CONDONING COVERT CIA ACTIVITY REPREHENSIBLE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-01208R000100070096-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 22, 2011
• Sequence Number: 96
• Publication Date: May 6, 1975
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Ifll
STAT
CHARLESTON, 'W-VA..
GAZETTE
? .63,294
GAZETTE-MAIL
S._ 106,775
AY 6 1975
Editorials
C~ndo~ing Covert ;C'
~.tiv.ity. Reprehensihic
I I I .l I I 6 I J IIII.t...11.11 11 I'll 111'I I I
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/22 CIA-RDP90-01208R000100070096-1
the American tradition.
WE WERE dismayed to hear President
Ford's endorsement of actions which,
even if they were confined to foreign
lands. are reprehensible and unworthy of
tens who have unorthodox opinions.
tions. and-surveillance of American citi-
spoke to mean killing. bribery, entrap-
"Covert activity" is well. understood in
the real world of which the President {
States but elsewhere.
The United States. Mr. Ford said.
..cannot, compete in this very real world" -i
without covert CIA activity.
They are more than reprehensible. They
undermine American credibility far more
he Indochinese policy failure has
h
an t
t
done. It is little wonder. American rheto-
ric about individual freedom flows in an
t such
b
n'
u
,
endless stream from Washingto
posturing is discredited by. every revela-
tion of covert CIA activity. '
the President] isn-t ;the
tel
y.
Cnfortuna
only American who dons the blinkers of
misguided patriotism whenever the CIA is
mentioned. Not many other Americans
seem to care when an agency of the United (
States fosters rebellion in another land. as i'
in Chile. and. at home. disregards safe-
es-
a
rt repr
guards erected long ago to thw
ly bland indifference to threats to constitu=
tional rights. If he whole-heartedly en-..
dorses all covert activity by the CIA in
other lands he is condoning activity upon
which the founding fathers would frown.
During the televised interview. Mr.
Ford said:
.'I just can't imagine the United States
saving we wouldn't undertake any covert
activity when knowing at the same time
that friends as well as foes are undertak-
ing covert activities not only in the United
Twice within. little more than a month.
President Ford has condoned the covert
activities of the Central Intelligence Agen
cv without distinguishing between domes-
tic and foreign operations.
The CIA has a legal charter to conduct
espionage outside the United States. but it
has broadened its activities to include sur-
veillance of Americans on the ground that
foreign duplicity.is involved.
Mr: Ford may accept this e.:planatioa.
I f this is the case. he should have told us as
much when he addressed the Congress.
and later. when he permitted himself to be
interviewed on CBS television.
If he accepts the CIA rationale for
domestic saving he does so with a curious-
u ~, Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/22 : CIA-RDP90-01208R000100070096-1