ACTING DCI COMMENDS AGENCY PERFORMANCE, CITES HIGH MORALE AND RESPONSIVENESS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-01448R000401690001-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 21, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/21 : CIA-RDP99-01448R000401690001-8
Fall 1991
The newsletter of the Public Affairs Office
STAT
Acting DCI Commends Agency Performance,
Cites High Morale and Responsiveness
.Acting Director Richard J. That relationship is a healthy
Kerr describes the Agency's per- one, Kerr says, involving strong
formance as "extraordinarily support from policymakers, and
broad, diverse and strong," cit- the President in particular.
ing as examples CIA's record on Kerr notes that there is strong
the Soviet coup, the breakup of support for CIA in the Congress
Yugoslavia, support for UN in- as well, although he acknowl-
spections of Iraq, and "how edges there is continuing con-
quickly we are moving in the So- cern about oversight and about
viet Union and Eastern Europe what would be seen there as a
to take advantage of the new misuse of intelligence by the Ex-
opportunities there." ecutive branch. "There is some
"This is not an Agency that is uncertainty about the future role
waiting around to be told what of intelligence," he says, "but
to do," Kerr says. "We have not on the need for it; it's more a
strong initiative throughout the matter of just how to define it
ranks, and a clear sense of our and focus it."
role in supporting the Kerr believes the Agency has
policymakers." "probably not done as well as we
Kerr points out that a "given" should" in getting across that
in the relationship between in- 1 we have already adjusted in
significant ways to the demands
telligence and policy is the diffi- of new intelligence challenges."
culty in handling warnings of Congressmen, he notes, don't
impending crises. "If the warn- see in budget and program terms
ing is clear and precise, the poli- all these changes, because they
cy maker will be blamed for not don't necessarily involve large
acting clearly and precisely; if numbers of people and major
the warning is ambiguous, then
we'll be blamed for waffling or sums of money. "They also do
not have time to follow our
not predicting the crisis. But products and track how we've
that's nothing new: it's in the
nature of the relationship." (continued"
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responded and adjusted," he ob-
serves, "and we need to do bet-
ter at conveying that."
The Acting DCI takes account
of concerns that CIA's role and
independence might be dimin-
ished relative to Defense, but be-
lieves that will not turn out to be
the case. "There will be debates
and some bureaucratic wrestling
over missions and functions and
turf." he says. "but I would argue
that CIA will emerge with a bet-
ter focus and more responsibility
rather than less." Kerr sees the
DCI getting greater direct au-
thority, but with it a greater re-
sponsibility to find ways to sup-
port Defense and military
commanders in the field when-
ever U.S. forces are deployed.
Kerr has publicly expressed-
in an 18 September speech at the
Naval War College. at CIA's
Family Day on 21 September,
and in his 24 September testi-
mony at the Gates hearings-his
conviction that Agency morale
is high and that its performance
is highly professional and effec-
tive. He told the Senate Select
Committee on Intelligence that
"we are used to criticism, we are
used to scrutiny, and we go on
getting the job done."
Kerr says the post-Cold War
period presents "a set of prob-
lems and a complexity of prob-
lems that from an intelligence
perspective and a policy per-
spective are very challenging,
and in many ways I think we are
going to find them much more
challenging than the world that's
faced us in the past." The Agen-
cy is moving forward, he says,
already adapting to new require-
ments. responding to new re-
quests and identifying new chal-
lenges and opportunities.
From the Director of Public
Affairs
The last six months have been
hectic for all of us at CIA. We in
Public Affairs spent much of our
time talking to the press and the
various publics about Iraq, the
Soviet Union, BCCI, allegations
made on ABC's "Nightline," the
Rochester Institute of Technol-
ogy (RIT) and academic free-
dom, the proposed facility con-
solidation plan, Iran-Contra,
and the role of the CIA in a post-
cold war universe.
We worked hard to point out
that the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait
in August 1990 and the failed
Soviet Coup this past August
were not intelligence failures-
rather, they were intelligence
successes; that CIA was not impli-
cated in any way with BCCI-
rather, we targetted BCCI and re-
ported on their nefarious activi-
ties; that ABC Nightline's numer-
ous allegations that CIA was
involved with the transfer of arms
and weapons technology to Iraq
were untrue and irresponsible;
that CIA's relationship with RIT
was legal and proper and com-
mendable, given the need for CIA
to reach out to the best and
brightest in the U.S.; that the CIA
facility consolidation plan was
not conspiratorial or improper.
Basic to everything we have
been doing in Public Affairs is the
need to better explain the mis-
sion of CIA; to talk about the
people who work for CIA and
the integrity of our product. We
also have been talking about the
role of intelligence in a rapidly
changing, complex world. We'
Must now work harder at ex-
plaining why the CIA is needed
and why the mission of ('I.-\ is
more difficult in a world absent
a menacing Soviet monolith.
[ think you'll find thi, cdit!On
of The Public Eic timcl' and
interesting. Please "hare ~,ur
views with us in Public atl'jiirs.
Joe Defrani
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Agency Refutes "Nightline" Allegations
ABC's "Nightline," hosted by
Ted Koppel, broadcast a num-
ber of programs during the sum-
mer alleging that a covert CIA
operation supplied Iraq with
U.S. arms and weapons technol.
ogy. "Nightline," which teamed
up with The Financial Times
(UK) in this "investigation,"
said the operation included indi-
rect shipments through South
Africa and the Chilean arms
dealer Carlos Cardoen, and that
DCI-designate Robert Gates was
"deeply involved."
The Agency aggressively re-
sponded to "N ightline's" base-
less allegations. though the pro-
gram generally dismissed CIA's
responses and denials of wrong-
doing. Fortunately, most major
newspapers, wire services, and
television networks realized the
"Nightline" claims were without
merit and did not replay them.
Prior to "Nightline's" 13 Sep-
tember program on the allega-
tions, which aired several days
before the beginning of the
Gates confirmation hearings,
Koppel and several of his pro-
ducers visited the Agency to dis-
cuss the charges in his series.
PAO Director Joseph DeTrani
and General Counsel Elizabeth
Rindskopf pointed out the need
to protect sensitive CIA sources
and methods, noted the ques-
tionable credibility and motiva-
tion of "Nightline's" sources,
and explained that an IG review
found no factual support whatso-
ever for a covert operation or the
involvement of Gates.
The 13 September "Night-
line" contained a highly unusual
opening in which Koppel said,
"What we have learned ... has
failed to produce specific addi-
tional information directly im-
plicating Robert Gates (in any
wrongdoing). With the man's ca-
reer in the balance, that needs to
be said."
In his confirmation hearings
on 16 September, Gates had an
opportunity to refute all of the
"Nightline" allegations.
CIA Responds
To RIT Panel
While the whirl of media cov- Throughout CIA's histon.
erage on CIA's links with the contacts with universities have
Rochester Institute of Technol- been vital to carrying ~,ut our
ogy (RIT) has died down, the mission of informing .Ind im-
relationship is under scrutiny by proving the understanding of the
an 1 I-member review panel com- US Government about dc\ clop-
prised of faculty members and ments around the '%orld that af-
trustees who hope to complete feet national security. (I A and a
their review by mid-November university both gain from such
1991. an ongoing dialogue, but the ul-
A Public Affairs Officer and timate beneficiary is the
an OGC Attorney recently met country.
with the panel and were favor- The CIA-RIT association has
ably impressed by commitments been productive, and Rochester
made to protect information media allegations that CIA has
bearing on matters sensitive to tried to influence RIT's curricu-
the Agency. In turn, CIA is coop- lum or that any student has ben-
erating. as fully as possible in efited improperly from associa-
facilitating the inquiry. tion with the Agency are wholly
without foundation.
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Setting Straight
The BCC/ Record
The unfolding saga of the
Bank of Credit and Commerce
International (BCCI) was a
major news story this summer,
and the CIA was prominently
mentioned in a number of in-
accurate, sensational stories on
this far-reaching financial
scandal. One major magazine
even accused the CIA of col-
laborating with a BCCI "black
network," which was involved
in "bribery, extortion, kidnap-
ing and even, by some ac-
counts, murder."
The CIA expeditiously re-
sponded to these allegations,
noting that they were "absurd."
The Agency also indicated that
it was not involved in any illegal
use of the bank.
Acting DCI Richard J. Kerr
had an opportunity to address
this issue during an appearance
at the National Press Club in
early August. In response to a
question, Kerr said an internal
investigation had shown that the
CIA's dealings with the bank
were "absolutely legal." He also
said the Agency had been
"aggressively" collecting infor-
mation about BCCI' and had
disseminated reports on the
bank's role in money laundering,
narcotics, and terrorism since
the early 1980s.
Kerr's candid public state-
ment received extensive press
coverage, and the rampant me-
dia speculation concerning
CIA's dealings with the bank has
dissipated.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/21 : CIA-RDP99-01448R000401690001-8 .