ASSISTANCE TO DR. KISSINGER IN REPLYING TO SENATOR SYMINGTON'S QUESTIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75B00380R000200010030-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 18, 2001
• Sequence Number: 30
• Publication Date: September 10, 1973
• Content Type: MFR

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10 September 1973
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Assistance to Dr. Kissinger in Replying to Senator Symington's
Questions
1. On Saturday afternoon, 8 September, I was called at my home
by Mr. William Stearman of the NSC Staff. Mr. Stearman explained that
during Dr. Kissinger's confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee on 9 September, Senator Symington had alleged that
the U. S. Government's "secret war" in Laos had been "discovered" by
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee staff and that the "secret" bombing
of Cambodia had been discovered by the staff of the Armed Services
Committee. These allegations were the backdrop to a "when will you stop
beating your wife" line of questioning concerning Dr. Kissinger's willingness
not to deceive the U.S. Congress in the future on important foreign policy
matters. Mr. Stearman said that in responding, Dr. Kissinger had taken
the tack that Senator Symington's factual statements were in error.
Symington had thereupon charged Kissinger with submitting, in writing, a
statement for the record clarifying any such factual issues. On the Laos
matter, the NSC Staff had drafted the following statement on which Stearman
wanted my comments or approval:
"I have been told by CIA and other agencies of the
government that between 1962 and 1969 extensive briefings
on covert U.S. operations in Laos were given to appropri-
ate committees and members of the Congress. "
2. I told Stearman that although his text was substantially accurate,
I was not positive about the 1962 date. During the course of the ensuing
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discussion I emphasized the necessity of not making any formal written
statement challengeable on grounds of accuracy even in small details
and at the same time explained why the records involved would be hard
to dig out and check over the weekend, though they could easily be
reviewed first thing Monday morning (10 September). In the interim,
I suggested that the statement at least be modified to fuzz the 1962 date
by some language such as "for several years prior to 1969. " Stearman
said this would be fine but asked me to call back as soon as possible on
10 September.
3. At OOB on 10 September, I contacted Chief, EA and the office
of the Legislative Counsel. Mr. Maury brought to the Executive Committee
meeting a brief summary of the record which indicated that the first
briefing of Congress on covert U. S. support to Laos military activities
had in fact been given by Mr. Dulles (then DCI) on 2 May 1961. After
some discussion, I was commissioned by the Director to check the record
further and compose a suggested reply for Dr. Kissinger in light thereof.
4. After further talks with the Legislative Counsel, I drafted the
language appearing below which was communicated by telephone to
Mr. Stearman that morning:
"On 2 May 1961, the late Allen Dulles - then Director
of Central Intelligence -- informed the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee of covert U.S. support to certain
Laotian military forces. Since Mr. Dulles' 1961
appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
numerous briefings on covert U. S. operations in Laos have
been given to appropriate committees and individual
members of Congress. These have included extensive and
detailed briefings offered to explain and justify appropriations
requests to the congressional committees and subcommittees or individual members thereof -- charged by the Congress
with oversight responsibility for the U. S. Government
components conducting these operations in Laos. "
5. In relaying the above language, which Mr. Stearman said was
very helpful, I explained that, actually, during the period from 1961 through
June 1973, the covert U. S. role in Laos had been discussed by CIA
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representatives at a total of 35 briefings of Senate committees or sub-
committees and that a total of 57 individual Senators had been informed
about CIA operations in Laos either individually or through these
committee'briefings. The Senator briefed most often and in the greatest
detail was, ironically, Senator Symington. He had had the entire Laos
operation shown to him during his visit to Vientiane in September 1967.
Furthermore, at his instigation,
had been called back to Washington and gave a detailed, classified briefing
on all aspects of the Agency's Laos operations to the full Senate Armed
Services Committee in an executive session of the latter held in October
1967. After these briefings, Senator Symington had (in the Committee
forum) praised the Agency's conduct of its operations in Laos, terming
them a model of the way in which the U. U.S. Government ought to conduct
such matters. I emphasized to Stearman, however, that nothing would be
gained by embarrassing Senator Symington in a public forum. Hence, it
was necessary that we stick to the general and elliptical language proposed
above. Stearman said he understood the situation completely and agreed
with our position.
Special Assistant for Vietnamese Affairs
cc: Legislative Counsel
Chief, EA
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