ROLE MAY PUT NSC AT A RISK

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000403610006-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 27, 2012
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: November 12, 1986
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/28: CIA-RDP90-00965R000403610006-5
BOSTON GLOBE
12 November 1986
Role may put
NSC at a risk
J
missions. This contra operation
was much more operational, and
something that the NSC has never
been involved in before."
A major attraction for using
the NSC in "hands-on" operations
is the secrecy that enshrouds its
business, said Quandt and others.
"The major fear for any adminis-
tration is leaks, whether from the
Hill. CIA or the State Depart-
ment," said Richard K. Betts, a
former NSC staff member now
with the Brookings Institution.
"You can be sure with any NSC
task that it is going to be a secret
one."
Leaked activities
But that confidentiality has
been shattered in two other major
initiatives involving Poindexter
and his staff recently. Last
month, the Washington Post re-
ported that Poindexter had formu-
lated a plan for a "disinforma-
tion" campaign against Libyan
leader Moammar Khadafy. While
the White House denied that the
plan was ever put into effect, it
caused extreme public embarrass-
ment to the Reagan administra-
tion. How the Post learned of the
disinformation campaign Is not
known, but one NSC staff member
was recently reassigned to the
State Department after refusing to
take a lie detector test.
Even more embarrassing, how-
ever, have been last week's re-
ports that the White House had
initiated a strategy in 1985 to free
American hostages in Lebanon by
opening secret negotiations with
Iran and sending 500 tons of arms
and spare parts for aircraft to
Iran. According to press reports,
Poindexter and his NSC staff car-
ried out the program, which had
been opposed in part by other
members of the administration.
including Secretary of State
George P. Shultz and Defense Sec-
retary Caspar W. Weinberger.
Both Shultz and Weinberger are
members of the NSC board along
with President Reagan and Admi-
ral William J. Crowe Jr., chair-
man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"I can understand the presi-
dent at times wanting to cut
through the bureaucracies of
State or Defense and call on NSC
for a particular task," said
Quandt. "But those bureaucracies
are the embodiment of the wisdom
of the past and you run the risk of
carrying out a politically motivat-
ed and amateurish operation."
By Stephen Kurkjian
Globe Staff
WASHINGTON - The National Security
Council, which Is at the center of the controver-
sy about reported US dealings with Iran. has
taken a more activist role in recent months and
questions have been raised about whether it
has jeopardized its most important asset - its
ultra-private relationship with the president.
By its proximity to the president and the na-
ture of its responsibilities, the NSC has been
among the most important offices in the White
House. Its chief. Adm. John M. Poindexter, is
one of the first people who sees President Rea-
gan every morning, and they discuss many of
the most sensitive topics affecting the nation's
security.
Until recently, the NSC's major function was
coordinating the foreign policy Initiatives that
were being presented to the president as options
by various agencies. But in recent months the
NSC and its staff have taken on a newly ex-
panded role in carrying out or operating foreign
policy initiatives in two areas - the Nicaraguan
conflict and Iran. According to congressional
sources and former NSC officials, this new role
could result in more congressional
exposure for the agency's dealings
with the president.
"I believe firmly in the need for
the president to have confidential
counsel on national security mat-
ters," said Sen. Patrick J. Leahy
(D-Vt.). "But if they [NSC officials]
are going to be involved in covert
operations then Congress must
have oversight."
According to Leahy and others.
Congress could require that the
head of the NSC, the president's
assistant for national security af-
fairs, be confirmed by the Senate
or require that person and others
on the staff to make periodic pre-
sentations to congressional com-
mittees on their activities.
Leahy has been vice chairman
of the Senate Select Committee on
Intelligence, which. under provi-
sions enacted in the late 1970s,
must be informed of all foreign co-
vert operations undertaken by the
executive office. whether they in-
volve the Central Intelligence
Agency, State Department or the
Pentagon. But, Leahy said, during
his eight years on the committee
there has never been any secret
briefing of the committee involv-
ing an NSC operation.
That, he believes, must change
if the evidence regarding the
NSC's involvement in Nicaragua
and Iran is accurate.
On Nicaragua, recently con-
firmed allegations state that NSC
officials were intricately involved
in providing guidance and coordi-
nation to a private network of
Americans who were giving finan-
cial support to the rebels seeking
to overthrow the Nicaraguan gov-
ernment. The NSC's assistance
came during the 18-month period
that ended this month in which
the US government was prohibit-
ed from giving military aid to the
rebels, and during the longer peri-
od of time that the CIA was re-
stricted from providing covert aid
to the rebels, known as contras.
Questions for North
According to congressional
sources, the staff of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee,
which is investigating allegations
of illegal activities by some of the
contras and their supporters. has
asked the White House to make
Lt. Col. Oliver North. deputy direc-
tor of NSC's political-military af-
fairs, available for questioning on
his role in the network.
The Reagan administration
has denied that North was in-
volved in any illegal conduct, but
phone calls were made to his
White House office from a so-
called "safe house" in El Salvador
that was used by several Ameri-
cans participating in a supposedly
private mission flying in military
supplies for the contras in Nicara-
gua during the congressional ban.
Likewise, the House Committee
on intelligence, which shares over-
sight responsibility on covert ac-
tions with the Senate committee.
is seeking to determine what
North and other NSC members
may know about this supply net-
work. two of whose members were
killed last month when an arms-
laden plane was shot down over
southern Nicaragua by Sandin-
ista military.
"If what I've read about these
allegations involving the contras
is true, then it's a quantum leap
in the type of things that the NSC I
know has ever been involved
with." said William B. Quandt, a
former member of the NSC staff
during the Nixon and Carter ad-
ministrations. "Sure, when [Hen-
ry] Kissinger was NSC chief he
was involved with China. Viet-
nam and the Soviet Union for Nix-
on. But those were all diplomatic
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/28: CIA-RDP90-00965R000403610006-5