LETTER TO JOHN W. SPRING (SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87M00539R002804720028-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 21, 2009
• Sequence Number: 28
• Publication Date: November 6, 1985
• Content Type: LETTER

STAT
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Phone: [phone]
6 November 1985
Dear Mr. Spring:
Thank you for writing Director Casey, for whom I am responding.
I have forwarded your letter to Mr. Casey, along with a copy of your
letter to the President (and its attachment), to the appropriate Agency
components for their information.
Your interest in the Central Intelligence Agency is appreciated.
Sin
Public Affairs
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E\EC~~TI~?E SECRET.aR1.aT
ROITI\G SLIP
ACTION
INFO
DATE
INITIAL
1
DCI
X
2
DDCI
X
3
EXDIR
4
D/ICS
5
DDI
X
b
DDA
7
DDO
X
8
DDSBT
9
Chm/NIC
10
GC
X
11
IG
12
Compt
13
D/OLL
14
D/PAO
X
15
VC/NIC
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
.utive Secretary
Oct 85
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October 11, 1985
The Honorable William J. Casey
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, DC 20505
Dear Director Casey:
You may find the
as they relate to
defense, criminal
Executive Registry
enclosed copies of my letter to the President and paper of interest
current matters of diplomacy, international law, national security,
justice, and foreign affairs.
The letter's contents include matters related to the recent terrorist attack in
the Mediterranean Sea and "rationale" for similar types of "action" to be taken
directly against Nicaragua's neighbors and the United States for its "terrorist" type
operations and aid to the contras being aired by news commentators in America.
Sincerely,
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October 11, 1985
The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500
The purpose of this letter is to inform you and the White House staff of statements
end events, which were made and/or transpired during the past two weeks, that should
be of direct concern to all members of the Administration. If I were a "trouble-
shooter" appointed to your staff, it would have been appropriate for me to share
these items more directly with you.
However, first, you and your Administration, should be commended for authorizing
the interception of the Egyptian airliner, which was transporting the four terrorist
highjackers of the Italian liner to Tunisia, and diverting it to land in Italy.
Despite the fact that Italian law will not allow criminals to be extradited to a
another nation that has a death penalty, it should also be addressed to the Italian
Government that the murder of an American citizen took place on board an Italian
vessel in international waters. According to my understanding of international
law, piracy, in and by itself, is a capital crime. A federal government of any
nation is not authorized to modify or delete such punishment. As any person, at
sea, has the authority to take any appropriate measures against such a crime on
the "high seas" or in the air, the captain of a vessel or plane has an obligation
to assure the safety of all passengers and members of the crew while "underway"
and "under" his/her control. But when the terrorists took control of the ship,
they also relinquished any rights or benefits of Italian law. Since their crimes
were committed in international waters, which resulted in the death of an American
citizen, they should be initially tried by the government that apprehended them
and then by the government of the victim who was killed. However, in all cases, they
would be tried by the guidelines established according to international law. If
the crimes had been committed within the territorial limits of Italy, then, of course
Italian law would prevail as long as it did not violate jurisdiction of international
law. Likewise, when the United States Government tries the four terrorists for
the alleged murder of an American citizen, it must award sentences in accordance
with international law.
Mr. President, on another matter, although it was. recently announced that the mass
execution-murders, which took place in Nicaragua, by the Marxist-Ortega regime have
been confirmed, within the past week, I have heard several members of the news media
publicly stating, on American air waves, that, if it were possible to do so, the
Nicaraguan Government was be justified in attacking or bombing the United States
due to its alleged "terrorist " actions and aid to the contras fighting in Nicaragua.
Whatever is appropriate, Mr. President, I hope that something is said and done by
your Administration regarding the aforementioned. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
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WHAT MAY WE EXPECT AT THE SUMMIT?
by
John W. Spring
President Ronald Reagan is expected to meet with Mikhail Gorbachev, leader of the
Soviet Union, on November 19 and 20 in Geneva, Switzerland. The news media has
been generating relatively high expectations for this forthcoming meeting to the
extent of generating serious concern about its possible outcome--especially for
the West, more specifically for the United States, and even more directly for the
Reagan Administration.
As the President need not concern himself with his future political career, besides
some possible concern of future outcome of elections for Republican candidates,
the primary concern is then focused on America's national security and the potential
leadership role which the United States aspires to have with its allies in West
Europe and East Asia, as well as its neighbors in the Western Hemisphere and its
other important friends living in more distant lands throughout the world.
We have been informed by the media and others, with influencial roles in the United
States, that there now appears to be a "generational" change towards younger leaders
in the Soviet Union contrasted with its recent "geriatric" heads of state. Actually,
there are two important ideas which are being emphasized. The first, "generational"
change, implies a possible political difference brought about by the distance in
time from an earlier and closer awareness of Soviet doctrine. Such a belief might
even suggest more favorable relations with the West and a rapid thawing of the Cold
War that has existed for over forty years. Second, younger Soviet leaders suggest
positive changes and improved relations with the West. Youth has been a universal
symbol of hope for better conditions, but has often been very deceptive as well.
Soviet political history tells us that Mikhail Gorbachev is not the youngest Soviet
leader to hold office since the death of Joseph Stalin. In fact that honor went
to Georgi Malenkov in 1953 at the age of 51. Soviet leader Gorbachev was 54 when
he gained his control earlier in 1985. However, within the Soviet Union, youth
has not served as a symbol of leadership permanency. Although Malenkov was the
youngest leader after the death of Stalin, he was replaced by Nikolai Bulganin within
a period of less than two years. Malenkov was demoted to the position of Minister
of Power Stations in 1955, which he held until being further demoted to Manager
of the Ust-Kamenogorsk hydroelectric power station in northeast Kazakhstan.
Yes, people forget. Just as Malenkov was demoted to the postion of managing a power
station, so later was also Dimitri Shepilov, a former Soviet Ambassador to the United
Nations. Despite his dynamic and outgoing personality, his current status is unknown
in the West. However, now, Mikhail Gorbachev is believed to hold some promises
for the future. But the underlying question remains, "Can he deliver on his word?"
While it is true that Gorbachev has not officially held the highest leadership role
within the Soviet Union for any great length of time, he has certainly been in many
key positions in recent years. However, the same was true earlier of Malenkov, who
was later succeeded by Bulganin, Nikita Khrushchev, and Leonid Brezhnev.
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ACTION
INFO
DATE
INITIAL
1
DCI
DCI
X
3
E DIR
4
/ICS
5
DDI
X
6
DDA
7
DDO
X
8
DDS&T
9
Chm/NIC
10
GC
11
IG
12
Compt
13
D/Pers
14
D/OLL
X
15
D/PAO
X
16
SA/IA
17
AO/DCI
18
C/IPD/OIS
19
NIO
20
21
22
EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT
ROUTING SLIP
E cutive Secretary
24 April 1985
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April 17, 1985
The Honorable William J. Casey
Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C. 20505
Dear Director Casey:
If requested, I am willing to fly to Washington for the purpose of meeting
with members of Congress on the issue of aid to the Contras.
As a professional geographer, I believe that it is possible to convince
a significant number that such aid is a necessity for our nation's security.
My analytical expertise accurately evaluated Soviet construction of missile
bases in Cuba prior to the intelligence community's awareness of a Cuban Crisis
and its threat to our defense. _
I may be reached at
Sincerely,
Thank you.
DCI
EXEC
REG
\_~
~~
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 STAT
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