DEMOCRATIC SENATORS CIA REPORT ON CARIBBEAN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000504920002-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 11, 2010
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: December 23, 1981
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/11: CIA-RDP90-00552R000504920002-1
j TICLE APPEARED
0?1 PAGE
By Robert Parry:
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
23 December 1981
0 - anat
cratit-se ors,
reuort on
WASHINGTON - Three Senate
Democrats have complained-to CIA
Director William J. Casey that a CIA
briefing they received about the
Caribbean "seriously violated" the.
agency's obligation to provide them
with objective analysis..
The three - Paul E. Tsongas of
Massachusetts, Claiborne Pell - of
Rhode Island and Christopher J..
Dodd of Connecticut .wrote Casey
that the closed briefing "evidenced a
rhetorical tone and-selective use of
information that bordered. on policy
prescription."
The complaint, considered virtual-
ly unprecedented in Congress' deal-
ings with the CIA, could revive criti-
cism that the Reagan administration
has politicized the. spy : agency by'
bringing in ideological. conserve..
fives to fill sensitive positions.
The briefing on the military situa-.
Lion is Central America. and the Ca-
ribbean was given Dec. 10-to mem-
bers of the Senate Foreign' Relations
Committee by Constantine Menges,
the CIA's national intelligence offi-
cer for Latin America.
The senators' letter to Casey. was
dated Dec. II and. was obtained this
week by the Associated Press,.
At the session, Sen. Jesse Helms (R.,
N.C.), a committee member, praised
Menges' testimony as "one of the best
presentations I've heard.-It wasn't an
attempt to brainwash any senator."
Menges; considered a conservative
theoretician, joined the CIA in Sep-
tember after working as a consultant
for the Hudson Institute, a conserva-
tive research and policy center.
In an article in the August issue of
Commentary magazine. Menges.
blamed Cuba -for fomenting .terror-.
ism and revolution in Central Ameri-
ca, an argument that parallels admin-'
istration charges contained in a re-
cent 37-page report on Cuba..: ,
Congressional - sources, who de-
clined to be named, said the purpose
of Menges' briefing was to present
supporting evidence for those charg-
es and to assess U.S. military and po-
litical options in Central America.'
Instead, one Democratic source
said, Menges gave a policy statement
;that traced all the problems to Hava-
na and yet offered scant evidence to
support the charges.
Upset with the briefing, Tsongas
:told Menges he considered the pre-.
sentation "an insult" and left the
meting, according-to sources who.
.:.asked not to be identified',: ?
'' TTsongas declined to discuss the
briefing. Pell, Dodd and Menges did
,not return telephone calls to.their-
offices asking for comment. The CIA.
also refused to discuss the letter.
Helms, a leading Senate conserva-
tive, said Menges was stating not just
his own or the CIA's views, but also.
.the conclusions of other U.S. intelli-
gence agencies
"The problem for these senators:
was that they were hearing things'
.they didn't want to hear about the
Communist takeover- in this: hemi-'
sphere," said Helms, chairman of the.
Foreign Relations subcommittee on
Latin America
Menges' briefing came amid new
administration warnings that .it. is,
weighing military options against=.
Cuba and the revolutionary,Nicara-
guan government
Administration officials have ac-
cused Cuba of inspiring and support
ing leftist insurrections in. Nicara-
gua, El Salvador and Guatemala and
Criti
Central America. have developed f
because of severe poverty and politi-'II
.cal repression carried out' by mili-,
tary-dominated governmepts with
U.S. acquiescence. -
One Democratic source said Meng-
es' briefing reflected the administra-
tion's "politicizing of the premier
element of the -intelligence commu
'pity" -the CIA.'
In the Dec. l1 letter, the Democrat-
ic senators cited the importance of
'the CIA's "professional,' impartial
and balanced approach to highly
controversial and sensitive issues.
These vigorous standards insure the
separation of intelligence assessment
from foreign policy advocacy:. .
"In our judgment, Dr., Menges'
spoken presentation seriously violat
ed the agency's long-cherished prin-
ciples and standards" of objectivity
and professionalism. ? 1
"We firmly believe that Dr. Meng-
es' performance- undermines- his
credibility as a national intelligence
officer and calls into question his
future effectiveness."
The letter asked : Casey to review
Menges'. testimony ? and inform the
senators on any CIA action regarding
Menges..~_ ,.:;. :- .... .
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/11: CIA-RDP90-00552R000504920002-1