LETTER TO LT. GEN. VERNON A. WALTERS FROM PATRICK J. LEAHY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79M00467A000200040081-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 20, 2006
• Sequence Number: 81
• Publication Date: March 10, 1976
• Content Type: LETTER

STROM 7 HURMd S C.
STUART SYMINOTON MO. -
HENRY M. JACKSON, WASH. JOHN TOWER, TEX.
HOWARD W. CANNON, NEV.
THOMAS J. MCINTYRE, N.H.
HARRY F. BYRD. JR., VA.
SAM MJNN, GA.
JOHN C. CULVER, IOWA
GARY HART. COLO.
PATRICK'J, LEAHY, VT.
BARRY GOLDWATER, ARIZ.
WILLIAM L. SCOTT, VA.
ROBERT TAFT, JR., OHIO
DEWEY F. BARTLETT, OKLA.
~ICnffei .Jifafe,z ,$enafe
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20510
March 10, 1976
JOHN C.AjppmVwd fw I tjeIease 2007/03/06: CIA-RDP79M00467A O0200040081-
~''
Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters
Deputy Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, DC 20505
Dear General Walters: -
I didn't know whether you had already seen
the enclosed clipping from The Burlington Free
Press. It was prominently situated on the front
page of that newspaper.
I'm sorry that I didn't have a chance to
hear your speech, but I understand from my friends
who were there that it was well received. Certainly,
if the article is an accurate representation of what
you had to say, I can see why your speech was so well
accepted.
As always, you have handled yourself with your
customary professionalism and expertise, and I
-congratulate you for it.
Enclosure
Approved For Release 2007/03/06 : CIA-RDP79M00467A000200040081-7
 Approved For Release. 2007/03/06 : CIA-RDP79M00467A000200040081-7
By FREDERICK W. STETSON ;:
Despite, an unparalleled "bombardment" of
Congress's 'demands for review of its activities,
the CIA deputy director said Monday.
suggestion that President Ford's propospls for wolves do not go out into the forests." And, federal tax dollars are spent on intelligence
overview of the nation's intelligence gatlering then the deputy director added. "We have a lot gathering by all agencies.
l
lli
f i
t
vc overt gathering o
n
e
gen C and
Ford Plan would give greater protection to CIA - the controversy that has swirled around the 111ro
officials who abused their statutory powers agency for the past several months. Walters information from public sources such as foreign
newspapers and other publications, he said.
while providing for the prosecution' of those said the CIA's covert operations have been Another large share of the CIA's time is spent
who disclosed the abuses. ~} r overemphasized
-
In remarks to the Burlington Rotary Club Lt.
Walters described the notion as an "AD ce in This part of our activities has gotten all out conducting '.~ `.`technological" intelligence
Gen. Vernon A. Walters defended the agency , Wonderland - black-is-white-white-lslack" of proportion in peoples' minds; ' he said. gathering, presumably through radio brct t
against its critics and said the CIA could justify inter retation. He added, however, that it is Walters did not discuss, nor was he monitoring and interception or decodid~ of
its budget "in greatest detail" to the Ford. p other broadcast signals.
"just impossible" to ensure completely against questioned on, the agency's assassination plots other Administration and the Congress. further CIA abuse althou
orted by the Wlifters emphasized that strong intelligence
h there. wrtJ he against foreign political leaders re
p
g
is
l to the
-
ca~wua
nation a p otection against
e ourselves can live with any kind of . efforts to "minimize." 1 Senate Intelligence Committee, headed by Sen. ? ,
oversight the Congress wishes he said, ,- . The 59-year~id intelligence official said the Frank Church, D -Idaho. of ex nit e r n a ti o n a lcht e r respecially nuclear
CIA
t
ff
H
h
d
l
d th
ll
o
f
n
a
owever,
e
ownp
aye
e scope o
s
is
perating with a se
a
se of
speaking toy Rotarians. and their guests from' 11
proliferation. Soviet weapons build ups and
`reassurance
ert o
rations
sa
in
the
unt fo
"
ever
tho
h- it has
: c
acc
5 to ti
'n
b
,other service clubs at the Ramada Inn in South
r While he generally refrained from strong
criticism of the media's coverage of tIA
activities, Waiters criticized one columnist's
ov
pe
y
g
y
,
,
t,
,
., .
,
,
o
ug
e
r
subjected.to h 'bombardrrient. I th3nt without . `per, cent of the agency's budget, and to his
parallel in American history.
Walters drew upon a Russian proverb' to
describe the attitude of the CIA staff in theiface
knowledge, no member of the CIA staff has
been indicted in the past 27 years.
Walters didn't provide dollar figures on the
CIA's budget but he said less than 1 cent of all
02q 1 1916
expansionary ' actions into nations such as
Angola.
"We have to be better informed than at any
time in our history." he said. "Knowledge is
power."
Despite United States efforts to achieve a
relaxation of relations with Russia and China,
Walters said accurate predictions of these
countries' military, technical and political
changes are needed.
And, he said he's also mindful of another
Russian proverb which says, "When you make
friends with the bear do not let go of your( '
He depicted intelligence operations L a
"force for peace" and said, "We recovered
from a naval Pearl Harbor; could we recover
from a nuclear Pearl Harbor?
"We cannot afford to be surprised. History
will not forgive us if we are."
Approved For Release 2007/03/06 : CIA-RDP79M00467A000200040081-7