REMARKS OF WILLIAM J. CASEY DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BEFORE THE UNIVERSITY CLUB HOWARD TAFT DISTINGUISHED LECTURE SERIES THURSDAY, 18 SEPTEMBER 1986

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88G01117R001004180001-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 27, 2011
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 18, 1986
• Content Type: MISC

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REMARKS OF WILLIAM J. CASEY
DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
BEFORE
THE UNIVERSITY CLUB
HOWARD TAFT DISTINGUISHED LECTURE SERIES
THURSDAY, 18 SEPTEMBER 1986
THE UNIVERSITY CLUB
WASHINGTON, D. C.
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LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: I AM VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY
WITH MY FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE UNIVERSITY CLUB AND THEIR
GUESTS. THE PROCESS OF BUILDING A NATIONAL CONSENSUS ON THE
POLICY ISSUES AFFECTING OUR NATIONAL SECURITY IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT. TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A FEW OF
THE THREATS AND CHALLENGES CONFRONTING THE UNITED STATES THAT
HAVE BEEN WEIGHING HEAVILY ON MY MIND, AND I SUSPECT, ON YOURS
AS WELL. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THIS COUNTRY'S
INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITIES AND HOW PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF CAN
MAKE, AND ARE MAKING, SUCH AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO OUR
MISSION.
THE CIA'S ORIGINAL AND PRIME MISSION WAS, AND STILL IS, TO
ASSESS THE MILITARY THREAT TO THE U.S. THANKS IN LARGE PART TO
OUR EXTRAORDINARY COLLECTION CAPABILITIES, WE ARE DOING PRETTY
WELL AT THAT. BUT ANYONE WHO IS AWARE OF THE TREMENDOUS EFFORT
MOSCOW HAS MADE TO ERODE THE CRITICAL STRATEGIC NUCLEAR
BALANCE, KNOWS WE HAVE OUR HANDS FULL.
THE SOVIETS FOR SOME TIME NOW HAVE BEEN RELENTLESSLY
EXPANDING A LARGE ARSENAL OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS AIMED AT THE U.S.,
EUROPE AND EAST ASIA. NEW MISSILES AND MISSILE-CARRYING
AIRCRAFT AND SUBMARINES ARE BEING DEVELOPED, TESTED AND
DEPLOYED IN AMAZING PROFUSION. BY 1980, SOVIET STRATEGIC
OFFENSIVE FORCES ALREADY HAD CAUGHT UP, AND IN SOME KEY AREAS
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SURPASSED OURS. JUST ONE SOBERING EXAMPLE: THE SOVIETS ARE
NOW PROTECTING THEIR LAND-BASED MISSILE FORCES BY DEPLOYING
MOBILE MISSILES. A MOBILE U.S. ICBM WILL NOT BE DEPLOYED UNTIL
THE 1990s AT BEST.
PERHAPS EVEN MORE ALARMING, THE SOVIETS ARE IN THE MIDST OF
A MAJOR LONGTERM MISSILE DEFENSE PROGRAM -- THEIR OWN "STAR
WARS," IF YOU WILL, INVOLVING SOME 10 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
FACILITIES AND THOUSANDS OF SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS. THEY
LONG AGO DEPLOYED AN ABM SYSTEM AROUND MOSCOW. WE ARE THE
NEWCOMERS ON THE BLOCK, ALTHOUGH YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW IT BY
LISTENING TO SOVIET PROPAGANDA CONDEMNING THE PRESIDENT'S
STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE AS "DESTABILIZING."
IT IS HARDLY SURPRISING THAT MOSCOW AT PRESEMT IS ADVANCING
NEW ARMS CONTROL INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO CONSOLIDATE THEIR
IMPRESSIVE GAINS AND TO CUT OFF OUR GOVERNMENT'S OWN PLANS TO
MODERNIZE OUR STRATEGIC OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE FORCES. BUT
YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW THAT MOSCOW PRESENTLY CONTINUES, THROUGH
CAMOUFLAGE, CONCEALMENT AND OTHER MEASURES, TO DENY US CRITICAL
INFORMATION WE NEED TO ASSESS THE CURRENT STRATEGIC BALANCE OR
TO VERIFY ANY FUTURE ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENT.
THERE WAS A DAY WHEN UNDERSTANDING THE MILITARY
CAPABILITIES OF OUR PRINCIPAL ADVERSARY WAS PRACTICALLY OUR
ONLY MISSION, THAT DAY IS LONG PAST. THE WORLD HAS CHANGED
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TREMENDOUSLY SINCE THE IMMEDIATE POST-WORLD WAR II ERA WHEN THE
U.S. AND SOVIET UNION WERE THE ONLY WORLD PLAYERS THAT
MATTERED. THE NUMBER OF PLAYERS HAS PROLIFERATED, ISSUES HAVE
BECOME BEWILDERINGLY COMPLEX, THE PACE OF CHANGE AND
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCE ALMOST OVERWHELMING, AND THE WORLD MUCH
SMALLER AND FAR MORE INTERDEPENDENT. AND THIS, IN TURN, HAS
REVOLUTIONIZED THE WORLD OF INTELLIGENCE. TODAY WE FACE
THREATS TO OUR LONGER TERM INTERESTS AND SECURITY IN ALL
DIRECTIONS. ONE NEEDS TO LOOK NO FURTHER THAN JUST BEYOND OUR
SOUTHERN BORDER TO SEE A 600D CROSS SECTION OF THE PROBLEM:
CRUSHING DEBT, A GROWING DISEQUALIBRIUM IN FOOD SUPPLY, RAPID
POPULATION GROWTH, AND EXPLOSIVE URBANIZATION.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE THREAT TO WORLD STABILITY DOES NOT
COME SOLELY FROM SUCH INHERENT DEVELOPMENTAL PROBLEMS. IT
COMES AS WELL FROM OVERT AND COVERT SOVIET ACTIVITIES AIMED AT
SUBVERTING OR DESTABILIZING GOVERNMENTS FRIENDLY TO THE U.S.
IN FACT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE WEST ONCE AGAIN IS ENGAGED
IN A CRITICAL STRUGGLE WITH TOTALITARIANISM -- THIS TIME IN THE
FORM OF MARXISM-LENINISM AND THE PRIMARY BATTLEFIELD OF THIS
STRUGGLE IS NOT ON THE MISSILE TEST RANGES BUT IN THE
COUNTRYSIDE OF LATIN AMERICA, THE MIDDLE EAST, ASIA AND AFRICA
-- TODAY'S SHORTHAND FOR THIS IS THE THIRD WORLD.
THE SOVIET UNION HAS BEEN BUSILY TESTING WHETHER THE U.S.
WILL RESIST FOREIGN PROVOKED AND SUPPORTED INSTABILITY AND
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INSURGENCY IN THE THIRD WORLD. IT HAS DEVELOPED AN AGGRESSIVE
STRATEGY WHICH AVOIDS DIRECT CONFRONTATION AND INSTEAD TAKES
MAXIMUM ADVANTAGE OF THIRD WORLD SURROGATES LIKE CUBA, VIETNAM,
LIBYA AND NICARAGUA TO OBTAN SOVIET OBJECTIVES. THIS ENABLES
MOSCOW TO DENY INVOLVEMENT, LABEL SUCH CONFLICTS AS INTERNAL,
AND WARN SELF-RIGHTEOUSLY AGAINST OUTSIDE INTERFERENCE. TIME
AND AGAIN WE HAVE WATCHED THE SOVIETS AND THEIR SURROGATES MOVE
IN TO EXPLOIT AND INSTIGATE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DISCONTENT.
THEY GAIN AN INSURGENT BASE, EXPAND IT WITH TRAINED MEN AND
MILITARY ARMS, DRIVE OUT INVESTMENT, AND WAIT FOR ANOTHER
COUNTRY TO FALL. OVER THE LAST DECADE, MOSCOW HAS ADDED FIVE
MAJOR NEW CLIENT STATES IN THE THIRD WORLD AND THREATENS MORE
THAN A DOZEN OTHER REGIMES VIA CROSSBORDER MILITARY OPERATIONS,
INSURGENCIES AND SUBVERSION.
BUT THE PENDULUM OF HISTORY SLOWLY BUT SURELY IS SWINGING
AWAY FROM SOVIET MARXISM AS A MODEL FOR THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES,
AND TOWARD THE CONCEPTS OF DEMOCRACY AND FREE MARKET
ECONOMICS. MOSCOW NOW FINDS ITSELF ON THE DEFENSIVE,
SUPPORTING HIGH COST, LONG TERM EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN IN POWER
THE REPRESSIVE REGIMES THEY HAVE INSTALLED OR COOPTED IN PLACES
LIKE AFGHANISTAN, ANGOLA, ETHIOPIA, CAMBODIA, MOZAMBIQUE, YEMEN
AND NICARAGUA, THIS ROLE REVERSAL COULD TURN OUT TO BE ONE OF
THE GREAT HISTORICAL TURNING POINTS OF OUR LIFETIME. BUT IT
WILL ONLY WORK OUT THIS WAY IF THE INDIGENOUS THIRD WORLD
FORCES RESISTING MARXISM-LENINISM, TOGETHER WITH THE U.S. AND
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THE WEST, CAN ACT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPEN 'WINDOW OF
OPPORTUNITY' TO ADVANCE DEMOCRACY.
I BELIEVE THE STAKES IN CENTRAL AMERICA ARE HUGE AND
HISTORIC. A SOVIET MILITARY BASE ON THE AMERICAN CONTINENT
DIVIDING NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA IS BEING PUT INTO PLACE -- A
TOEHOLD OF SOVIET MILITARY POWER AND SUBVERSION THAT COULD
ENDANGER THE PANAMA CANAL IN THE SHORT TERM AND MEXICO IN THE
SOMEWHAT LONGER TERM. RIGHT NOW THE SANDINISTA ARMY WITH CUBAN
HELICOPTER PILOTS AND COMBAT DIRECTION, AND A HALF BILLION
DOLLARS OF SOPHISTICATED SOVIET WEAPONRY, IS GOING ALL OUT TO
DESTROY THE NICARAGUAN RESISTANCE BEFORE NEW ASSISTANCE CAN
REACH IT. IN THE MEANTIME, THE SANDINISTAS ARE STICKING TO
THEIR BLUEPRINT OF BUILDING AN ALL-POWERFUL STATE SECURITY
APPARATUS, THE STRONGEST ARMED FORCES IN CENTRAL AMERICA, AND
IN DEVELOPING A CENTER FOR EXPORTING SUBVERSION AND TERRORISM
TO THE REGION,
IN THIS LATTER REGARD, THE LINK BETWEEN LIBYAN-AND
CUBAN-SPONSORED TERRORISM IN CUBA AND NICARAGUA IS LARGE AND
GROWING LARGER. FOR SOME YEARS, THE LIBYANS HAVE BEEN
SUPPORTING THE SANDINISTA GOVERNMENT IN NICARAGUA WITH
SOMETHING LIKE $100 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. WE NOW SEE
NICARAGUA TRAINING YOUNG MEN FOR VIOLENCE AND SUBVERSION,
SENDING THEM AS FAR DOWN INTO SOUTH AMERICA AS CHILE. YOUNG
MEN FROM LATIN AMERICA ARE BEING SENT TO LIBYA FOR TRAINING IN
THE TERRORIST CAMPS THERE AND THEN ARE BROUGHT BACK TO BE
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PLANTED AMONG THE POPULATION IN CENTRAL AMERICA, IN VENEZUELA,
IN ECUADOR. IF THE SANDINISTA REGIME CONSOLIDATES ITSELF, WE
CAN EXPECT MANAGUA TO BECOME THE BEIRUT OF THE WESTERN
HEMISPHERE.
AND OF COURSE, THERE IS NO WAY THIS COUNTRY CAN IMMUNIZE
ITSELF FROM SUCH AN INFECTION. ALREADY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF NICARAGUANS AND SALVADORANS HAVE FLED THEIR COUNTRIES AND
HEADED NORTH, CAN ANYONE DOUBT THAT AS SOON AS IT BECOMES
APPARENT THAT THE COMMUNISTS ARE ABOUT TO COMPLETE THEIR
CONQUEST OF NICARAGUA, ANOTHER SIGNAL WILL BE FLASHED AND
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WILL LEAVE CENTRAL AMERICA, AND ULTIMATELY
MEXICO, TO CROSS THE BORDER INTO THE UNITED STATES.
THERE IS NOTHING INEVITABLE ABOUT THIS SCENARIO. TWO CAN
PLAY THE SAME GAME. JUST AS THERE IS A CLASSIC FORMULA FOR
COMMUNIST SUBVERSION AND TAKEOVER, THERE ALSO IS A PROVEN
METHOD OF OVERTHROWING REPRESSIVE GOVERNMENT THAT CAN BE
APPLIED SUCCESSFULLY IN NICARAGUA,
THE NEW MONEY RECENTLY VOTED BY CONGRESS WILL MAKE IT
POSSIBLE TO FURTHER TURN UP THE HEAT ON THE SANDINISTAS BY
STEADILY EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF RESISTANCE TROOPS IN THE FIELD
AND BY OPENING NEW AREAS OF OPERATION. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT
MATCHING THE SANDINISTAS WEAPON-FOR-WEAPON OR OF ACHIEVING A
CLASSIC MILITARY VICTORY. HISTORY SHOWS THAT A COMBINATION OF
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NAGGING INSURGENT MILITARY PRESSURE AND PROGRESSIVE WITHDRAWAL
OF DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT IS WHAT BRINGS DOWN OR
ALTERS AN UNPOPULAR GOVERNMENT, THIS PROCESS ALREADY IS
UNDERWAY IN NICARAGUA. THE INSURGENTS HAVE MADE GAINS AMONG
RURAL PEASANTS UNHAPPY WITH MANAGUA'S RECENT COLLECTIVIZATION
AND RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS THE GOVERNMENT'S
MANDATORY MILITARY DRAFT AND ANTI-CHURCH POLICIES. THE HEAVY
FINANCIAL BURDEN OF THE SANDINISTAS' COUNTERINSURGENCY EFFORT
COMBINED WITH POOR ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT ALSO IS CREATING
MOUNTING DISCONTENT WITHIN THE COUNTRY.
WE SHOULD NOT KID OURSELVES. THE SOVIETS AND THEIR CLIENTS
WILL NOT GIVE UP THEIR TOEHOLDS WITHOUT A DETERMINED FIGHT.
IN ANGOLA, NEW SHIPMENTS OF SOVIET AND CUBAN MILITARY
SUPPLIES HAVE BEEN MOVED INTO PLACE TO SUPPORT A
RENEWED OFFENSIVE AGAINST SAVIMBI'S RESISTANCE FIGHTERS
(OVER 2 BILLION DOLLARS OF SOVIET MILITARY ASSISTANCE
SINCE 1983).
THE SOVIETS CONTINUE THEIR EFFORTS TO PRESSURE AND
INTIMIDATE PAKISTAN FROM SUPPORTING THE AFGHAN
RESISTANCE, MOST RECENTLY BY SHARPLY INCREASING THE
NUMBER OF SOVIET AND AFGHAN AIR FORCE INCURSIONS INTO
PAKISTANI AIR SPACE.
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THE INCREASING APPEARANCE OF VIETNAMESE-SUPPLIED U.S. ARMS
IN TROUBLE SPOTS AROUND THE WORLD IS A PARTICULARLY GRAPHIC
EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE ARE UP AGAINST. THE SOVIETS AND THEIR
SURROGATES ARE FOMENTING VIOLENCE WITH THE TREMENDOUS STOCKPILE
OF U.S. WEAPONRY SEIZED BY THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNISTS IN 1975.
THESE ARMS HAVE BEGUN TO SHOW UP IN VARIOUS PLACES IN ASIA AND
LATIN AMERICA -- IN HONDURAS, EL SALVADOR, JAMAICA AND COLOMBIA
WITH CUBA, WE BELIEVE, DOING THE DELIVERY. AND NOW WE HAVE THE
DISCOVERY OF AN ENORMOUS CACHE OF SUCH WEAPONS IN CHILE--SOME
3400 U.S. M-16 RIFLES AND MORE THAN A HUNDRED U.S. ANTI-TANK
WEAPONS. U.S, POLICY HAS TO DEAL WITH THE REALITY OF A SOVIET
AND SOVIET-SURROGATE NETWORK OF THIRD WORLD SUBVERSION. IT
CANNOT BE WISHED AWAY.
I TOLD YOU I WOULD DISCUSS THE STATE OF U.S. INTELLIGENCE,
THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS, I CAN TELL
YOU THAT OUR INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM TODAY IS MORE ROBUST THAN AT
ANY TIME IN OUR HISTORY AND IN FAR BETTER SHAPE THAN 6 OR 7
YEARS AGO. WE HAVE MADE ENORMOUS PROGRESS ACROSS THE BOARD IN
INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS.
IN OUR BUSINESS WE CAN'T AFFORD TO STAND STILL. THE KGB
AND ITS ALLIED INTELLIGENCE SERVICES AND FRONT ORGANIZATIONS
CONSTITUTE A WORLD-WIDE APPARATUS THAT IS WORKING TO STEAL OUR
TECHNOLOGY, DAMAGE OUR REPUTATION, DIVIDE US FROM OUR FRIENDS,
AND DESTABILIZE, SUBVERT, AND OVERTHROW GOVERNMENTS FRIENDLY TO
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US. THEIR RUMORS, AGENTS OF INFLUENCE, AND FORGERIES,
SPREADING POISON AROUND THE WORLD, HAVE TO BE SPOTTED AND
COUNTERED. CIA IS THE ONLY ORGANIZATION IN THE WEST WITH THE
RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES NECESSARY TO DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH
THIS CHALLENGE. WE ARE IN ACTION EVERY DAY TRACKING AND
COUNTERING DRUG-RUNNERS AND GUN-SMUGGLERS, THE SOME 300 FIRMS
ENGAGED IN ILLEGAL TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION; THE VIOLENT
REVOLUTIONARY ORGANIZATIONS AND TERRORIST TRAINING CAMPS AROUND
THE WORLD.
AND WE ARE BEING DRAWN INTO NON-TRADITIONAL' AREAS OF
COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS AT A BREATHTAKING PACE. I AM TALKING
ABOUT THE KIND OF INTERNATIONAL ISSUES THAT ARE IMPOSING
INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT CHALLENGES TO OUR SOCIETY. THIS LIST IS
LONG -- INTERNATIONAL FINANCE, INDUSTRIAL COMPETITIVENESS, THE
PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR, CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS, JUST
TO MENTION A FEW.
I'M PROUD OF THE MANNER IN WHICH WE HAVE MOVED SMARTLY TO
EXTEND OUR REACH TO DEVELOP NEW COLLECTION TECHNIQUES, HIRING
NEW KINDS. OF ANALYSTS, AND DEVELOPING NEW TECHNOLOGIES. WE
KNOW THAT IF WE DON'T TAP THE IMPRESSIVE SOURCES OF EXPERTISE
OUTSIDE OUR BUILDING, OUR OWN CAPITAL STOCK OF KNOWLEDGE AND
IMAGINATION WILL RAPIDLY DEPLETE. WE HAVE WORKED HARD TO
REBUILD OUR BRIDGES TO THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY FOLLOWING THE BAD
OLD DAYS OF THE VIETNAM ERA. WE SUBMIT MANY OF OUR MOST
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IMPORTANT ASSESSMENTS FOR REVIEW BY OUTSIDE ACADEMIC EXPERTS
WHO WORK WITH US ON A CONSULTANT BASIS.
THE PRIVATE BUSINESS SECTOR IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT SOURCE OF
OUTSIDE EXPERTISE. IN ADDITION TO ALL THE COMMERCIAL
INFORMATION SERVICES WE SUBSCRIBE TO, THE PUBLICATIONS WE
PURCHASE, THE DATABASES WE RECEIVE OR COMPILE, AND OUR OWN
PEOPLE OVERSEAS, WE LISTEN CLOSELY TO WHAT THE U.S. BUSINESS
COMMUNITY HAS TO TELL US. WE FIND U.S. BUSINESSMEN -- WHETHER
THEY BE MANUFACTURERS, BANKERS, OR COMMODITY DEALERS -- READY
AND WILLING TO SHARE THEIR INSIGHTS WITH US ON SUBJECTS RANGING
FROM HIGH-TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS IN EUROPE AND JAPAN TO THIRD
WORLD DEBT PROBLEMS TO SOVIET GRAIN PURCHASES AND MANY MORE,
WE KNOW THEY'RE OUT THERE DEALING WITH THEIR FOREIGN
COUNTERPARTS EVERY DAY AND HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND IDEAS
THAT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT CANNOT GET IN ANY OTHER WAY. WE HAVE
REORGANIZED OUR COMPONENT RESPONSIBLE FOR BEING IN TOUCH WITH
THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND WE ARE DEVOTING SOME OF OUR BEST
TALENT -- AND A LOT OF IT -- TO THE ENDEAVOR.
BEFORE 1 SIT DOWN, LET ME LAY DOWN JUST ONE MORE MARKER. I
AM SURE YOU HAVE ALL HEARD ABOUT OUR RECENT EFFORTS TO DEAL
WITH AN OLD NATIONAL SECURITY PROBLEM THAT IS BECOMING
INCREASINGLY INTOLERABLE. I AM TALKING ABOUT THE DELIBERATE
LEAKING OF SENSITIVE CLASSIFIED INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION FROM
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THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF OUR GOVERNMENT, AND THE REPLAYING OF
THAT INFORMATION BY THE MEDIA.
I DON'T HAVE TIME NOW TO 60 THROUGH THE WHOLE CHAMBER OF
HORRORS ON LEAKS. BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE CAN, AND DO. LOSE
SENSITIVE COLLECTION SYSTEMS THAT COST BILLIONS OF HARD-EARNED
TAX DOLLARS -- AGENTS CAN, AND DO, DIE AS A RESULT OF LEAKS --
OUR ALLIES CAN, AND DO, LOSE FAITH IN OUR ABILITIES TO PROTECT
INFORMATION THEY PASS US.
JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICE OF ONE OF
OUR CLOSEST ALLIES TOLD US THEY CAN NO LONGER PASS US ADVANCE
INFORMATION ON TERRORIST ACTIVITIES. IT HAS HAD ENOUGH OF
READING ABOUT ITS MOST SENSITIVE, WELL-PROTECTED INFORMATION IN
THE U.S. MEDIA. AND WHEN INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS ARE
COMPROMISED IN AREAS SUCH AS COUNTERTERRORISM, THE DIRECT
RESULT EASILY COULD BE DEAD AMERICAN TOURISTS AND OTHER
ORDINARY CITIZENS. UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURE OF CLASSIFIED
INFORMATION PUTS LIVES AND NATIONAL SECURITY AT RISK AND DOES
MORE DAMAGE TO OUR INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITIES THAN SOVIET
ESPIONAGE.
WE KNOW WE CAN'T THROW ROCKS AROUND IN A GLASS HOUSE. OUR
FIRST PRIORITY MUST BE TO TIGHTEN DISCIPLINE WITHIN OUR
GOVERNMENT AND, BELIEVE ME, WE ARE DOING JUST THAT. WE ARE
PUTTING INTO PLACE MECHANISMS TO AGGRESSIVELY INVESTIGATE
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APPARENT CASES OF LEAKING WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT AND TO TAKE
PUNITIVE AND LEGAL ACTION AGAINST GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES WHO
BETRAY THE TRUST PLACED IN THEM. PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS
IN RECENT MONTHS.
BUT, OF COURSE, THE LEAK ITSELF IS JUST ONE SIDE OF THE
EQUATION. WE HAVE TO DO A MUCH BETTER JOB THAN WE HAVE IN THE
PAST OF CONVINCING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE MEDIA OF THEIR
OWN RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND
SENSITIVE COLLECTION SYSTEMS.
IN THIS DANGEROUS WORLD WE LIVE IN AND IN THIS MODERN ERA
OF INTELLIGENCE, THE STAKES HAVE BECOME ENTIRELY TOO HIGH TO
SWEEP THIS BREACH OF TRUST, IRRESPONSIBILITY AND VIOLATION OF
LAW IN THE HANDLING OF SENSITIVE CLASSIFIED INFORMATION UNDER
THE RUG.
THE MEN AdD WOMEN OF OUR INTELLIGENCE SERVICES ARE IN A
DANGEROUS, DIFFICULT, AND NOT PARTICULARLY WELL PAID PROFESSION
BECAUSE THEY WANT TO ENSURE THAT THEIR CHILDREN AND
GRANDCHILDREN, AND YOURS, WILL CONTINUE TO ENJOY THE PROTECTION
OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND THE PRIVILEGE OF LIVING IN A
COUNTRY WITH A FREE PRESS. BUT NATIONAL SECURITY IS ALSO A
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT AND PRIVILEGE. OBVIOUSLY WHAT'S NEEDED IS
SOME BALANCE AND ACCOMMODATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE
MEDIA.
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THE ISSUE IS SIMPLY ONE OF RESPONSIBILITY, DISCRETION AND
COMMON SENSE. WHO PAYS FOR ESTABLISHING A NEW COLLECTION
SYSTEM OR RECRUITING A NEW HUMAN SOURCE TO REPLACE ONES THAT
HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED? YOU, ME, AND EVERY OTHER TAXPAYER IN
THE COUNTRY.
SO IN CONCLUSION, LET ME ASK FOR YOUR HELP -- NOT JUST ON
THE LEAKS ISSUE - BUT ACROSS THE BOARD. OUR EFFECTIVENESS
DEPENDS ON RECRUITING GOOD PEOPLE. YOU CAN DIRECT TALENTED
PEOPLE OUR WAY, SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND ACCESS. SUPPORT US
IN THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION. WE ALL BENEFIT FROM A STRONG
INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITY. WE WILL ALL PAY IF IT IS WEAKENED.
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