LETTER TO JOHN N. MCMAHON FROM THOMAS POLGAR REGARDING MEMORANDUM REFLECTING ON THE STATE OF U.S. INTELLIGENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83M00914R002100120075-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 27, 2007
• Sequence Number: 75
• Publication Date: July 20, 1982
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Release 2007/02/28: CIA-RDP83M00914R002100120075-8
Thomas Polgar
Mr. John N. McYahon
Deputy Director Central Intelligence
Washington, D. C.
Please accept my thanks for your courtesy and consideration you
have shown me on the 16th of June. It was especially nice that you
covered my career in some detail with your kind words and that two of
.rcy children and my daughter-in-law could be present to hear you. They
considered the eP.dal ceremony and the visit to Headquarters a very great
experience.
Now to business. You will recall that I left with you a memorandum
reflecting on the state of U. S. intelligence. I concluded that the
unfavorable trends must be reversed and that this could only be done
by beginning with a comprehensive examination of the causes of our
difficulties.
Bobby Inman's remarks as quoted in the New,York Times on 5 July
suggest that he, too -- abd looking at it from a perspective quite
different from mine --.feels that we will not be able to meet our re-
quirctients if we continue along our current paths. He said that the
U.. S.. intelligence community "is marginally capable to deal with the
;r-ld of the late ?30's and 901s", he cited a "minimal effort both in
collection and analysis about many of the non-communist countries" and
he faulted our ability to "understand trends before we get to the level of
a crisis."
Retirement gives me the luxury to read and think more than was ever
possible on active. duty. As I get older and presumably wiser I see
that at the senior levels we tend to get so caught up in the urgency of
daily business that little time and energy remain for reflection and
conscious planning.
Indeed, planning as such has virtually disappeared as a substantive
function in the Agency and to the extent that it exists, it is related
primarily to budgetary requirements. During my June visit to Headquarters,
where I had discussions with three operating components, I found little
indication of plans beyond the tomorrow and I sensed a total preoccupation
with the tasks at hand. The assumption seemed to be that everything is
going to remain more or less the way it is.
(over)
L.2G-Sam"
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I know from my own experience that advice from the outside is seldom
practical. Those on the outside do not have access to the daily flow of
information which influences the decisions of the management, nor are they
exposed to the cross-currents of inter-agency relations with delineate the
possibilities in the governmental structLre.
Having said that, I suggest that you establish an Agency Planning Board
for the purpose of examining our generic problems and to attempt to develop
some guide-lines for the longer range future. This would have to be a
continuing undertaking and could be staffed somewhat along the lines of the
old Office of National Estimates, i.e. a small, compact staff doing the
research and the leg-work fof a Board of rather senior, prestigious but
mentally still active people. You will want individuals with a proven
track record, capable of balanced judgment and with the independence that
comes from no longer having to worry about fitness reports or promotion.
In addition to the substantive improvements which may result from a
better planned approach as a basis for management decisions, the mare
existence of a Planning Board could have the following bex ficial results
A. Act` as a catalyst for substantive suggestions from within the
Agency ;
B. Permit unhurried discussions of problems in an atmosphere free
of bureaucratic jealousies ;
C. Improve public relations, in the sense of demonstrating the.
desire of Management to prepare for the requirements of the
future in a systematic and structured fashion.
Should you wish to discuss the above concept, or any other matter on
which I may be of assistance to you, I would be pleased and eager to go to
Headquarters on consultation at any time of your convenience.
Yours,,as ever
/1!RRf
Thomas Polgar
P.S. You are our great hope. If changes do not come from you, they just
won't happen.
Approved For Release 2007/02/28: CIA-RDP83M00914R002100120075-8