they the Cold War, the nusnberi
{ blo course. Marie was a dou- were willing to defend their of agents tripping over each,
hie agent. If she lived, an',' mountaintops against the other's heels in Eastern I,u-
entire company of rreneh '""VC, I~~rolav led hrushchev to' s Soviet famous TO- l aemtcr1
maquis to whom Duke was " ". As a military operation,mark to the late CIA chief!
assigned would die. the plan did not workout Allen W. Dulles, "Of course' ,'V
There are some things well. With typical army we have much in common.
men do in war . which--? We read each other,'s re-
granted war-must be done. ?' thoroughness, the Green Be- ,' ports.,
But it never seems right aft-. rots tried to persuade' the-,' But both World War II
erwards-as Duke found; Montagnards to go on, the and the Cold War were pop-
out, and as no doubt Col. .offensive-to join the war ular wars. Ideology con-
Robert Rheault is now re In this the tribes-men had no 'fronted ideology, and what-,
fleeting. And it is never eas?, interest. But they did pro- ;,,,ever the mistakes, most
ily explained to, civilians-- ; vide the blase for an intelli-Americans thought It impor-
or, for that matter, to army, Fence' operation into Cam- ;,: tant that our side win.
officers who have never had bodia, in which Col. Rheau'lt Vietnam is not the same
to face those moments when and his men were engaged ?,'thIng< 'A bungled war, fur
the code of military conduct ,:. when they were suddenly ar ther bungled by bureau-'
does not fit. rested. ' cratic, rivalry leading to a
That Is why Rheault's at?, : When they took over -the bungled murder,' is not'
torney hopes Defense Secre-;.,'operation, the Green Berets likely to be admired hot.-.l
tary Laird or President,.,.. also took over a Vietnamese .o stove reading this winter.
Nixon will call' a halt to the; -_-agent for the CIA. They 4_ta; p1069~Lo~.An:!te~Timw
liams, is through with his their tender handling, hy,
'
presentation,, a bungled war ; ,:died.
In Vietnam will' seem even . CIA disagreed with the;
more bungled, and acts Green Berets ' action:
which in World War II Whether the. agency agreed
might have been regarded > ' or disagreed with the Green ,
as excusable will seem sor Beret' assessment Is . not
did as can be.. clear. But the ground rules
Williams will try to show ? called for the CIA station
that the trial is the result of chief to be - consulted. Ile
two intelligence agencies was not.
tri
in
over each other's
pp
g
. toes. HE WAS FURIOUS. The,
result of his fury will be an'
A LITTLE HISTORY Is In embarrassing public trial
rder. In late 1963, the unless someone moves t6
iuading the Montagnards to,,.:, 'minder in Vietnam, origin
deny their hu topviilagesto. ;t ,rally hapect that CIA DIrec