LETTER TO MR. SHEPHARD FROM ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81M00980R000600020007-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 13, 2004
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: December 5, 1978
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Release 2004/05/21 : CIA-RDP81 0098OR0006000200
WA Ski IN ( TON
December 5, 1978
Dear Mr. Shepherd:
Thank you for your letter of November
29. Your questions are well put and I
have referred them to the Director of
Central Intelligence for appropriate
Sincerely,
cc: Admiral Turner
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 Approved For Release 2004/05/21 : CIA-RDP81 M00980R000600020007-7
LAW OFFICES
SOMMERS, SCHWARTZ, SILVER & SCHWARTZ
,U O S. SCHW..kRTZ ROBERT F. A;kO
M. HANDLER GLENN L. VALENTINE
R. E?STEIN ALLEY J. WALL
PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
IHOD TRAVELERS TOWER
26555 EVERGREEN ROAD
SOUTHFIELD. MICHIGAN 48076
November 29, 1978
Hon. Zbigniew Brzezinski
The White House
Washington, D.C.
OF COUNSEL
A. ALBERT SUGAR
A. VICNTOR BIZER
BENJAMI D BURDICX
MORRIS H. SA{ LLMAI!
DAVID A LIE3ERMAM
Recent news reports have indicated that you and the President
are dissatisfied with an August 1978 CIA Intelligence Estimate
on the situation in Iran. I want to call to your attention
some rather incisive articles which appeared in the July issue
of the well-known French monthly publication Le Monde Diplomatique.
These articles clearly trace the religious, economic and political
orgins of the current crisis and provide a factual basis for a
pessimistic prognosis on the current regime. The. articles are
well documented and annotated with footnotes. Any intelligence
officer preparing a report for the President would be obliged
to give a careful second thought to his optimistic conclusions
if he had access to the articles.
Several questions immediately arise:
1. Does the CIA subscribe to Le Monde Diplomatique?
Is there a mechanism within the CIA.for bringing'such
.articles to the surface quickly?
3. Did those.who prepared the August Report have access
to the facts published in the French Publication in
July, even if they did not read the specific articles?
If so, what use was made of these facts in drafting the
August Report to The White House?
4. The articles in the American press state that the CIA
relied on the Iranian secret police (SAVAK) for its
information. The articles in Le Monde Diplomatique
state that the SAVAK was in part, a creation of the
.CIA. If this is so why would the CIA rely on the
SAVAK for so much of its data?.-I haveinvestigated
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VAOIE33IONA~, CORPORAYION
Hon. Zbigniew Brzezinski
November 29, 1978
Page 2
numerous criminal cases and it is a basic rule in investigative
work that one should not rely too heavily on those with whom one
has a client relationship. You will hear what those reporting
want you to believe. It would be useful to know how,. on a step-
by-step basis, the CI?? went about preparing its report.
Since my good friend Senator-Elect Carl Levin has an interest
in correcting bureaucratic inefficiency in Government programs
(of which intelligence= operations are a part) I am forwarding
a copy of this letter to him with the suggestion that he urge
the appropriate,.Senate Committee to seek answers to the above
questions.
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 EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT (O/DCI)
Routing Slip
ACTION INFO DATE INITIAL
TO:
1 DCI
2 DDCI
3 DD/RM
4 DD/NFA M.
5 DD/CT
6 DD/A
7
DD/0
8
DD/S&T
9
GC
0
LC
11
IG
12
Compt
13
D/PA
14
D/EEO
15
D/Pers
16
AO/DCI
17
C/IPS
18
19
20
21
22
SUSPENSE DATE:
If, December 1,978
Remarks:
T o 4: Please prepare setter for M.'s
signature to Mr- Shepherd and prepare PC;
trarismitta1 notes to Dr. Brzezinski and Senator
Lein fo?^; ardiaq a copy of s nom.
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