DI ORIGINATED MATERIAL SELECTED FOR THE HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP89G00643R001100010009-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 14, 2011
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: August 26, 1987
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/11/14: CIA-RDP89GO0643RO01100010009-5
ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET
CTAT
STAT
TO: (Officer designation. room number, and
building)
DDA
7D18 Hqs.
?9M 610
DATE
15 September 1987
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
Is whom. Draw a line across column otor each comment.(
Bill,
Attached is a copy o~
memo relating his conversation
with the DDI concerning the
Historical Review Program. I got
Paul's permission to pass a copy
of this to you so that you are
aware of his conversation with
the DDI. Additionally, as we have
discussed, Paul's memo echos my
own thoughts on this program. I
am not sure that there is any
series of records in the Agency
that is truly responsive to this
program, in terms of useable,
releaseable, historical
information. I think Paul is
certainly right,when he says we
need to stand back and take a
hard look at what we are doing.
It may be that we need to go to
Congress and say that we have
tried, but it lust does not work.
 MEMORANDUM FOR:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
DI/FOIA Staff
DI Originated Material Selected for the
Historical Review Program
1. The DI/IRO and I met with the DDI, ADDI and the VC/NIC and discussed
with them, among other things, the quantity and the nature of the DI
originated material being selected for the HRP which is now awaiting DI
review. It was concluded that there is-no way we can eliminate the backlog of
material awaiting review or keep up with the steady flow of boxes arriving
from CRD without applying additional resources to the program. We were,
however, told that additional resources would not be considered at this time
nor in the future unless the criteria for selecting material was reevaluated.
It is the opinion of DI management that much of the material now being
selected is of little if any historical significance. The Central
Intelligence Bulletin, for example, was cited as a DI product that was
probably not read by policy makers nor did it play a role in the formulation
of US policy. Furthermore, they opined that the release of the daily CIB for
any length of time was certainly not in the best interests of the national
security of the US. While individual copies of the CIB could be
satisfactorily sanitized for release, a complete set for any given block of
time would/could reveal too much about our intelligence interests, concerns
and capabilities. The same holds true for any of the other serialized
publications produced by the DI. Collectively, the sanitized copies become
classified; a situation often encountered when reviewing material requested
under the FOIA.
U'
1R1wie
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/11/14: CIA-RDP89GO0643RO01100010009-5
 2. For purposes of this memo, I merely cite the CIB as an example of the
kind of material the DI does not believe meets the criteria for a meaningful
HRP. There is of course other DI produced material in the review queueothat
we may not consider suitable for the program. I intend therefore, following
guidance provided by DI management, to return to you those boxes that contain
material that is considered to be of questionable value.
3. You should not infer from this action that the DI is opposed to the
concept of an HRP as discussed in the correspondence between former director
Casey and Senator Durenburger. On the contrary, the DI is more than willing
to do whatever is necessary to support a meaningful and useful program. What
we do object to is applying resources to the review of a large mass of
material that is a) of questionable historical value and b) collectively, even
though sanitized, poses a potential threat to the national security of the
US. The concerns that are now surfacing are being raised by individuals who
were not directly involved when the program was initiated but whose opinions
must now be taken into account; especially in view of the fact-that if there
is going to be an HRP in the CIA the full cooperation of the DI is paramount.
4. I suggest therefore that at this time we need to stand back and take
a hard look at what we are doing. It seems on the surface that we are
applying valuable resources to a program that more closely resembles the
former systematic review program than a carefully crafted, preferably event
oriented, Historical Review Program.