DCI'S CONVERSATION WITH GENERAL TIGHE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91M00696R000900020008-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 9, 2004
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: April 1, 1976
• Content Type: MFR

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1 April 1976
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: DCI's Conversation with General Tighe
1. At the DCI's request, General Tighe met with him on
30 March to discuss National Intelligence production, the future
of USIB, etc. and Mr. Lehman were also present.
2. When asked about the Defense reorganization, General
Tighe was rather non-committal. He said the matter was being
tightly held by Secretaries Rumsfeld and Ellsworth.
3. General Tighe urged that the NIO's be retained and
strengthened. He argued that each should be given additional
research and drafting staff to avoid the necessity for them to
depend totally on the production organizations. Often, he said,
this meant the only man made available to them for a project was
not the best man. He noted that this was to some extent a function
of which NIO; there was a pecking order among them.
4. On the other hand, he criticized the ONE system because
it would not accept military drafts of National Estimates. He felt
the old Board had been in place too long and had become resistant
to change in established opinions. Nonetheless, he urged the DCI
to establish a small board of senior intelligence officers to advise
him on ongoing estimates. Such a board, he emphasized, should not
become "another layer in the process" and should not have a staff.
5. General Tighe would.like to see an NIO for Africa. He
believes the Community has been slow to respond to emerging problems
there.
6. As to USIB, General Tighe urged its retention in its
present form, perhaps with a name change. He believes it is work-
ing now as well as it ever has. He would like to see the Service
Chiefs remain on the Board, but in their present "observer" status,
implying he needs this distinction to maintain his ability to co-
ordinate a Defense position. He saw some urgency in clarifying the
future of USIB. Too many things in the Community were organizationally
adrift. Mr. Lehman said there was overwhelming sentiment in favor of
USIB's retention and he thought the DCI might be able to settle at
least this issue in a couple of weeks or so. The Committees might-
take somewhat longer.
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7. General Tighe expressed some concern that the CFI might
intrude itself into USIB's business. The DCI said that was not his
intention. It was agreed there had to be substantive input from
USIB and its Committees to CFI resource decisions. This was com-
plicated and difficult, but essential. General Tighe said he knew
very little of CFI activities. Mr. Bush replied that the CFI was
still sorting out what it should do and what its procedures should
be. Mr. Lehman said that once this formative period was over it
might be possible to keep the Community better informed.
ST
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Talking Points for Use with General Tighe
1. NIO's
There seems to be a consensus that the NIO's have been
an extremely useful innovation:
-- in dealing with consumers;
-- in developing a greater sense of partici-
pation and relevance among analysts;
-- in handling special projects bridging
Agency lines;
-- and, in general, keeping the machinery oiled.
IS)
On the other hand, many seem to believe that:
-- the product is uneven;
-- there is less attention to broader and
longer-range problems;
-- by crossing command lines, the system tends
to diffuse responsibility.
What are Tighe's views? How would he view the establish-
ment of some sort of collegial board of review advisory to the DCI
(Not a restoration of the Office and Board of National Estimates)?
How would he view straightening lines of responsibility by retain-
ing the NIO's but placing the Community production management function
in a CIA-DIA-INR steering group (Model II) or in CIA/DDI (Model III)?
2. USIB
There is a consensus that there should be a successor
organization to USIB, advisory to the DCI. In Tighe's view, what
should be its membership? What should be its primary functions?
3. Community Problems
How does Tighe see the relative roles of CIA and DIA?
(Note: Tighe is institutionally committed to make a pitch for
DIA's primacy in national military intelligence production; no
DCI could concede this, and Tighe knows it).-
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