ON 20 MARCH YOU WILL BE SPEAKING TO A GROUP OF ABOUT 400 COMMUNITY LEADERS AT A LUNCHEON OF THE PALM BEACH ROUND TABLE.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-00777R000401060001-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 20
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 28, 2014
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: March 20, 1989
• Content Type: MEMO

2' flCT
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Distribution:
Orig.- DCI
25X1 1
1
1 - D/PAO
1-i
25X1 1 -
JUDGE: 1 - PAO Registry
1 - PAO A
25X1 1 (Chrono)
PAO 89-0083
14 March 1989
On 20 March you will be speaking to a group of about 400 community leaders
at a luncheon of the Palm Beach Round Table. As we discussed at our meeting
with the speechwriters, your proposed remarks consider developments in the
Soviet Union and the spread of chemical weapons.
The speech is similar to the one you gave to the Tucson Committee on
Foreign Relations on 5 January. The speechwriters updated that speech by
talking with analysts in the Office of Soviet Analysis, the Arms Control
Intelligence Staff, and the Office of Scientific and Weapons Research. Bob
Blackwell, NIO/USSR, coordinated on the final text.
You may wish to consider the information in footnotes 1 and 2 on your
previous remarks to the group and on their special Afghan project as you
fashion your introduction. The Soviet section of the speech includes the most
recent developments in the Baltic and the reconvening of the conventional arms
talks in Geneva last week. The chemical weapons section includes a reference
to the speech Secretary Baker made in Geneva, in which he called for an
international conference to consider the international trade in precursor
chemicals and technology.
After considering the role of intelligence in assessing the Soviet Union
and chemical weapons, you discuss the changes you have made at CIA since your
appointment nearly two years ago. You also stress the vital importance of
people to our success.
Your proposed remarks are attached. If tomorrow's plenum of the Soviet
Central Committee produces any unforeseen developments, we will update your
remarks.
Attachment:
as stated
Regrade as UNCLASSIFIED when
separated from attachments.
25X1
-"SteRE-T--
Bill Baker
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? ,
PROPOSED REMARKS
BY
WILLIAM H. WEBSTER
DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
BEFORE THE
PALM BEACH ROUND TABLE
MARCH 20, 1989
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IT REALLY IS A PLEASURE TO BE IN PALM BEACH AGAIN. ((YOU
MAY WISH TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THE FIRST TIME YOU
ADDRESSED THE PALM BEACH ROUND TABLE IN 19801 OR ABOUT THE
ROUND TABLE'S AFGHANISTAN PROJECT.2))
IT IS STILL EARLY IN THE YEAR AND EARLY IN THE TERM OF OUR
FORTY-FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. YET PRESIDENT BUSH
ALREADY FACES A HOST OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT AFFECT
U.S. INTERESTS -- FROM CENTRAL AMERICA TO CENTRAL AFRICA, AND
FROM INSURGENCY TO THE SPREAD OF AIDS. THE PRESIDENT WILL RELY
ON THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY FOR ACCURATE, TIMELY, AND
OBJECTIVE INFORMATION ON THESE DEVELOPMENTS AND ON WHAT THEY
MEAN FOR OUR NATIONAL INTERESTS.
THIS AFTERNOON I WOULD LIKE TO CONCENTRATE ON TWO VERY
IMPORTANT ISSUES FOR THE PRESIDENT AND FOR THE COUNTRY -- WHAT
IS GOING ON IN THE SOVIET UNION AND WHAT WE HAVE SEEN DEVELOP
WITH THE SPREAD OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS. WE ARE WITNESSING MANY
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CHANGES IN THE TRADITIONAL THREAT POSED TO US BY THE U.S.S.R.
AND, AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN THE THREAT
POSED TO THE UNITED STATES AND, INDEED, TO WORLD PEACE BY THE
PRODUCTION AND USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO
DISCUSS WITH YOU SOME OF THE CHANGES WE HAVE UNDERGONE AT THE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY DURING THE PAST TWO YEARS --
CHANGES THAT I BELIEVE MAKE IT EASIER FOR US TO DO OUR JOBS.
THE SOVIET UNION IS -- AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE -- THE
PRIMARY FOCUS OF OUR INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS. ITS
MILITARY CAPABILITY, ITS EFFORTS TO INCREASE GLOBAL INFLUENCE,
AND ITS AGGRESSIVE INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES ARE STILL SERIOUS
THREATS TO U.S. INTERESTS.
GORBACHEV'S EFFORTS TO REFORM HIS COUNTRY HAVE NOT
FUNDAMENTALLY ALTERED THESE TRUTHS. IN FACT, THEY PROBABLY
MAKE THE SOVIET UNION OF EVEN GREATER CONCERN TO U.S.
INTELLIGENCE.
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LIKE MANY OF YOU, I HAVE BEEN FASCINATED BY WHAT IS
- OCCURRING IN THE SOVIET UNION. GORBACHEV HAS STIRRED UP THE
STEW -- BRINGING NEW LIFE AND DYNAMISM TO SOVIET POLITICS AND
PUSHING A SERIES OF REFORMS THAT NONE OF US COULD HAVE FORESEEN
FIVE YEARS AGO.
THE FORCES OF DEMOCRACY ARE MAKING SOME POLITICAL AND
ECONOMIC INROADS -- ESPECIALLY IN THE BALTIC REPUBLICS.
ALTHOUGH THE U.S.S.R. IS CERTAINLY NOT HEADED TOWARD DEMOCRACY
AS WE KNOW IT, TODAY'S SOVIET LEADERS APPEAR TO UNDERSTAND THAT
THEIR SYSTEM IS FALTERING LARGELY BECAUSE IT HAS NOT GIVEN THE
PEOPLE ENOUGH BREATHING ROOM -- ROOM TO INQUIRE AND ROOM TO
UNLOCK CREATIVITY.
CHANGE IS OCCURRING IN THE AREA OF FOREIGN POLICY AS WELL.
THIS SOVIET LEADER HAS SIGNALED BY WORD AND DEED THAT HE WANTS
THE U.S.S.R. TO BE A MORE ACTIVE AND EFFECTIVE PLAYER ON THE
WORLD SCENE. HE IS MORE WILLING THAN PAST SOVIET LEADERS TO
REEVALUATE THE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF SOVIET FOREIGN POLICIES,
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TO MAKE DECISIONS ON THAT BASIS, AND EVEN, ON OCCASION, TO HEAD
OFF IN NEW DIRECTIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE SOVIETS WITHDREW THEIR
FORCES FROM AFGHANISTAN BY FEBRUARY 15, REVERSING A POLICY THAT
HAD BEEN DIVISIVE AND COSTLY. AND THEY ARE ELIMINATING A WHOLE
CLASS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS UNDER THE I.N.F. TREATY -- A PROCESS
THAT INCLUDES UNPRECEDENTED ON-SITE INSPECTIONS OF SOVIET
MILITARY FACILITIES.
GORBACHEV'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF UNILATERAL TROOP REDUCTIONS AT
THE UNITED NATIONS LAST DECEMBER ILLUSTRATES HIS WILLINGNESS TO
PURSUE RADICALLY DIFFERENT APPROACHES EVEN AS IT HIGHLIGHTS THE
CHALLENGES THAT THESE NEW APPROACHES REPRESENT FOR THE WESTERN
ALLIANCE. TWO WEEKS AGO THE UNITED STATES AND ITS ALLIES
RECONVENED NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE WARSAW PACT ABOUT CONVENTIONAL
FORCES IN ALL OF EUROPE, INCLUDING THE EUROPEAN U.S.S.R. THE
SOVIETS ARE MAKING IT CLEAR THAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO REDUCE
THE ADVANTAGE THEY HOLD IN SOME ELEMENTS OF GROUND FORCES.
HOWEVER, THEY ARE DEMANDING THAT, IN RETURN, THE WEST REDUCE
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WHAT THE SOVIETS CLAIM IS AN ADVANTAGE IN AIR FORCES. THESE
NEGOTIATIONS PRESENT CHALLENGES -- BUT ALSO OPPORTUNITIES --
FOR THE WEST TO MAINTAIN UNITY WITHIN OUR ALLIANCE AND YET WORK
WITH THE WARSAW PACT TO MAKE REAL REDUCTIONS IN CONVENTIONAL
FORCES,
THE DRAMATIC NATURE OF THESE POLICY CHANGES CLEARLY HAS
PROVOKED CONTROVERSY WITHIN THE SOVIET UNION. A MAJOR POWER
STRUGGLE CONTINUES BETWEEN REFORMERS, WHO BELIEVE RADICAL
CHANGES ARE NECESSARY TO MAKE THE COMMUNIST SYSTEM WORK, AND
CONSERVATIVES, WHO FEAR SUCH CHANGES COULD DESTABILIZE THE VERY
SYSTEM THEY ARE TRYING TO SAVE. THE RECENTLY CONCLUDED CENTRAL
COMMITTEE PLENUM DEALING WITH SOVIET AGRICULTURE PROVIDED CLEAR
EVIDENCE OF THIS CLASH OF VIEWS. THE ULTIMATE OUTCOME OF
STRUGGLES SUCH AS THIS ONE WILL AFFECT HOW FAR AND HOW FAST
REFORM PROGRESSES, THE EXTENT TO WHICH CENTRAL AUTHORITY IS
RELAXED, THE GENERAL WELFARE OF THE INDIVIDUAL, AND HOW
COMPETITIVE THE SOVIET SYSTEM WILL BE OVER THE NEXT FEW DECADES.
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THERE ARE STRONG REASONS TO QUESTION WHETHER A SYSTEM
DESIGNED TO CENTRALIZE AUTHORITY, MAXIMIZE GOVERNMENT CONTROL
OVER ITS PEOPLE, AND CONCENTRATE RESOURCES ON BUILDING UP THE
NATION'S MILITARY CAN BECOME MORE DECENTRALIZED AND DEMOCRATIC
IN ITS DECISIONMAKING AND MORE SOLICITOUS OF ITS PEOPLE.
NATIONALIST UNREST IS CURRENTLY TESTING THE SOVIET SYSTEM'S
ABILITY TO MAKE REFORMS WORK. COMMUNAL UNREST IN ARMENIA AND
AZERBAIJAN HAS FORCED MOSCOW TO PUT THE REGION IN A VIRTUAL
STATE OF MARTIAL LAW ON A SEMIPERMANENT BASIS. LAST NOVEMBER,
THE COMMUNIST LEADERSHIP OF ESTONIA DECLARED THE REPUBLIC
"SOVEREIGN" -- AN UNTHINKABLE DEVELOPMENT EVEN A YEAR AGO. IN
LITHUANIA, BOTH THE POPULAR FRONT ORGANIZATION AND THE ROMAN
CATHOLIC CHURCH HAVE PUBLICLY PLEDGED TO WORK FOR
SOVEREIGNTY.3 THESE DEVELOPMENTS ARE PUTTING INCREASING
PRESSURE ON GORBACHEV. IT IS BY NO MEANS CERTAIN -- AND MANY
DOUBT IT -- THAT MINORITY ASPIRATIONS FOR AUTONOMY OR EVEN
INDEPENDENCE CAN BE SQUARED WITH MOSCOW'S NEED FOR CONTROL.
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BUT IF THE LAST THREE YEARS HAVE TAUGHT US ANYTHING AT ALL,
IT IS THAT GORBACHEV IS A HIGHLY SKILLED POLITICIAN. ONLY LAST
FALL, HE SUCCESSFULLY UNDERTOOK THE MOST SWEEPING OVERHAUL OF
THE TOP PARTY LEADERSHIP SINCE KHRUSHCHEV OUSTED HIS CHIEF
OPPONENTS IN 1957. WE CANNOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT HE
CAN, ULTIMATELY, PULL OFF A "REVOLUTION FROM ABOVE" THAT
ACTUALLY INCREASES AUTHORITY BELOW.
THE SOVIET REFORM EFFORT PRESENTS THE U.S. INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY WITH SOME FORMIDABLE CHALLENGES. WE MUST PAY CLOSER
ATTENTION THAN EVER TO THE POLITICAL STRUGGLES AND ISSUES BEING
RAISED AS GORBACHEV CHALLENGES THE ESTABLISHED INTERESTS OF
INDIVIDUALS AND INSTITUTIONS WITHIN HIS COUNTRY. AND WE WILL
PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE NATIONALIST GROUPS IN THE
BALTIC AND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE U.S.S.R. WHO ARE INCREASINGLY
TESTING THE LIMITS OF GLASNOST.
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WE MUST ALSO HELP THE POLICYMAKER SORT OUT HOW REFORM WILL
AFFECT SOVIET MILITARY AND ECONOMIC CAPABILITIES AND -- EVEN
MORE DIFFICULT -- HOW IT MAY CHANGE MOSCOW'S FOREIGN POLICY.
WE MUST MANAGE THE INFORMATION EXPLOSION THAT GLASNOST HAS
PRODUCED WHICH, THOUGH WELCOME, CHALLENGES US TO SORT OUT WHAT
IS IMPORTANT AND WHAT IS NOT, WHAT IS REAL VERSUS WHAT MOSCOW
WANTS US TO HEAR.
WE MUST PROVIDE INTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS FOR U.S.-SOVIET ARMS
CONTROL TALKS. AS THESE NEGOTIATIONS PROGRESS, THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY WILL BE INCREASINGLY ASKED TO ASSESS
SOVIET MOTIVATIONS AND MONITOR SOVIET COMPLIANCE WITH THE
PROVISIONS OF AGREEMENTS.
AND THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT REQUIRED IS TREMENDOUS. THE
I.N.F. TREATY HAS REQUIRED THE UNITED STATES TO MONITOR ABOUT
120 FACILITIES DECLARED BY THE SOVIETS, MONITORING THE START
TREATY, WHICH IS BEING NEGOTIATED IN GENEVA, COULD INVOLVE AS
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MANY AS 2,500 WEAPON LOCATIONS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE SOVIET
UNION.
MONITORING AGREEMENTS ON STRATEGIC WEAPONS, HOWEVER, WOULD
BE RELATIVELY SIMPLE COMPARED TO MONITORING AN AGREEMENT TO
REDUCE CONVENTIONAL FORCES. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT MIGHT HAVE TO
MONITOR AN AREA ENCOMPASSING ABOUT 10 MILLION SQUARE KILOMETERS
-- OVER 6 MILLION SQUARE MILES -- AND LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF
WARSAW PACT UNITS AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TANKS, ARMORED
VEHICLES, ARTILLERY PIECES, AND OTHER KINDS OF EQUIPMENT. THE
COST IN MONEY AND MANPOWER COULD BE STAGGERING.
YET WHATEVER ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENTS THE U.S. MAKES WITH
THE SOVIETS, OUR RELATIONSHIP IS LIKELY TO REMAIN ESSENTIALLY
ADVERSARIAL. POLICYMAKERS WILL DEPEND ON THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY TO MAKE QUICK AND ACCURATE ASSESSMENTS -- AND EVEN TO
ANTICIPATE GORBACHEV'S SOMETIMES UNORTHODOX AND UNEXPECTED
INITIATIVES.
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BUT THE SOVIET UNION IS CERTAINLY NOT OUR ONLY FOCUS.
ANOTHER MAJOR QUESTION WE ARE CONSIDERING IS WHAT LESSONS IRAN
AND IRAQ -- AND THE REST OF THE WORLD -- HAVE LEARNED FROM
THEIR BITTER CONFLICT, A CONFLICT THAT INVOLVED THE FIRST
SUSTAINED USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS SINCE WORLD WAR I.
AFTER THE FIRST WORLD WAR, THE USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS WAS
OUTLAWED BY SIGNERS OF THE 1925 GENEVA PROTOCOL, DURING WORLD
WAR II -- EVEN DURING THE MOST DESPERATE BATTLES -- BOTH SIDES
REFRAINED FROM USING CHEMICAL WEAPONS -- WEAPONS THAT WINSTON
CHURCHILL REFERRED TO AS "THAT HELLISH POISON."
THE IRAN-IRAQ WAR ENDED THAT RESTRAINT AND SET A DANGEROUS
PRECEDENT FOR FUTURE WARS. THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY HAS
CONSIDERABLE EVIDENCE THAT IRAQ USED CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST
IRAN AND ALSO AGAINST IRAQI KURDS. IRAN, TOO, EMPLOYED
CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST IRAQI TROOPS.
I'M SURE YOU'VE READ MANY ACCOUNTS DURING THE LAST SEVERAL
MONTHS ABOUT THE USE OF AND THE EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
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YOU MAY KNOW, TOO, THAT CONGRESS IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT
CHEMICAL WEAPONS PROLIFERATION. JUST THIS PAST MONTH I
TESTIFIED BEFORE THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE AND THE
SENATE GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ON THE PRODUCTION AND USE
OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS. THESE WEAPONS ARE THOUGHT TO OFFER A
CHEAP AND READILY OBTAINABLE MEANS OF REDRESSING THE MILITARY
BALANCE AGAINST MORE POWERFUL FOES. SOME SEE THEM AS THE POOR
MAN'S ANSWER TO NUCLEAR WEAPONS, AND MORE THAN 20 COUNTRIES MAY
BE DEVELOPING CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
MUSTARD GAS, A TERRIBLE WEAPON FIRST USED IN WORLD WAR I,
IS ONE OF THE FAVORED CHEMICAL AGENTS FOR SEVERAL REASONS --
ITS RELATIVE EASE OF MANUFACTURE, ITS LONG LIFE IN STORAGE AND
ON THE BATTLEFIELD, AND ITS ABILITY TO INCAPACITATE THOSE
EXPOSED TO IT.
SOME COUNTRIES ARE DEVELOPING NERVE AGENTS. THESE AGENTS,
THOUGH MORE DIFFICULT TO MANUFACTURE, CAN CAUSE DEATH IN
MINUTES BY ATTACKING THE BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM. OTHER
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NATIONS MAY USE COMMON INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS SUCH AS CYANIDE AND
PHOSGENE. CYANIDE PREVENTS THE BLOOD FROM CARRYING OXYGEN,
WHILE PHOSGENE, WIDELY USED IN MAKING PLASTICS, CAN DESTROY THE
LUNGS.
THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE
ABILITY OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES TO DEVELOP AND PRODUCE CHEMICAL
WEAPONS AND THEIR INCENTIVES FOR USING SUCH WEAPONS. AND WITH
THE INCREASE OF BALLISTIC MISSILES IN THE THIRD WORLD, WE MUST
BE ALERT TO ATTEMPTS BY THIRD WORLD NATIONS TO ARM THESE
MISSILES WITH CHEMICAL WARHEADS.
THE PROLIFERATION OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS AFFECTS THE PROSPECTS
FOR PEACE AND STABILITY IN REGIONS SUCH AS SOUTHEAST ASIA AND
THE MIDDLE EAST. THE NATIONS OF IRAQ, LIBYA, IRAN AND SYRIA
ARE OF PARTICULAR CONCERN, DUE TO THEIR USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS
OR THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH TERRORIST ACTIVITIES.
INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT IS VITAL TO THE SUCCESS OF UNITED
STATES EFFORTS TO PREVENT THE USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS. OUR
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INTELLIGENCE SUPPORTS GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO RESTRICT THE EXPORT
OF CHEMICALS AND OF BALLISTIC MISSILE TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN BE
USED TO MAKE CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
THE UNITED STATES ALSO PARTICIPATES IN THE GENEVA
CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT, AN EFFORT BY 40 NATIONS TO NEGOTIATE
A CHEMICAL WEAPONS BAN. AND IN EARLY MARCH, SECRETARY OF STATE
BAKER PROPOSED THAT WE BRING TOGETHER GOVERNMENTS AND
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INTERNATIONAL CHEMICAL INDUSTRY TO
DISCUSS THE GROWING INCREASE IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE OF THE
CHEMICALS AND TECHNOLOGY NEEDED TO PRODUCE CHEMICAL WEAPONS.4
ASSESSING THE PROLIFERATION OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS IS ONE OF
THE MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGES WE FACE IN THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY. I BELIEVE IT IS ALSO ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT
TASKS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE U.S. POLICYMAKERS WITH
ACCURATE AND TIMELY INFORMATION ON THIS ISSUE.
SO FAR, I'VE TALKED ABOUT TWO CONCERNS THAT WILL CONTINUE
TO BE AT THE TOP OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY'S AGENDA -- WHAT
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IS GOING ON IN THE SOVIET UNION AND THE PROLIFERATION OF
CHEMICAL WEAPONS. NOW I'D LIKE TO TALK A BIT ABOUT THE CHANGES
THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE LAST 22 MONTHS -- CHANGES THAT HAVE
STRENGTHENED THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY AND HELPED TO
BUILD A HIGHER LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE IN US AND IN OUR WORK.
AT THIS TIME TWO YEARS AGO, THE C.I.A. WAS AT THE CENTER OF
A STORM THAT THREATENED TO DESTROY CONFIDENCE IN OUR ROLE IN
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND TO SHATTER THE TRUST THAT IS SO
INDISPENSABLE TO OUR MISSION. THROUGHOUT 1987, WE WERE
SUBJECTED TO THE MOST SEARCHING INQUIRY INTO OUR PART IN THE
IRAN-CONTRA AFFAIR.
AT THE END OF 1987, I SENT A NOTE TO ALL C.I.A. EMPLOYEES
THAT SAID: "IF EVER A TIME IN THE 40 YEARS OF THE CENTRAL
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REQUIRED THE TALENT AND ENERGY OF THOSE WHO
SERVE, THIS HAS BEEN THAT TIME." AND A YEAR LATER, I CAN
REPORT THAT OUR PEOPLE HAVE RESPONDED, AND WE HAVE TOGETHER
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TAKEN THE AGENCY THROUGH ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING ERAS IN
OUR HISTORY.
WE HAVE, I BELIEVE, RESTORED PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE
C.I.A. AND GREATLY IMPROVED OUR RELATIONS WITH CONGRESS. AND
WE HAVE DONE THIS BY ESTABLISHING CLEAR GUIDELINES --
GUIDELINES THAT ARE WORKABLE AND WELL UNDERSTOOD AND HAVE BEEN
SCRUPULOUSLY FOLLOWED,
WE HAVE ESTABLISHED POLICIES TO ENSURE THAT OUR
INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENTS REMAIN OBJECTIVE AND THAT ANALYSTS ARE
PROTECTED AGAINST THE PRESSURES OF POLITICAL INFLUENCE. AND I
AM PROUD TO SAY THAT IN THE TIME I HAVE BEEN AT C.I.A., I
HAVEN'T HEARD ANYONE ACCUSE US OF "COOKING THE BOOKS."
I'M ALSO PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO STRENGTHEN THE
REVIEW OF COVERT ACTIVITIES. UNDER THE GUIDELINES I HAVE
ESTABLISHED, THE AGENCY'S SENIOR MANAGERS MUST REVIEW ALL
PROPOSALS FOR COVERT ACTION THAT ARE TO BE FORWARDED TO THE
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL. THEY MUST APPLY TESTS DESIGNED TO
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ENSURE THAT EACH PROGRAM CAN BE DONE, IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR
DECLARED FOREIGN POLICY, AND WOULD MAKE SENSE TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE IF THEY WERE TO BECOME AWARE OF IT,
OUR RELATIONS WITH CONGRESS HAVE ALWAYS INVOLVED BALANCING
THE NEED FOR A CANDID RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NEED TO PROTECT
INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS. TO HELP OUR OFFICERS BALANCE
THESE DEMANDS, I HAVE ESTABLISHED GUIDELINES TO GOVERN OUR
DEALINGS WITH CONGRESS. AND I HAVE MADE IT KNOWN THAT IN
WORKING WITH CONGRESS THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR DECEPTION. AGENCY
OFFICIALS WHO BRIEF ON THE HILL ARE AUTHORIZED TO DEMUR RATHER
THAN SKIRT ISSUES THAT THEY ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO DISCUSS.
SOMETIMES THESE QUESTIONS COME ALL THE WAY UP TO ME. BUT WE
HAVE NOT LEFT CONGRESS FEELING THAT ANYONE IN THE C.I.A. HAS
BEEN DISINGENUOUS WITH THEM. AS A RESULT, OUR RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE CONGRESS HAS IMPROVED, AND I BELIEVE IT WILL CONTINUE
TO IMPROVE.
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?
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ONE FINAL POINT ABOUT OUR WORK, AND IT
IS THAT THE INTELLIGENCE WE PROVIDE TO POLICYMAKERS ON THE
SOVIET UNION, CHEMICAL WEAPONS, AND MANY OTHER ISSUES IS NOT
EASY TO COME BY. IN FACT, IT SOMETIMES COMES AT GREAT COST TO
THE MEN AND WOMEN OF AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE.
SINCE I WAS APPOINTED DIRECTOR IN MAY 1987, I HAVE VISITED
MANY OF OUR INTELLIGENCE FACILITIES IN THIS COUNTRY AND IN MANY
NATIONS AROUND THE WORLD. I HAVE OBSERVED FIRSTHAND THE
SUCCESS OF OUR OPERATIONS IN MANAGING A MYRIAD OF COMPLEX
ISSUES -- ISSUES SO COMPLEX THAT WE OFTEN RELY UPON HIGHLY
SOPHISTICATED TECHNICAL SYSTEMS. BUT, OUR MOST IMPORTANT
RESOURCE IN THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN -- AND
WILL CONTINUE TO BE -- OUR PEOPLE. IT IS THEIR CREATIVITY,
THEIR DETERMINATION, AND THEIR COURAGE THAT SPELL THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUCCESS AND FAILURE.
WITH SUCH PEOPLE WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE
INTELLIGENCE THAT POLICYMAKERS NEED, OBSERVING THE RULES OF
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/04/28: CIA-RDP99-00777R000401060001-3
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/04/28: CIA-RDP99-00777R000401060001-3
OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY THAT BOTH THE CONGRESS AND THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC HAVE A RIGHT TO EXPECT. THIS IS WHAT YOU WOULD
WANT OF US, WHAT ALL AMERICAN PEOPLE WOULD WANT OF US, AND WE
ARE DOING OUR VERY BEST TO SUPPLY IT.
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/04/28: CIA-RDP99-00777R000401060001-3