FORMER CIA OPERATIVE RECALLS AGENCY'S GOOD DEEDS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01350R000200150001-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 29, 2004
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: October 11, 1977
• Content Type: MAGAZINE

Approved For Release 2005/01/13: CIA-RDP88-01350 OO0h2m'Y50o01-7
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CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR
11 October 1977
Former CIA o~e~at'sve retalls
ao%1enc%#)s #-mood deeds
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The Night Watch, by David Atlee Phillips. New is an enthusiastic, well written look at how a
York: Atheneum. 39.95. CIA agent works, what he thinks, and with
By James Nelson Goodsell whom he deals.
Speaking out in support of the Central In- Much of his book - dealing with operations
telligence Agency these days is not very fash- in Chile, Cuba, the Dominican Republic. Mex-
ionable. In fact, bad-mouthing the agency is ico, and Guatemala - goes over old ground.
much more common. Whatever the reasons. But a lot of what he has to say adds a per-
this onslaught of criticism has been coming spective to events in those countries. As pur-
from both outside the agency - and within, poseful as all this is, however, the real value of
Quite a few former operatives have made
something of a name for themselves in the pro-
cess. Philip Agee's name comes quickly to
thought.
But the CIA does have its supporters and de-
fenders, and David Atlee Phillips is one of the
most ardent. Although he has now left the CIA
with the purpose of launching a public defense
of the agency, Phillips put in 25 post-World
War II years as a top CIA operative, mainly in
Latin America. His story, "The Night Watch,"
Phillips' account lies elsewhere: in the very
human portrayal of how the CIA operates, how
its personnel think and differ on issues, and the
qualms that go along with operations.
Not everyone will accept Phillips' account at
face value. Even from within the agency there
are some who would dispute him on fact. Take,
for example, his claim that it is a "myth" that
the CIA forecast a popular uprising in Cuba at
the time of the Bay of Pigs invasion. Others
within the agency say the CIA did in fact make
the prediction - and that the agency was, . of
course, wrong. a ..._
Moreover, when Phillips gets around to ad-
mitting the CIA made mistakes, he can explain
them away. Ile obviously wasn't happy about
the United States' efforts to destabilize the
government of Chilean President Salvador Al-
lende Gossens in the early 1970s - not that he
held any particular brief for Dr. Allende, but
rather that the President had been freely
elected in accordance with Chilean law and
practice. But having said this, Phillips then
puts a twist on the story: the effort to bring
down the Allende government was lamentable,
but the U.S. (read that, CIA) meant well in the
effort.
Able propagandist that he is, Phillips always
comes out in support of the agency. This
thread runs throughout the book. One-suspects
that Phillips would want to invent the CIA if it
did not already exist. Ile argues that, given all
its imperfections and its mistakes, the CIA
record is, on balance, good - and that the CIA
is needed. But he also sees clearly that the
CIA's difficulties at home result not so much
from any malicious attack by malcontents or
know-nothings, but rather from the uniqueness
of the U.S. system that likes things out in the
open.
lie writes; "While those of its who worked in
American intelligence - especially the men
and women of the Clandestine Service of CIA
- must understand that our problems resulted
from the sanctity of our country's values,
other Americans must realize what in
telligence people have been doing all this time.
They have been in dark alleys working hard -
with some mistakes and some success - to
protect those values."
That is Phillips' essential message. The jury,
however, is still out on the CIA - and Phillips'"
testimony notwithstanding, there remains ma- j
jor doubt about the whole question of clandes-
tine activities by a free society.
Mr. Goodsell is the Monitor's Latin
America correspondent..
Approved For Release 2005/01/13 : CIA-RDP88-01350R000200150001-7