DEVELOPMENTS DURING YOUR ABSENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP74B00415R000500090001-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 21
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 14, 2009
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: July 11, 1972
• Content Type: MF

OGC Has
Reviewed
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CONFIDENTIAL
OLC 72-0786
11 July 1972
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT: Developments During Your Absence
1. Representative Rangel Request for Reports on Drug Traffic.
You will recall that on 13 June I wrote Rangel saying that in
view of his continued interest in obtaining copies of certain Agency reports
on the illicit drug traffic, we were reexamining the possibility of declassifying
at least some of these reports. On 28 June, Rangel wrote Ingersoll of BNDD
requesting the same material. Ingersoll has referred the request to us.
(Tab A) The whole problem has been taken up with the White House, where
Walter Minick, Bud Krogh's deputy, apparently opposes declassification of
any material on the illicit drug traffic. The matter is now being reviewed
by David Young, Executive Secretary of the Interagency Review Committee
on Classification, whose decision is expected momentarily. If Young agrees
with Minick that none of the reports can be released, we should be prepared
for possible legal action, and OGC has been in touch with Justice in this
regard.
Rangel seems determined to press for a showdown. On 10 July
he issued a public statement charging that CIA's "paranoid quest for secrecy"
was keeping vital information about the drug traffic from the American public,
and that we were "covering up for the international merchants of death."
(Tab B)
2, Representative Aspi-n's Letter on Opium Smuggling.
Aspin's 27 June letter to you which appeared in the Congressional
Record on that date was received by the Agency on 3 July. We immediately
asked Aspin's office for the "additional information" which he said he had
received from Alfred McCoy. Upon examination, this additional information
DOJ review(s)
completed.
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EXEMPT FROM RENERAL CETAASSiFICATIOR
OF E. O. 11U.:2, CATEaRY: -
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ON
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CONFISENTIAL
appears to be essentially the same as that which McCoy had provided the
Proxmire Subcommittee in support of his testimony there several weeks ago.
(See Tab C for that portion of the material McCoy provided Aspin which deals
with the Agency and Air America.) FE has requested the field to report on
the detailed allegations.
Attached at Tab D is a copy of Aspin's 27 June letter to you, together
with an excerpt from the Congressional Record of 30 June containing Charlie
Gubser's comments and a copy of your reply to Aspin.
3. Allegations of Preferential Treatment Being Given to Air America.
Scoop Jackson has received a letter (Tab E) from an outfit in
Vientiane called Lao Air Development which complains that Air America is
overcharging U.S. agencies and which offers comparable services at substantially
lower rates. Craig Jarrell, who signed the letter, claims he is in touch with
Jack Anderson on the matter. We promised Jackson's office we would check
on the facts, which DDS is doing.
4. Legislative Interdepartmental Group Meeting.
At a 7 July LIG meeting serious concern was expressed regarding
the Mansfield "end the war" amendment. Apparently the Administration is
dismayed to learn that perhaps a dozen senators whose support it had assumed,
such as Chuck Percy and Jim Pearson of the Foreign Relations Committee,
have turned out to be "fence sitters" despite some active lobbying by Kissinger.
It is planned that after Congress reconvenes, Kissinger will entertain the
"fence sitters" at a breakfast and try to win them over, hoping that the
Democratic disarray following the convention, coupled with expected ARVN
military successes, will strengthen his appeal.
5. Armed Services Committee Investigation of LaVelle Case.
Stennis has sent Jim Woolsey and Larry Garcia, of the Committee
staff, to Saigon to investigate the LaVelle case. The station has been alerted
to show them appropriate courtesies but avoid any discussion of the LaVelle
matter.
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6. Interest in Hersh Articles on "Rainmaking."
On 5 July John Goldsmith called to say he had seen Seymour
Herskis New York Times story of 3 July (Tab F) alleging Agency involvement
in "rainmaking" in Indochina. He said that in view of the concern the story
would probably create on the Hill, he was calling it to Stennis' attention, with
the suggestion that Stennis get himself briefed on the matter so he could
respond to the questions that were likely to come up. In view of Hersh's
second story on the same subject on 9 July (Tab G), we should be ready for
queries by both friend and foe.
Cr'e,-; S
7. Scheduled Congressional Appearance.
rc, rk
t 5u 13
().r 1 C.
4k. 4.) tAAALAk. I-
C
abiel tv 14 if
House Foreign Affairs has you tentatively scheduleeto appear
on 27 July to discuss Soviet strategic weapons and SALT verification.
Presumably the text you used before Senate Foreign Relations with little or
25X1 no modification would be responsive to their request.
25X1
Attachments:
Tabs A - G
3
s).
4 I
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dr?oull
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_Legislative Counsel
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Was:thritoa, D. C. 20515
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CHARLES B. RANGEL
10131CONOIWPRIOhlAt. DIRTM(T
'%1111r N. ICK SWYGCRT
ADMINILITRATIVIg ASsIOTANT
HOOSG ()remit ClUIL.DINO
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20516
TC?crtioNci 202-226-4365
Ccingrax tbt raniteb a>tates-3
31)cituSe oi 3.a.epreentritibeZ
Warsbinaton, 20515
June 28, 1972
John E. Ingersoll, Director
Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs
1405 I Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20537
Dear Mr. Ingersoll:
NUM VIRGiTIIA 13ELL
OIRTRIOT ADMIt.13TPATOR
144 WELT 125TH GTRE;11T
NcW 'now, NEW YORK 10021
TELIZPHONCs 666-6600
As you know, the Select Committee on Crime has been holding
hearings in New York and Washington on drug use in our public
schools. Each witness makes it more clear that heroin addiction
among our youth cannot be wiped out as long as heroin is smuggled
into this country. I know that this, too, is your feeling and that
of BNDD.
In order to make it harder for Congress to ignore this critical
:problem, it is most imperative that we have as much information as
possible on heroin trafficking and the smuggling of other dangerous
drugs. "The World Opium Situation," which your office was kind
.enough to provide me last year was-of great assistance in this regard.
would deeply appreciate your providing me with the following reports
as well dealing with international drug traffic:
"Opium Production and Movement in the Near East and South Asia"
"The Cocaine Situation in Latin.America"
"Chemical Requirements for Opium Refining in Southeast Asia"
"The Illicit Production and Movement of Opiates in Latin America"
"Opium Poppy Cultivation in Northern Thailand"
Opium Production and Movement in Southeast Asia"
"Paraguay--Heroin Crossroads of South America"
"Recent Trends in the Illicit Narcotics Market in Southeast Asia"
"The French-Turkish Connection: The Movement of Opium and Morphine
Base from Turkey to France."
Thank you for your attention to this most important request.
With best regards, I am,
,ncer /19
4
e"/?B. Rangel
Member of Congress
CBR:e
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JL.li- ..,001hEIA
PRESS ITEM FOR THE DCI
DATE: 10 Jul
ITEM: NO,_ 12_
REF ; NO.
UPI-092
(CIA)
WASHINGTON--REP. CHARtSL RANGEL, D-N.Y., SAID TODAY A
"PARANOID QUEST FOR SECRECY" IN THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (CIA)
IS KEEPING INFORMATION ABOUT DRUG TRAFFIC IN SOUTHEAST ASIA FROM THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC.
RANGEL, A MEMBER OF THL HOUSE SELECT COMMITILk, ON GRIM., SAID THE
CIA HAS CONSISTENTLY REFUSED HIS REQUESTS FOR REPORTS ON OPIUM AND
HEROIN TRAFFICKING IN THE AREA, ALTHOUGH SOME ARE ALREADY PUBLIC
KNOWLEDGE OR ARE AVAILABLE FROM OTHER AGENCIES.
"THIS BUREAUCRATIC BUNGLING AND PARANOID QUEST FOR SECRECY ON THE
PART OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY HAS PREVENTED CONGRESS FROM
EFFiCTIVELY DETERMINING WHICH OF OUR SO-CALLED 'ALLIES' ARE
PROFITEERING IN HEROIN," HE SAID IN A STATEMENT. "EACH CITIZEN HAS
THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT IS IN THESE REPORTS -- WHICH
GOVr.RNMi.NIS ALLOW DRUG PRODUCTION TO FLOURISH AT THE EXPENSI'. OF OUR
CHILDREN'S LIVES."
RANGL SAID NINE REPORTS HE IS SEEKING FROM THE CIA NAME THr
INDIVIDUALS, TRIBES, GOVERNMENT OFFICERS AND PLACES INVOLVED IN
HEROIN TRAFFICKING IN SOUTHEAST ASIA. BUT HE SAID THE AGENCY HAS
CLASSIFIt-D THE REPORTS AND HAS REFUSED TO GIVE THEM TO HIM.
"IT IS TIME FOR THE CIA TO STOP PLAYING GAMES AND TO STOP COVERING
UP FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MERCHANTS OF DEATH so4,119 HE SAID.
YM 7-10
Comment:
25X1
These comments represent the initica and tentative reaction of the
Office of Current Intelligence to the attaohad item fram ti4 ?.,.
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IV. CIA AND AIR AMERICA INVOLVEMENT
Nelson Gross quoted the Managing Director of Air America, who called my
charge that Air America aircraft have been transporting opium "utterly and
absolutely false." Air America's involvement has been confirmed by Gen. Guano
and by Gen. Thao Ma, former commander of the Laotian Air Force, who refused
to carry opium for Gen. Guano.
I spent six days in August, 1971 in the opium-growing Moo village of
Long Pot, Laos. Ger Su Yang, the District officer, told me:
Meo officers with three Or four stripes [captain or more] came from
Long Tieng to buy our opium. They came in American helicopters,
perhaps two or three men at one time. The helicopter leaves them
here for a few days and they walk to villages over there, then come
back here and radioed Long Tieng to send another helicopter for them.
They take the opium back to Long Tieng.
This account was verified by everyone I talked with. Ger Su Yang also
reported that the helicopter pilots were always Americans. Flora Lewis,
writing in The Washington'Fost on July 23, 1971, said:
The CIA has changed its rules in an attempt to stop the use of its
private airline, Air America, for transport of drugs [opium and
heroin] in Laos. Although only two months. ago CIA director Richard
Helms adamantly denied there had been any agency involvement in this
traffic, he is now said to have told a secret Congressional hearing
that there was involvement but it has stopped..
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LES ASPIN
HIT DISTRICT, WISCONSIN
HOME OFFICES:
603 MAIN STREET
I3AcmE, WiscoN5IN 53403
414-632-8194
210 DODGE STREET
JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN 53545
608-752-9074
C,"?14-v,. m3'.5 Ilyz, 'ErLittL, atal-zi1
Ti)citz2 of ..A.epriellittatilla
alcztinc,lort, =J1).C. 20515
June 27, 1972
Mr. Richard Helms, Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C.
Dear Mr. Helms:
At-284ED SERVICES COMMITTEE
SE BCOM M ITT EE:
ARMED SERVICES SUBCOMMITTEE #4
WASHINGTON OFFICE:
515 CANNON HOUSE OFFICE
EiOILDING
202-225-3031
I am publicly releasing today substantial new evidence
that indicates that U.S. pilots flying CIA-operated helicopters
have been smuggling opium inside Laos. These allegations
are contained in a letter and additional information that
I have received from Mr. Alfred McCoy, author of a forth-
coming book on heroin traffic in Southeast Asia. If these
allegations are true, then the CIA is implicated in fostering
the drug trdffic that ruins the lives of tens of thousands
of Americans.
I am writing to you today to request that you thoroughly
investigate Mr. McCoy's allegations. Since Mr. McCoy obtained
his information last summer, it is imperative to determine
whether this kind of drug trafficking is still going on. A
principal unanswered question which the CIA must resolve is:
"At what level in the CIA were officials aware of this illicit
drug traffic?".
I hope that you will report tme in full he results
of your investigation.
LA:bk
Thank you for your cooperat
( a
Le A spin
Merrfer of C' ngress
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CONGRiiSSION as loas of Remarks June 30, 1972
CIA DOES NOT SMUGGLE OPIUM
HON. CHARLES S. CUBSER
OLIN LA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
71"ii,laSday?fune 29, 1972
. GUBSER, Sneaker, once again
there has been an upsurge in charges
alleging direct CIA involvement, in drug
traffic in Southeast Asia. These allega-
tions have proven false in the past. Last
year I personally looked into similar.
charges and I am satisfied myself that
they Were Wit:H(1/dt substance. Moreover,
in April 1.971, Mr. Richard Nelms, Di-
rector of Central Intelligence, made a
public categorical denial of Agency in-
volvement in drug traffic. before the
American i`i_iciciety of Newspaper Editors.'
life has personally reaffirmed tins denial
to ine. What the facts actually dem-
onstrated was that the CIA is cooperating
closely with other Government agencies
in a concerted effort to curb the world
drug traffic.. The efforts of these U.S.
agencies are designed to persuade conn-
tries, which for centuries have accepted
the growth or local consumption of illicit
drugs, to take stringent steps against
such practices. They are also cooperating
to eliminate the flow of these drugs into
the 'United States.
Most recently, Mr. Alfred McCoy, a
graduate student who is about to pub-
lish a book on the drug traffic in South-
east Asia, has made the same charges
against the CIA,. in early june, he aired
his charges before a Senate subcom-
mittee and received considerable pub-
licity. Immediately after Mr. McCoy's
testimony, Mr. Nelson Gross, senior ad-
viser to itie SecretaiT of State and Co-
ordinator for International Narcotics
Matters, .publicly and in detail refuted
Mr. McCoy's charges. I regret that these
allegations have been given further pub-
licity in a statement by a Member of
this body when he published in the
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD OC June 27, a let-
ter he has directed to Mr. Helms, re-
questing an investigation of the allega-
tions made by Mr. McCoy.
Mr. Speaker, Director Helms' denial of
charges that CIA has been involved in
the drug traffic has been confirmed by
other senior "U.S. Government officials.
There has been no substance to the
charges that have been leveled and it is
most regrettable that the CIA must be
the continual target of a tactic which
serves to undermine positive efforts that
are being taken under difficult circum-
stances to curb drug traillekung. Those
few who promote false accusations to the
contrary undermine the good work that
is being done and the personal integrity
of high officials of our Government. I can
assure the Members of this body and all
American citizens that our Government
is committed 100 percent to solving the
driliS problem. -
Mr. Speaker, while it is unfortunate
that tiiese old Ciiarg,TS have been pubi.lc-
ly aired. again, I believe that Mr. Helms'
letter of June 28 on this subject should
also be included in the RzeoRD:
CENTRAL INILLLIGGNCE AGENCY,
Ok'FiCE DIR.ECTOil ,
June 28, 1972.
Hon. Lim Asvist,
Ii use of Representatives,
. Was& in fi ton, D.C.
Dasa Ma. Asp SN: Congressional Record
of June 27, 1912, wTies a letter addressed
'to inc by you announcing your release of
"substantial nev., evidence that inches tea 11.5.
pilots lying CIA operated helicopters have
'been smuggling opium Inside Laos."
I have yet to receive your letter. Pending
its receipt, however, I than begin it thorough
investigation of this alleged, "new evidence"
and wlii advise you in due course of the IT:-
sults. In this connection. I call to your at-
tention the testimony of Mr. Nelson Gross,
Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Slate iind
Coordinator for international Narcotics Mat-
ters, before the CoLgressional Inquiry He-
gardIng International Narcotics 1LJIic on
June 0, 1972. He there quoted the Al' Amer-
ica Managing Director's statement that Mr.
Alfred McCoy's allegation before the For-
eign Operations Subcommittee of the Senate
Appropriations Committee that Air America
aircraft have been transporting opium 4).
Northern Laos on a regular basis is "utterly
anti absolutely false."
In the interim, I wish to reiterate strongly
what I have said publicly to the America
Society of Newspaper Editors:
"There is the arrant nonsense that the
Central Intelligence Agency is SOnlenOW in-
volved in the world drug traffic. We arc not.
As fathers, we are as concerned about the
lives of our children and grandchildren as
are all of you. As an Agency, in fact, We
ore heavily engaged In tracing the foreign
roots of the drug traffic for the Bureau of
Narcotics end Dangerous Drugs. We hope we
are helping with a solution: we know we
are not contributing to the problem."
In addition, you will have no doubt noticed
in the Congressional Record Of .7arie 2, 1971, ?
that Congressman Charles Oubser cited a
letter from Mr. John Ingersoll, Director of
the Bureau Of MITCOtieFi and Dangerous
Drugs, attesting to the fact that this Agency
has taken a. great number of steps against
the narcotics trade. Further, we have is-
sued the strongest. instructions, and have
most vigorously enforced them, to prohibit
any inadvertent use of CIA facilities by nar-
cotics Sinn gglero.
In the light of these well-established posi-
tions, we find it disappointing to be sub-
.jected to the, typo of public allegation rep-
resented by graduate student McCoy's Rs-.
Zell;i011S of "new evidence," the innuendo in
which can only dishearten CIA personnel of
honor and integrity working against this
nefarious trade.
I have taken the liberty of sending a copy
of this letter to Congressman Gubser be-
cause of his interest la these matters.
Sincerely,
Wei-stew Hz.i.ms, Director.
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hi I:I ? ? la 4
OL,C 72-0768
5 July 1972
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Senate Armed Services Committee Interest in Hersh
Story re "Rainmaking"
1. This morning John Goldsmith, of the Senate Armed Services
Committee staff, called to say that the New York Times story by Seymour
Hersh of 3 July 1972 (copy attached) was attracting considerable interest
and would no doubt be the subject of formal inquiry during upcoming Senate
deliberations. He said the subject might be brought up in connection with
discussion of the pending "end the war" amendment to the Foreign Assistance
Authorization bill, and almost certainly would come up in connection with
the discussion of Indochina when the Defense Procurement bill came up.
2. Goldsmith said he wanted to let us know that for the above reasons
he felt he should call the matter to the attention of Chairman Stennis, and
was therefore preparing a note for Stennis (now out of town) suggesting that
Stennis get himself briefed on the subject and be forearmed with information
necessary to respond to the questions which are likely to come up.
3. I told Goldsmith that I knew nothing about the substance of these
allegations but appreciated his alerting us.
Att.
Distribution:
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Cloud Seeding in Indochina Confirmed?I
Chemicz21 Also Employed to Foil Radar
tnt SE`i!A?IOLif IfF.2itS:
I wo main monsoon seasons that ,
at act Laos and Vietnam. "It,-,sevell inches of rain- in two
was just trying 10 add on to Humrs on one of our. Special
scii.t.etiting, that you aireadY 1011' Cs camps."
got," one ofiieer iid.?
ilitiay sources sai [Iiiat ono
DesPite the professed skepti?
Roat was to increase tie ,eisni on the part of some mom-
J.
J?ai,;(,11 of the southwest mon. iners of the Johnson Administra-
soon, which spawns high-rising Tullital?Y men aPimuelitlY
cumulus clouds ? those most took the weather modification
susceptible to cloud. seeding? Progi inn niuch 11101.0 seriously.
?over the panhandle areas of According to a document
Loos and North Vietnam from contained in the Pentagon
fIllY ii) cariyl October. The long- papers, the Defense 1.),part.
,Spec!r,1 ta New York LiLic: rainy. season thus would give nient's secret history of the war,
wAsHINGTON, july 1.What,s vorso,,, or,c official t C An horCe 1110i'0 opportun- w.etti,ier modification was one,
to ninsto-ins (4 seven basic r s-
United Sti?ites has 'peen secretly asked, " d Of! 1)0 b its Wombs or, we, , ` ? ?
e e aying 1.0 arrange ping up Lesa options fo tel)
r that were pi
seeding clouds over North Vi- rain?"
the weather pattern to suit our tatiitt,d on request by the Joint!
etnam, Laos and South Viet- All of the officials inter-! CC.,:Venienee said one foimer, 'Chiefs of Staff to 'the Witite?
viewed said that: the united! Government official who hadl llouse in late February, ,1 t
cletaiied knowledge of thc,?opor- Tile dOCUMChi. deSerihed the!
Stiites not have the capabil-;
? ation, weather program over Laot.---1
itY to cause ileavY ditr-; According to interviews, the ?officinily known as Operati0:1
lug the summer in the northern! Central Intelligence Agency in- Pop--i lye--as an atiempt "tol
parts of North Vietnam, where itimod the use of cloud-seeding "reduce traffieahnity along
infil-
seriouS flooding occurred last over :Thu; in tilt? nOrtheril part ltration routes."
jof South Vietnam. "We first ?
Authoriati
ye.ar zon Needed
.
? , t used that stuff in about August I
Officially, the White o, oi.? formerCiAIt said that Presidential
and State Department declined; agent said, "when the Diem,inuthorization was "requited to
comment on the use of mete- I regime was having all that ,itoPit'ntent 01)enal:1ot-1n' Plittst! of
0010 cal warfare. "This is cut.el trouble the Luddhists."St I mr modifietition process
of those things where no one "They would ;list stand Previously successfully tested
oing t:o say ,,?,,tarmincli during deiriOriStiltiOnS !.1.;lnd eVahlatCd S;Inle
the police threw tear gas ie brief summary concluded
official said.JJ
them, but we noticed that by stating that "risk of corn,
Most officialti,,,,.,lntervicwedliv,-ht,n the! rains came they promise is minimal," ?
-tgreed that the seeding had Ilwouldn't stay on the foriner , ? A similar oinion was cited
in F10011101' !,167 '5 (II donl-
ACCOMpliSlli2C4 011C it,,
, AI ? . T.,
ObjeCtiVCS ? ;nuddying rono5 yemerica Iliecchcrall and had
and 1-1000ing Of communi- lit rigged up with silver iodide,"
cation'. /WI: there \stare cdso, he said. "There was another
many military and Government! OttmonstratiOn and we seeded
officials who expressed doubt l the arc". It l'a,ined."
- A similar cieud?seeding was
that the project had caused any;
carried out by C.I.A. aircraft in
dramatic results.
Siogon at least once during the
? The sources, without pro,,.i.1- l summer of 1664, the former
ing detaiiS, 1150 Said thiflt a I agent said.
method had been developed for Expanded to Trail
nan1 to increase and control the?
rainfall for militaty purposes.
Government sources, both ci-
vilian and military, said during
an extensive series of inter-
views that the Air Force cloud-
scaling program has been
aimed most recently at hinder-
ing movement of. North Viet-
!maltose troops and equipment
;and suppressing enemy 01 Li
missile fire.
The disetosure confirmed I
growing speculation in Con-i
gressional and scientific circlesl
about the use of weather mod-
in Southeast Asia. De-1
years of experiments with
imiimaking in the United States
and elsewhere, scientists !are
not sure they -understand its
long-term effect on the ecology
of a region.
Sonic Opposed Vrogram
Tho weather manipulation in
In which was first
tried in South Vietnam in 1963,
is the first confirmed use of
meteorological , warfare. Al-
though it is not prohibited by
any international conventions
on warfare, artifical rainmak-
ing has been strenuously op?
posed by some State Depart-
ment officials.
? It could. not be determined
whether the operations Were
being conducted in connection
with the current North Viet-
namese offensive or the
renewed American bombing of
the North.
Effectiveness Douhied
fleit dublisneu ill the Pentagon
papers. Neithei? attracted any
immediate public attention.
The Laos cloud-seeding op-
erations did provoke, however,
a lengthy and bitter, albeit
secret, dispute inside the john?
son Administration in 11)67. A'
teehl of State Department at-
torneys and officials protested
that the use of cloud-seeding
was a dangerous precedent for
the United States,
treating clouds with a che.micalt Tile Intelligence Agency ex:-,. "I felt that the military and
that ?cv-entually produced an; panded 115 cloud-sceding .activi- agency hadn't analyzed it to
acidic rainf;in capable of foul-, ties to the Ho Cid Minh supply determine if it was in our
tug the ?Niltdion of N?Ilth Viet7!trah in Laos sometime in the interest," one official who was
namese radar equipment uset. middle nineteen-sixties, a num- involved in the dispute saki.
for directing surface-io-air lins-lber of Government sources Fe also was concerned over
sites. . said. by 1967, the Air Force the rigid secrecy of the project,
In addition to lhamPertng,h&a become involved although, he said, "although it might
SAM missiles 'and dtellig as ono former Government of- have been all right to keep it
North Vietnamese infiltration, said, "the at,,,eney was secret 'if you did it once a?ci
(11(10 1: want the precedent to
become known."
The general feeling was sum-
marized by one !former State
Department official- who said
he was concerned that the
rainmaking "might violate what
WC considered the general ruie
of the thumb for an illegal
weapon of war?something
I3egthrlillg in 1967, s"le ? 4.:Altcring or tailoring the; The state of the art had not that would Cause unusual suf-
State Departnient officials pro- rain ptitterns cver No yiet-k'et advanced to thc point where feting or dispropriate ttainage."
,tested that the United Stales, nam and Laos to aid United :it. was possible to predict the .There also was concern. het ,
leliberately altering the nal- Sta?t.,,er: hothhin r 0.s t a of a seeding Operation I added, becau th
se of e unklIOW11
LIVerting Not .1, ,
ltrral raitlfall in parts o. ludo- ;men and nititortai from rrinit,Ary lecological sks
china WaS taking enviromnen- operations to keep muddied; 'Yon aministrallon of-
ltal risks of unknown proPor- !roads and other lines of cons- i.i,t.otind arid
J"We USCC1 to go out flying j???;"\,;.m.11 ,?,
richt, he 0C ,S
. first uso ol weather modui-
ing for cer-
Itions. But. many advocrites of imunication in operation, ltain cloud formation," the ()fit-
,
cation over North Vietna:n
the operation have found little. iieyed 'Io .0045000 ? ? lc :Z.,' 110 "And we made a lot of tonk late, I.;Gp,
wi-ong with using weather mod- Tho (10,1,1.[,00,Thif! w)eration l Mistakes. Once we (lumped ? ? or,,. . . .
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the Vail;11;dkirig p:Ocyarr, lied Cflul 11. . .
"
the f011OWing purposes: "I" always assumed the rigor,
c;Pi?oviding 1-a11? and 0:111d Cy had is mandate from the
COVer for nI11 rat ion of r.;nuth .m.jto iiouso to do it,'' he
Victnamese command and in- added. -
telligence teams into North. A number of former CIA, and?
Vietnam. ,high-ranking Johnson Adminis-
Servint.t. as a tOl'ltration officials depicted the
,North Virmaracse att:tcks andopC'r,lI 05 along the trail as
raids in South Vh:tnam.
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the istration had been hoti in the
i..aotiatt border. dark.
Ovcr the next two years, , to tho last year, there havt.:
s official added, "it seemed !been repeated in and
get more important?the re- 'publicly posed questions by
were coming moro fre- itientibers of Ccmgress a bo?tht:
quently." !weather moditicotion programs
It could not be learned how iii Southeast Ass, hut. no ac-
many specific: mission5. were icurate iriforrocit.on has been
cal ;tied out 10 any year. iprovided to th,n by the Dc-
Due well-informed source said 'nal-in:0M of Dei'erise
? that Navy scientist ViCre re- "This hint: of thing was a
spor,sibio foi? devolop;ng a new ;bomb, and ileniv restricted in-
kinit Of chemical cigent effee- !formation about it to those who
live in the warm stratus clouds 111!ad to know," said one well-
that often shielded many key P;acted Government official, re-
antiaircraft sites in northern ferring to Lenny A. 1;issinger,
parts of North Vietnam. the President's adviser on na-
Trio chemical, he said, "pro- tional security.
duce(' a rain that had ,an acidic Nonethiess, the official said,
quality to it and it would foul "I under.stood it to he a spoil-
up mechanical equipment?like ing action?tin-it, this was dc-
radars, trucks and tanks." scriptive ofv,diat was going on
? "'rids wasn't originally in our north of the 1):4Z with the
planning," the official added, roads and the SAM sites."
"It was a iat.i.incinent." Another source said that
Apd.arcutiy, nalny Air Force most of the weather inoditdett-
elouchseeding missions were lion activities eventually Were
conducted over North Vietnam conducted vt?ith tlie aid and sup-
and Law> simply to confuse or port of the tiottth Vietnamese.
"at termate"---a word used by "1 think we were trying to
many military men?the radar teach the Soul I., Vietnamese how
equipment that controls anti-; to fly the eiouctsceding
aircraft ini.ssiles. The planes sions," the source said.
used for such Operations, C:-1 It was impoasible tn learn
toast fly at relatively' where the staffing, and reseal oh
slow speeds and at altitudes nil l for the secret Weather opera-,
greater than 22,000 fce to dis- tion were carried out. Sourccs:
I'' 'so the rainmaking chemicals it the Air Force Cambridge;
.'clively. Research Laboratories at Iians-,
nurribez- of officials con_ comb Field in 1:ed.-Ord, Mass.,!
cd I het, cloud seeding had and at the Air Weather Service;
ocent widely used in South Vict- headquarters, while cieknowl-!!
.
nail, particularly in the north odtitijog that they had heard of
along the Laos border. "We the secret operation, said they
tried to use it in connection ha ditto information about its
with air and ground opera- research oeflIcfc,
was. a military officer ex. One Government source did
planed, say that a group was ''nowi
evaluating the program to see,
One Government official ex-
r how much additional rain was;
plained more explicitly that "ii
"
you were expecting a raid fm lie would not elabo-I
['morn caused.
their side, you would try to rate.
control the weather to make
it more difficult." 'Ibis official1
estimated that more than half
Of the actual cloud-seeding
operations in 1069 and 1970
took place in South Vietnam.
Much of the basic research
was provided by Navy scien-
tists, and the seeding operations
were flown by the Air Weather
Service of the Air Force.
iJy 1937, or possibly earlier,
the Air Force flights were orig-
inating from a special opera-
tions group at lIdorrf air base
in Thailand. No more thark four
Ci 30's, and usually only two,
were assigned in the highly
restricted section of the base.
Each plane was capable of car-
rying Out more than one mis-
kion on one flight.
One former high-ranking of-
.ratial said in an interview that
by the end of 1071 the pro-
gram, which had been given at
least three different code names
since the middle nineteen-six,
ties, was under the direct con-
trol of the White ilouse.,
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NEW YORK TIMES
Pentagon:
wea
ar-IN
\yea,
Of War
e
IAN
? WASHINGTON?Dr. Gordon J. F.
,.MacDonald, a prominent geophysicist
who had just completed a tour as vice
president of the Defense Department's ,
:institute of Defense Analysis, pub-
lished in 1968 a little-noted but chilling
study on the military potential of
tneterological warfare. He listed a num- ?
.ber of options available to those who
would choose to tamper with nature.
Among them:
'44 Altering the world's temperature
rocketing materials into the earth's
upper atmosphere to either absorb light
'(thereby cooling the surface below) or
,absorb outgoing heat (thereby heating
the surface below). This technique
,_?..
.could be targeted at a specific area.
Triggering tidal waves by set.
?trig off a series 'of underground ex-
plosions along the edge of the Conti-
mental Shelf, or by producing a natural
.earthquake. A guided tidal wave could
.be, achieved by correctly shaping the
energy-release sources.
rt 9 Changing the physical makeup
of the atmosphere by creating, with ?
?a rocket or similar weapon, a "hole"
in the important ozone layer between
-40 and 30 miles up that is responsible
? for absorbing much of the ultra-violet
light cast from the sun. Without the
-protective layer of ozone, a molecular
form of oxygen, the radiation would
.he fatal to all human, plant and animal
life that could not take shelter in the
affected area below.
it Dr. MacDonald (who is now a
!member of the White House Council on
elinvironmental Quality) made it clear
? that his essay was based only on spec-
ulation. Last week, however, it became
? ? known that at least part of his maca-
:e weather arsenal had been secretly
use by the United States since the ?
a1960's.
.0, Air Force planes, supported by the
Central Intelligence Agency, have been
;
waging a systematic war of rain on
the infiltration trails of Laos, Cam-
bodia, North Vietnam and South Viet-
nam. The intent: suppress enemy anti-
missile fire, provide cover for South
Vietnamese commando teams pene-
trating the North and hinder the
movement of men and materiel from
North Vietnam into the South.
The first experimental rain-making
mission was flown by the C.I.A. in
South Vietnam in 1963, but it was not
until 1965 that a group of Air Force
scientists officially was ordered to
start thinking of ways to turn nature
into a military tool.
"We all sat down in a big brain-
storming session," said one of the
scientists who participated at the Air
Force Cambridge Research Labora-
tories at Ilanscomb Field near Bedford,
Mass. "The idea was to increase the
rain and reduce the trafficabiiity in all
of Southeast Asia."
Within a year, the Air Force and
C.I.A. began a highly secret rain-mak-
ing project over the Ho Chi Minh Trail
? in Laos, known as "Operation Pop-
Eye." There were heated protests from
, the State Department, and eventually
a directive from the Secretary of De-
fense Robert S. McNamara 'ordering a
halt to the project. Instead, well-
qualified sources said last week, "it
went underground?into the dark."
. From 1969 through at least early
this year, weather warfare was a
covert operation being directed by the
Joint Chiefs of Staff with White House
, acquiescence.
The fact that the program existed
at all came to light only last week in
? The New York Times. But, despite an
extensive investigation, it could not be
learned how successful the program
had been, how many missions were
? conducted or whether it was still being
used in connection with the heavy
bombing of North Vietnam that fol-
lowed the enemy offensive last April.
Making rain has long been techni-
cally feasible. Scientists have learned
that rain fall can be increased
by as much as 40 per cent after seed-
ing clouds by aircraft with silver-io-
dide particles. Other chemicals, includ-
ing dry ice, also have been used with
success, both in the United States and
in Southeast Asia.
Military and Government specialists
'acknowledge that there is little precise
scientific knowledge of the short-range
impact of cloud seeding and practi-
cally none of the long-range ecological
effect of changing the amount of
natural rainfall. Some scientists have
A
,
published data suggesting that weather
'modification, in combination with
?other ecological stresses such as air
'pollution and pesticides, may have a
t; synergistic effect?that is, result in
t- collective changes far greater than
either abuse would have caused , by
? itself.
In Indochina, where heavy bombing
already has robbed much of the land-
scape of its natural water-holding ca-
pability by destroying foliage and trees,
artifically induced rains may result in
far greater flooding than expected.
-??along with heavier soil erosion. ?
? Technically,. - there are no interna-
tional agreements outlawing such war-
fare. But Government officials made
clear last week that the weather-mak-
ing activity of the Air Force was
shielded from public view because of
, White House sensitivity to what could
be regarded as the impropriety of the
action. The issue, one well-informed
official said, was .one in which Henry
A. Kissinger, the President's national-
security adviser, took a personal hand.
? "This kind of thing was a bomb," the
' official said, "and Henry restricted
information about it to those who had
to ?knows".
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