LETTER TO THE HONORABLE ALBERT C. HALL FROM W. E. COLBY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01495R000200160006-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 16, 2006
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: November 4, 1975
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Release 2006/1 0111UTII " I01495R000200160006-0
25X1
THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20505
4 NOV 1975
The Honorable Albert C. Hall
Assistant Secretary for Intelligence
Department of Defense
Washington, D. C. 20301
Dear Al:
Your letter of 6 October suggests improving
responsiveness during crisis situations. Your i n t e r e s t in
examining ways to improve Community performance in this
area is one we share and one reflected in our current actions
and planning.
A critical feature of the kinds of crisis situations
which we are most likely to face in the near and midterm,
it seems to me, is the necessity that intelligence cover
all facets of the crisis, military, political and even
economic. The National Security Council system establishes
the Washington Special Action Group (WSAG) as the vehicle
for coordinated policy making. I believe it essential
therefore that the tasking of our intelligence structure
stem from that level rather than from being delegated down
to any single agency which would be apt to stress its own
requirements over those of outsiders. Thus, I would hope we
would continue the studies that en in progress on how
and even our existing
nce machinery, closer to the WSAG level. I think
this can be done through WSAG working groups, a vigorous
National Intelligence Officer, and the varieties of systems
established to insure that our Intelligence Community works
as a whole rather than as parts. Once the priorities in
tasking are established at this level, of course, the mechan-
ical work of operating the satellites can indeed be delegated
down and subordinate tasking assumed within categories or
allocations decided above.
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Future arrangements for controlling collection, and,
equally as important, processing and dissemination, will'
have to provide for speedy weighing of priorities from
various governmental entities. In a period of actual or
imminent crisis, there are bound to be several different
sets of intelligence consumers--at national and theater
levels--and each consumer will legitimately consider his
needs to carry the top priority and to be the most time-
urgent. Anything that the governmental entities can do to
define and categorize priorities will be welcome. DoD's
focusing of its requirements within the NMCC is a very posi-
tive step in this direction..
am concerned that
olic
k
p
y ma
ers and intelligence users
do not well understand the Community's current and projected
arrangements for meeting the time-critical needs of all con-
cerned. To accomplish this, I have asked the Intelligence
Community Staff to develop ways to increase the visibility
of those arrangements. As we widen understanding, we will
identify weaknesses and seek improvement where improvement
is required.
Sincerely,
W. E. Colby
~t 0 c s~ w d
6I1 011 CIA bE t 01495R000200160006-0
 2006/10/16-
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(10/20/75)
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 Approved For Release 2006/10/16: CIA-RDP80B01495R000200160006-0
Approved For Release 2006/10/16: CIA-RDP80B01495R000200160006-0