GATES, NOMINEE TO HEAD CIA, IS FACING NEW SENATE QUERIES, ESPCIALLY ON LIBYA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-01448R000301270022-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 4, 2013
• Sequence Number: 22
• Publication Date: February 26, 1987
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/06/05: ClAiRDP99-01448R000301270022-2
ARTICLE APPEARED 26 February 1987
ON PAGE /O *1i
Gates, Nominee to Head CIA, Is Facing
New Senate Queries, Especially on Libya
IDRg
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
WASHINGTON?Robert Gates, Presi-
dent Reagan's nominee to head the Central
Intelligence Agency, faces new questions
from the Senate Intelligence Committee?
particularly in connection with his role in
shaping U.S. policy toward Libya.
Committee Chairman David Boren said
no decision will be made on the appoint-
ment of Mr. Gates, currently the CIA's act-
ing director, until after a closed-door hear-
ing next Wednesday. But unless the nomi-
nee regains some momentum soon, his
nomination appears in peril.
Mr. Gates already has faced criticism
stemming from the Iran-Contra affair.
Now, separate questions have arisen about
his role in shaping U.S. policy toward the
regime of Libya's leader. Moammar Gad-
hafi.
Mr. Gates was named acting director
after former Director William Casey re-
signed. He had served as deputy director
since last year, and before that he served
more than four years as deputy director
for intelligence.
Lawmakers are concerned that Mr.
Gates acquiesced while Mr. Casey helped
promote administration policies by circu-
lating reports about Mr. Gadhafi that
weren't fully substantiated. They also want
to question Mr. Gates about his role in re-
ported efforts by the administration in 1985
and 1986 to prod Egypt to take military
action against Libya.
Early last year, President Reagan ap-
proved a secret directive under which U.S.
forces would support Egypt in the event of
a "preemptive" attack on Libya. Pub-
lished reports have suggested Mr. Gates
promoted this policy as the author of a
July 1985 internal memo that spoke of the
opportunity to redraw the "map of North
Africa."
Through a spokesman, Mr. Gates dis-
puted those suggestions. But unless he can
answer concerns in the Senate, his appoint-
ment is in serious jeopardy. "This nomina-
tion is in serious trouble," said a Senate
Republican aide, who had been more opti-
mistic about the nominee's prospects a few
days before. "The swing is now against
Gates."
The bipartisan leadership of the Senate
select committee assigned to investigate
the Iran-Contra affair has proposed delay-
ing action on Mr. Gates's nomination. Sen.
Warren Rudman (R., N.H.), the panel's
ranking Republican, said there was no
need to wait until August, when the com-
mittee is scheduled to complete its work.
But he said that a postponement until at
least early spring is advisable to allow the
panel time to compile more information.
Sen. William Cohen, vice chairman of
the Intelligence Committee, said neither he
nor Mr. Boren wants to delay action on
?Mr. Gates's nomination until the Senate's
Iran-Contra investigation is complete.
"Neither Boren nor myself (wants) to
leave him twisting in the wind," said the
Maine Republican.
A presidential commission headed by
former Texas Sen. John Tower is sched-
uled to release a voluminous report on the
Iran-Contra affair this morning.
Mr. Casey a ears to have taken the
leadwitflilfthe CIA on the administration's
policy in Central America. ABC News re-
ported last night that the former CIA di-
rector sought help from South Africa for
the Nicaraguan Contras at a time when
Congress banned U.S. arms assistance to
them.
The report cited a trip by Mr. Casey to
South Africa in early 1985, and it said that
Southern Air Transport, a Miami-based
freight carrier linked to the private supply
network for the Contras, had used planes
leased from a South African carrier to
ferry arms to the insurgents.
The CIA denied that Mr. Casey solicited
military assistance from South Africa. And
an attorney for Southern Air last night said
that the airline's leasing of the South Afri-
can aircraft was a commercial transaction
separate from any involvement the carrier
had with the Contras.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/06/05: CIA-RDP99-01448R000301270022-2