FOR GATES, AN AMBITION REALIZED

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-01448R000301260073-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 21, 2013
• Sequence Number: 73
• Publication Date: February 3, 1987
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

2?:
Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/05/21: CIA-RDP99-01448R000361260073-7
WASHINGTON POST
3 February 1987
For Gates, an Ambition Realized
Reagan's Choice for CIA Is a Favorite of Departing Director
was expected to undergo some
tough questioning on his role in the
Iran-contra scandal, particularly
about whether he knew of the ille-
gal diversions of Iran arms sales
profits to the contras. Leahy said he
would be "very concerned" if it
turns out" that Gates knew about
these improper activities and did
not inform Congress.
Congressional sources said Gates
will be asked about his Dec. 4 tes-
timony before the committee, as
well as Casey's description of the
agency's role in the arms affair.
Gates told the committee in De-
cember that Casey knew only "bits
and pieces" about the possible di-
version of Iran arms sales funds to
the contras. The panel's report re-
leased last week revealed that
Casey knew much more than that
by the time he appeared before the
committee on Nov. 21.
The panel was told that as early
as Oct. 1, 1986, a senior CIA an-
alyst told Gates he was concerned
that money from the Iran arms
sales was being diverted to the con-
tras. According to the report, he
-
knew that the key U.S. officials in-
volved in the project, Lt. Col. Oliver
L: North of the National Security
Council and retired Air Force major
general Richard V. Secord were
both involved in the contra opera-
tion.
According to the report, Gates
was "surprised and disturbed" and
told the analyst tosee Casey. Gates
and the analyst did not discuss the
potential illegality of the action. On
Oct. 7, Gates, the analyst and Casey
conferred on the matter and Gates
reported the analyst's concerns
about a funds diversion.
Two days later, Casey and Gates
met for lunch with North. Gates
reported that "North made a very
'cryptic reference to a Swiss ac-
count and money for the contras."
Gates added that neither he nor
Casey pursued the matter but
merely asked whether there was
any direct or indirect CIA involve-
ment. Gates later noted for the
(7-
By Dusko Doder -
Washington Fost Staff-Writ&
Robert M. Gates told colleagues
about eight years ago that there
was one job he would really like to
have. Yesterday, he got it when
President Reagan named him to
replace W jalin .j.:_c,.4j24 as director
of the Ce.ntral Intelligence Agency.
Assuming he is confirmed by the
Senate, Gates, 43, would become
the youngest person ever to head
the agency. Democrats and Repub-
licans: on Capitol Hill praised his
nomination yesterday, but he owes
his rapid rise not just to talent but
to the patronage of his superiors.
Casey, in particUlar, was known to
have an almost paternal attitude -
toward Gates.
Sen. David L. Boren, (D-Okla.),
chairman of the Senate Select Com-
mittee on Intelligence, said confir-
mation hearings on Gates' nomina-
tion would be held Feb: 17. He said
the committee planned to question'
Gates "very thoroughly" about his
previous testimony on the Iran-
contra affair.
Boren said Gates, as acting CIA
director, has been "very candid and
forthcoming" and has indicated a
readiness to be more candid with
the committee in a joint effort to
rebuild mutual trust, which was
eroded during Casey's tenure.
Boren said he and "most commit-
tee members had a- very positive
feeling" toward Gates, adding "I
don't see any reason Why" he Would
not be confirmed; He said .fie._ex,-
pected the public hearings to last no
more than one day, "Unless some-
thing unforeseen happens." "
Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.),
former vice chairman' of the intel-
ligence committee, commended
Reagan for making a "wise" choice,
contending that a nomination of a
political figure Wotild have turned
the confirmation process into a
"long, drawn-out and contentious".
affair.
Congressional sources Said Gates
record that North "confirmed" that
the agency was not involved.
However, according to sources,
Gates took action shortly after the
Iran-contra scandal broke by send-
ing a videotaped message around
the agency and to all stations
abroad, saying bluntly that the CIA
needed to learn a lesson from the
affair. The classified videotape mes-
sage, among other things, had
Gates assert that the agency would
never again undertake such an op-
eration without a written finding in
advance.
If confirmed, Gates would suc-
ceed Casey in the twin role as CIA
director and director of central in-
telligence. The latter embraces
overall responsibility for the entire
U.S. intelligence community, in-
cluding the Defense Intelligence...
Agency, the National Security
Agency, the State Department's
Bureau of Intelligence and, Re-
search and - various intelligence
branches of the armed services,.
Gates has been acting director.
since Dec. 18, when doctors re-'
moved a cancerous tumor from -
Casey's brain.
People who have worked with
Gates over the years described him
yesterday as an intelligent and well-
organized persop. Critics, however;
charged that Gates was a bureau-
cratic climber or, as one of his for-
mer colleagues put it, a "modern
American aparatchik."
But senior officials Gates worked
for in the 1970s, such as Zbigniew
Brzezinski, President Carter's na-
tional security adviser, and Rep.
Dick Cheney (R-Wyo.), who was
President Ford's chief of staff, said
they expected Gates to do "the kind
of outstanding job as CIA director
as he had done in the past."
Brzezinski described Gates as a
man of "good judgment, well versed
in Soviet affairs, which is rather
unusual."
A rival described Gates as a
"tough bureaucratic infighter." But
he said Gates was also extremely
careful, conscientious?an "almost
ideal bureaucrat."
npriaccified and Approved For Release 2013/05/21: CIA-RDP99-01448R00030126003-7
04.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/05/21 : CIA-RDP99-01448R000301260073-7
AGE
43
BACKGROUND
;Native of Wichita, Kan.
BA, College of William &
Mary, 1965; MA in History, Indiana
University, 1966; PhD in Russian
and Soviet History, Georgetown
University, 1974..
:.PROFESSIONAL CAREER
Joined the CIA
in 1966. Assigned to the staff of,the
National Security. Council in 1974. .
Served on the NSC under presidents
Nixon, Ford and Carter. 'Returned to
the CIA. January 1980;Served as .
'national intelligence officer on the
Soviet Union before appointment as
deputy director for intelligence in January 1982. Appointed chairman of the".::
National Intelligence Council by CIA Director William J. Casey in September.' '?
1983. Sworn in at deputy director of the CIA April 18, 1986. Nominated to
replace Casey yesterday.
HONORS
-Recipient of the Intelligence Medal of Merit and the Arthur S.
Fleming Award, presented annually to the 10 most oustanding men arid ?
women in federal service. ?
FAMILY
Married, two children.
c5/ it
SOURCE Central Intelligence Agency',',;
From the time he joined a CIA
career training program in 1966,
Gates quickly advanced himself
through a series of positions near
the center of national decision-
making. -
A native of Wichita, Kan., he
graduated from the college of Wil=
ham and Mary. in 1965, received a
master's degree in Russian history
from Indiana, University in 1966,
then' joined the CIA Where he
served as a Current intelligence an-
alyst and intelligence adviser for
the strategic arms limitation talks.
He received his doctorate from
Georgetown University in 1974:
His- dissertation dealt with Soviet
assessments of China.
In 1974, he joined the National
Security Council staff and served
presidents Nixon, Ford and. Carter.
People who knew Gates- in those
years said he was a workaholic, "not
a warm guy, not the kind of guy
you'd like to spend a weekend
with."
Gates returned to the CIA in Jan- '
uary 1980 as national intelligence
officer on the Soviet Union. He lat-
er served as Casey's executive sec-
retary for a year before being ap-
pointed deputy director of intelli-
gence in January 1982, putting him,
THE WASHINGTON
in charge of the entire analytkit
branch of the agency. -
"Gates diStinguished himself
this job, energetically trying to 001'
grade the' analytical branch;,kle_titit
extra funds for travel, study atiif
language training for the analystSv
He also sought to improve contacts
with- the academie community indi
encourage more competitive anal+.
ysis:
Sources said that by 1985, Casey
was talking privately about Gates'As,
a' future CIA director. Casey also.
took Gates to the White House.Of-!
ten and made sure that he deV.et3
oped relations 'with senior admin:!,
istration figures.
Gates, one of his intelligence as-
sociates said yesterday, "is a ere=
at ion of the National Security
cil staff system and Bill Casey."
norinccifiarl and Approved For Release 2013/05/21 : CIA-RDP99-01448R000301260073-7