DIRECTOR'S CONVERSATION WITH SENATOR STENNIS REGARDING AGENCY PROGRAM IN LAOS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP74B00415R000200020121-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 31, 2005
• Sequence Number: 121
• Publication Date: August 23, 1971
• Content Type: MFR

RRUT
Approved For Release 2 p05/06/09: CIA-RDP74BOO415RO
00200020121-0 25X1
OLC 71-0883
23 August 1971
SUBJECT: Director's Conversation with Senator Stennis Regarding
Agency Program in Laos
This morning the Director told General Cushman, Messrs. Houston
and me of his meeting with Senator Stennis on Friday, 20 August.
2. Senator Stennis began by asking the Director's views on the
desirability of a secret Senate session on Laos. The Director said that in
his personal view this was a good idea - that the best defense was a good
attack - that it might be well to get all the facts on the table, since there
were very few secrets left anyhow, and that this might head off some of
the crippling amendments which have recently been Introduced in the Senate.
3. Senator Stennis was interested in the authority under which the
Agency was carrying out our paramilitary program in Laos. The Director
responded that the general authority came from the National Security Act of
1947 and subsequent National Security Council directives, but he noted
that Senator Fulbright recently questioned this authority.
4. The Director asked Mr. Houston to prepare a paper on the
question of Agency authority to conduct paramilitary operations, particularly
as applied to the Laos situation. He asked that we all. carefully read the
transcript of the hearings of the Senate Armed. Services Committee on
22 July where secretary Laird, Ambassador Johnson and Ambassador
Godley testified regarding the Laos situation. He also asked that I prepare
a summary record of our various Senate briefings on Laos, and review
for hire exactly what Senator Stennis had been told on the subject at different
times.
JOHN M. MAURY
Legislative Counsel.
Distribution:
Original - Subject
X- Ch rono,
OLC/JMM:nunc (24 August 1971) - ~ .
Approved For Release 2005/0 415R000200020121-0
25X1