LETTER TO LT. GENERAL VERNON WALTERS FROM WILLIAM C. SULLIVAN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01731R002000050004-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 7, 2007
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: January 23, 1973
• Content Type: LETTER

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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTIC
OFFICE OF NATIONAL NARCOTICS INTELLIGENCE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20530
January 23, 1973
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
Lt. General Vernon Walters, USAF
Deputy Director
Central Intelligence Agency Headquarters
Washington, D. C. 20505
Since my conversation with you I have been giving some
thought to improvingfliaison between the CIA and the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Needless to say, I agree with
you completely that there should be the closest possible
relationship between the two organizations. In many areas
the work of one must be so directed as to supplement and
strengthen the work of the other.
On thinking about this matter, I mentally projected
myself into the position that I once occupied in.the FBI.
My reasoning from this vantage point follows:
First, to improve the relationship I recommend that
the Directors of the two organizations meet personally and
agree to instruct their subordinates to take immediate
steps in this direction.
Second, I would recommend to the Director of the FBI
that a committee be established on which would sit three
men from CIA and three men from the FBI to make a thorough
study of the structure, operations and goals of the FBI
and CIA in the security field. This committee should then
analyze every possible aspect of the subject and make
recommendations for bringing the two organizations as
close together in a team-like arrangement as possible.
These recommendations will include:
(1) making any internal changes in the two organizations
that would facilitate the end sought;
(2) determining the areas in the FBI and in the CIA that,.
have the most important bearing upon one another and
devising ways and means for mutual efforts in those areas;
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(3) Arranging for an exchange of lecturers between the
two organizations. (It might even be well to have one
or more instructors from CIA permanently assigne&to
the FBI Training Staff);
(4) a pooling of the scientific resources possessed
by each organization;
(5) devising ways and means whereby informants and
sources of information, without disclosure of identity,
can be made to better serve the goals of each organization;
(6) A mutual study of each other's intelligence-gathering
and penetration techniques;
(7) Devising means whereby the extensive FBI contacts
in the press media in the U.S. can be utilized to assist
special CIA objectives when needed;
(8) developing a program whereby the facilities of the
FBI can be employed extensively to help CIA to use the
United States as a base for setting up contacts and
operations for action abroad;
(9) Working out a modus operandi directed toward
identifying illegal agents in this country. (This is
a very serious problem which never has been adequately
met.)
I General Walters, this subject you raised is one which
has been of great interest to me for some years. Director
Helms and others in your Agency will tell you that within
the very strong limitations we had to operate under in the
FBI, I did everything possible to maintain a helpful working
relationship between us; but, of course, the limitations
were so stringent and unusual that we could not begin to
accomplish together what is possible under normal working
conditions. (I might add CIA always gave me very valuable
and willing assistance and my relationship with the Agency
and Director Helms in particular was one of the brighter
chapters in my FBI career for which I am grateful.)
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I feel very strongly that all of us concerned with our
national security should do everything possible to see to it
that the vast resources of the FBI and CIA are pooled in
order that we may for the first time benefit by a true
team-like effort which should lift the quality and quantity
of intelligence information to the highest level yet achieved
in our country. The President would benefit greatly by this.
May I suggest that if constructive steps are taken in
this direction consideration should be given to setting up
a permanent "Operational Board" between FBI and CIA. Again,
it would, of course, consist of members from both organizations.
The purpose of this Operational Board would be to maintain a
continuous examination of operational activities and make
recommendations for conducting joint operations where feasible
and where not feasible making certain that the resources of one
organization are being used efficiently to help the operations
of the other.
As you realize, I have only scratched the surface of
this subject. If there is anything further that I could
do I would be glad to devote my evenings'and weekends to
the matter. Intelligence operations still remain, my number
one interest in life and the national security my primary
concern. Year after year it became more evident to me that
inside the U.S. we were not adequately discharging our security
operations. We both know the grave conditions which prevail
in the world that have a direct bearing on our survival as a
Nation. While at the present time we are not faced with any
real danger as a people, none of us can foresee what we will be
faced with ten, fifteen, or twenty years from now, especially
if we have serious economic dislocation throughout the country.
If such does occur, or if we are threatened by external forces,
we will suffer greatly unless we have highly professional and
effective intelligence operations. As you know, we have
never really taken a penetrative and comprehensive look at
the history and development of intelligence operations in this
country. From the beginning of our Nation to date we have
been rather haphazard about it all.
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Lt. General Vernon Walters
In fact, the FBI never did become involved :i:n intelligence
operations until President Roosevelt issued an executive order
in 1939. We were at that time ill-equipped to take on these
responsibilities. We remain both a law enforcement agency
and an intelligence operation, and the two are often li
k
d
n
e
with each other in a manner that does not guarantee the best
possible product. I think this needs to be considered if we
are to strengthen our national security. There are many
other aspects of the subject matter which could benefit
by the collective reflection of professionals in this field.
For example, are we not the only major Nation in the world
that does not have a separate, highly-specialized and
`professional domestic intelligence service?
General Walters, I want to thank you again for your
generous hospitality. It has been years since I enjoyed
myself so fully at a luncheon. I do hope that I can
remember some of those stories you told. I enjoyed them
so that I could listen to them all over again and laugh
just as heartily.
If there is anything at all that I can do for you,
just make the request. It will be a privilege to be
of assistance.
I will try to work out a few concrete steps relative
to liaison between CIA and FBI and if I make some progress
in this matter, I will be in touch with you.
Cordially,
William C. Sullivan