PERSONALITY SPOTLIGHT; ROBERT GATES: ACTING CIA CHIEF

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-01448R000301260084-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 15, 2012
• Sequence Number: 84
• Publication Date: February 2, 1987
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/15: CIA-RDP99-01448R000301260084-5
2 February 1987
STAT
;:PERSONALITY SPOTLIGHT; ROBERT GATES:,% ACTING CIA CHIEF
WASHINGTON
CIA Deputy Director Robert Gates, nominated to replace William Casey as
the natiom's No. I spy, assumed overall d'i'rection of all U.S.
iti1i'ya`fi'Ce
agencies wihen Casey was operated on Dec. 18, 1986, for a cancerots brain
that eDert'uaily i`or-ced his Teti r rnert. tumor
Once his nomination by President Reagan is approved by the Senate, Gates, 43,
is e x?pe?Cted to s'ui,?ceed Casey in the twin irole as 'CIA director anL" director j of
central intelligence.
The latter embraces overall responsibility
~ for the Central Intelligence
Agine?cy, the Defense Intell 'iggen'ce Agency, the 'National Security Agency, tine State
Department's Bureau of Intelligence, various intelligence branches of.the armed
services and 'ce'rtain sections of the FBI and at-her government ay n'cies.
Gates has testified before Congress on the Iran arats--Contra aid scandal and
is certain to be called again to tell what the CIA -knew about the arms Sales
and diversion of funds to the Contras that are fighting the Sandinista
government of 'Nicaragua.
Casey had been scheduled to testify on Capital Hill for a third time when he
suffered two seizures and was admitted to the hos'pital, passing to day.-to-day
operations of the spy agency to Gates.
Secretary of State George Shultz 'caned 'Gates ' ' a worthy s'uccessor' ' and a
''genuine professional with deep knowledge of all aspects of the intelligence
'cormiaii'n i ty. ' '
Sen. David Boren Do-Okla., chairman of the Senate Intelligence Comoittee,
said th a atement he has had a good corking relatii~'ii ship With 'Gates and hoped
.to continue it.
''Mr. Gates and I have discussed our common goal of making sure that the
Intelligence -Committee and the agency will be able to share Information and
ideas on a completely candid basis.
Gates is a native of Kansas who joined the CIA in 1966, specializing in
Soviet affairs.Ne was a?9oi?ited 'Casey's 'prin'cipal deputy In April 4986.
In i9?4, he was assigned to the National Security Council staff and served
there nearly six years during the 'Nixon, ford and -Carter admi'nistrat'ions. He
returned to the CIA in January 4980.
Gates received his bachelor's degree from the College of bkilliaar and Mary in
1965 and a 'master's degree in history at Indiana University I n 1966. fe learned a
doctorate in Russian and Soviet history from Georgetown University in 1774.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/15: CIA-RDP99-01448R000301260084-5