LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT FROM WILLIAM J. CASEY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88B00443R001404110001-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 7, 2008
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: December 23, 1983
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Release 2008/05/07: CIA-RDP88B00443R001404110001-3
SECRET
the Director of Ccntral IntcIligcnce n o
23 December 1983
Dear Mr. President,
1 - DCI
1 - DDCI
1 - SA/IA
1 - ER
1 - EXDIR
In line with our telephone conversation, I am sending a little reading
for your trip west:
First, is a memo reporting the latest development in the ongoing espionage
war. Together with the report I sent to you a few weeks ago, it may say a lot
about the Soviet state of mind today. There are other reports indicating a
range of reaction from prevailing nervousness to fear and gruding respect for
our policies in the Soviet view of the state of our relationship today. Whether
this represents a threat or an opportunity is the continuing question.
Second,is an interview I gave USA Today about how I see the state of
American intelligence today. The spirit and morale is good and we all feel
pretty good about our progress over the last three years. I'll have more on
that for you right after the first of the year.
Third, is a comparison of the National Estimates in the four Carter years
and our three years. I view the National Estimates as the bottom line in the
national intelligence process and believe that we have scrupulously covered
every corner I can see of US policy concerns. The net is that in our three years
we have completed three times as many National Estimates as the previous Admin,
istration did for four years and have dealt with the issues in a much deeper and
more policy relevant and action oriented way. These Estimates are designed to
focus and direct future intelligence collection efforts, something which has never
been done before. You will see that the previous Administration never did do a
National Estimate on such critical issues of the period or Iran, Afghanistan and
Central America, as well as the then ongoing Soviet missile defense program while
we totally neglected that aspect of our security. I think you would be interested
in just running your eye over the issues that have been dealt with in our program
of National Estimates. The process 'we have developed for putting critical issues
under an Intelligence Community and not just a CIA microscope has done wonders
in flushing out a range of information and views making all ten components of
the US Intelligence Community feel that they are part of the process and getting
full cooperation of all components on the full range of intelligence operations
in a way which has not been seen in some time.
Fourth, a copy of my Westminster speech is enclosed. I draw your attention
to the historical postscript on page 9. Churchill's reaction to Truman's telling
him, as they rode to Fulton on the train together, that he was sending the
MISSOURI to Turkish and Grecian waters to send a message to the Soviets to ease
the pressure on Iran and Turkey offers an interesting parallel to your recent
actions.
Attachments:
As stated
Approved For Release 2008/05/07 :CIA-RDP88B00443R001404110001-3
Orig - Addressee