LETTER TO WILLIAM PROXMIRE FROM ROBERT M. GATES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87M01152R000400520021-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 20, 2009
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: January 9, 1985
• Content Type: LETTER

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C 7153 / 5-
Central Intelligence Agency
9 January 1985
The Honorable William Proxmire
Vice Chairman, Subcommittee'
on International Trade,
Finance, and Security Economics
Joint Economic Committee
Washington, D.C. 20510
Record
I am writing in response to your letters to Mr. Casey and to
me concerning the identification of authorship of papers prepared
by CIA analysts for use in studies published by the Joint
Economic Committee.
As you note in your letter, CIA has contributed to the JEC
volumes for a number of years now. Until the mid-1970s, the JEC
volumes listed all authors and affiliated institutions in the
preface but did not indicate which authors came from which
institution and showed only names without institutional
affiliation at the opening of each chapter. During the mid-
1970s, this was done with Agency analysts but the institutional
affiliation for other government agencies and academic personnel
were given in a footnote at the start of each chapter. Only
since 1979 has the name and institutional affiliation been shown
with each article.
Unfortunately, as you acknowledge in your letter, the world
is a very much'different place for American officials traveling
abroad than it was even a few years ago. For example, all of the
information we have from the recent hijacking of the Kuwaiti
airliner indicates that any identified CIA person on board almost
certainly would have been killed. Because of the rising
terrorist threat and the growing danger to all American officials
traveling overseas, especially CIA officers, we have to look for
ways to try to minimize this danger. Publication of CIA analysts
names and institutional affiliation in documents that are widely,
read all over the world -- and probably most intently by our
adversaries -- affords our analysts a degree of exposure and
publicity that is no longer consistent with their safety. I am
confident you would agree that as we take advantage of
opportunities for analysts to travel ever more widely, we must
take all possible measures to protect them.
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I do not believe that removing the names of analysts from
the JEC documents is inconsistent with our strong effort here to
expand analyst contacts with specialists in both the academic
world and the private sector. Even where groups are involved,
they are more often than not closed and encompass primarily if
not exclusively American citizens. A high percentage of these
contacts are private or take place under the auspices of the US
government.
While some analysts may be disappointed that their names
would not appear with their work in a JEC volume, there is
certainly nothing to prevent them from acknowledging that work as
their own if they should apply for other positions or in meetings
with their professional peers. Indeed, in some respects the
present arrangement is an unfair one in that, given the way this
institution operates, one individual often ends up getting
"credit" for work actually carried out by a substantial number of
people (which creates another kind of morale problem).
Finally, you may rest assured that anonymity will not
degrade the quality of CIA's contribution to the JEC volumes.
People who seek public recognition for their work do not find CIA
a hospitable environment; the people we have here labor and
prosper throughout their careers in anonymity.. Moreover, the
same quality control, management review and dedication of
resources are involved in the production of papers for the JEC
volumes as for CIA publications themselves. As often as not, the
production of these papers is a directed assignment; at minimum,
supervisors must agree to free individuals from other
responsibilities in order that they may produce the JEC papers.
I can assure you that our willingness to participate and the
quality of our contribution will not be diminished merely by
citing "a CIA analyst" as the author of each of our
contributions.
Robert N~I Gates
Chairman
National Intelligence Council
and
Deputy Director for Intelligence
Central Intelligence Agency
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The Honorable William Proxmire
Vice Chairman, Subcommittee
on International Trade,
Finance, and Security Economics
Joint Economic Committee
Washington, D.C. 20510
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SENA
T
ROGERW. JEPSEN, IOWA.
CHAIRMAN
WILLIAM V. ROTH. JR., DEL
JAMES ABDNOR, S. DAK.
STEVEN 0. SYMMS, IDAHO
MACK MATTINGLY. GA.
ALFONSE M. D'AMATO, N.Y.
LLOYD BENTSEN, TEX.
WILLIAM PROXMIRE. WIS.
EDWARD M. KENNEDY, MASS.
PAUL S. SARBANES. MD.
DAN C. ROBERTS.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Convesn of the united estateo
JOINT ECONOMIC COMMITTEE
(CREATED PURSUANT TO SEC. e(s) OF PUBLIC LAW 304, 79TH CONGRESS)
Ianhinnton, B.C. 20510
January 2, 1985
Mr. Robert Gates, Chairman
National Intelligence Council
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D. C. 20505
LEE H. HAMILTON, IND..
VICE CHAIRMAN
GIWS W. LONG. LA.
PARREN J. MITCHELL MD.
AUGUSTUS F. HAWKINS. CALIF.
DAVID R. OBEY. WIS.
JAMES H. SCHEUER. N.Y.
CHALMERS P. WYLIE. OHIO
MARJORIE S. MOLT. MO.
DANIEL E. LUNGREN, CALIF.
OLYMPIA J. SNOWE. MAINE
I am enclosing a copy. of a letter I sent to William Casey on
December 21, 1984, objecting to a proposed new policy regarding the
identification of authorship of papers prepared by CIA analysts for use
in studies published by the Joint Economic Committee.
My concern is that the new policy will discourage CIA analysts
from participating in future projects and will be harmful to morale at
the agency and throughout the research community. In addition, I fear
that over the long term, it will have a dampening effect on research into
the socialist economies, both within and outside of government.
I ask that you reconsider whether it is necessary to change the
policy that has been followed in the past several years. As I state in
my letter to Mr. Casey, I have asked that two Committee projects on East
Europe and China, for which agency analysts have written papers, be held
up pending resolution of this matter.
/ ,.
`
/
Wiliti `p'Fox(nir
Vice C airman, subcommittee
on International Trade,
Finance, and Security Economics
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SENATE
ROGER W. JEPSEN. IOWA.
CHAIRMAN
WILLIAM V. ROTH. JR_ DEL.
JAMES ABDNOR. S. DAIL
STEVEN 0. SYMMS. IDAHO
MACK MATTINGLY, GA.
ALFONSE M. O'AMATO. N.Y.
LLOYD BENTSEN. TEX
WIWAM PROXMIRE, WIS.
EDWARD M. KENNEDY. MASS.
PAUL S. SARBANES. MO.
DAN C. ROBERTS.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mr. William J. Casey
(Kongrtss of the `united State.
JOINT ECONOMIC COMMITTEE
(CREATED PURSUANT TO SEC. SW OF PUBLIC LAW 304.7/TH CONGRESS)
Washington, B.C. 20510
December 21, 1984
Director of Central Intelligence
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C. 20505
Dear Mr. Director:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
LEE H. HAMILTON, IND.
VICE CHAIRMAN
GIWS W. LONG. LA.
PARREN J. MITCHELL MO.
AUGUSTUS F. HAWKINS, CALIF.
DAVID R. OBEY. WIS.
JAMES K SCNEUER. N.Y.
CHALMERS P. WYUE. OHIO
MARJORIE S. NOI.T. MD.
DANIEL E. LUNGREN. CALIF.
OLYMPIA J. SNOWS. MAINE
I am informed. that the Central Intelligence Agency is proposing a new
policy concerning the identification of authorship of research papers pre-
pared by.-CIA analysts for use in the various volumes of.the Soviet Union,
Eastern Europe, and China. published by the Joint Economic Committee. It is
being proposed by the CIA that in the future the authorship of these papers
be identified as "Analyst of the. Central Intelligence Agency," without the
author's.name. .
My understanding is that the'new.policy is intended to protect agency
analysts who-may be traveling-in foreign countries from.becomi'ng known through
publication of signed articles and possibly placed in danger.from persons
hostile to the CIA. While I recognize that the safety of employees is a
legitimate concern of the-Agency and while I share the concern over the safety
of U.S. officials traveling abroad,.I do'not believe the application of the
new policy would be wise in these circumstances. My-reasons. for:-this judg-
ment are.the following.
CIA.analysts have been contributing to JEC volumes of research papers
on the Socialist economies for about 25. years. One of your predecessors,
Allen W.'Dul.les,:testifiedto the Committee in a public hearing in 1959. He
was accompanied on that occasion by analysts who were also identified by name..
In the 1960's and 1970's num!er.4us_> volumes of papers were published with
papers written by CIA analysts,.- An early.practice was to.-identify the names
of the authors without identifying the agency that employed them. Since the
late 1970's the. practice. has been to identify the authors by name and affili-
ation.
The volumes of studies themselves'are by many accounts an invaluable
source of..in.formation and- analysis about the Socialist economies. They are
'widely used not'only by poli.cymakers in Washington but throughout the aca-
demic and research community. The contributions by CIA analysts have played
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Mr. William J. Casey
December 21, 1984
Page Two
an important and in some instances a critical role in the success of-our ef-
forts to inform Washington and the general public about the state of the
economies of the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and China. In my view, the
new policy could have a damaging and perhaps a crippling effect on future ef-
forts, and it could also have repercussions within the Agency.
Public. recognition for achievements in-this type of research-is- an impor-
tant source.of motivation to-.high quality analysts. I frankly doubt whether
those who have contributed to. our.publications in the-past will feel*it worth-
their while to.do so in.the future on the basis-of anonymity. The incentive
to make the considerable effort. required.just won't be there without the hope
that work will?be rewarded by.,recognition from peers in government and in the
academic community. The possibility that. this will. have. a -demorali.zing' effect
.on CIA analysts.and on-the.-research community in general cannot be ruled out.
I might add that 'the new'policy appears to be inconsistent with the widespread
practice whereby CIA analysts, take part in conferences,. seminars- .and ot!-:er ac-
tivities..
I feel so.strongly- about- this matter that I have, asked -that: a volume of
papers. on.Eastern. Europe and.a.volume of.China. be held up-pending' 'its resolu-
tion. As you. know, the Joint Economic. Committee has. worked closely with the.
CIA for many years in. order to.improve'.understanding'o.f-the working. of the
Socialist economies.'.This relationship has benefited all sides and I' am con-
fident that.it'will continue to.be mutually advantageous.
Sincerely,
William Proxmire . '. . . .
Vice Chairman, Subcommittee
on. International Trade, .
Finance, and Security--Economics
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