THE DEMYSTIFICATION OF INTELLIGENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP05T00644R000100040006-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 8, 2009
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: August 5, 1977
• Content Type: REPORT

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THE DEMYSTIFICATION'OF''INTELLIGENCE
REMARKS BY
ADMIRAL STANSFIELD TURNER
DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
5 AUGUST 1977
COMMONWEALTH CLUB
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
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YESTERDAY THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED A MAJOR REORGANIZATION
OF THE INTELLIGENCE APPARATUS OF OUR COUNTRY. THIS WAS THE
CULMINATION OF 6 MONTHS OF INTENSIVE STUDY. THIS AND SEVERAL
OTHER RECENT ACTIONS OF THE PRESIDENT WITH RESPECT TO INTELLIGENCE
HAS ACHIEVED TWO THINGS:
1. HAS STRENGTHENED CONTROL OVER OUR INTELLIGENCE
APPARATUS.
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2. HAS ENSURED STRINGENT OVERSIGHT OF HOW WE GO
ABOUT OUR INTELLIGENCE.
THE STRENGTHENING OF CONTROL HAS COME ABOUT BY GIVING TO
MY OFFICE, THAT IS THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE, FULL
AUTHORITY FOR THE BUDGETS OF THE VARIOUS INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATIONS
AND AUTHORITY FOR SETTING THE TASKS FOR THESE ORGANIZATIONS
IN THEIR ATTEMPTS TO COLLECT INTELLIGENCE. INTELLIGENCE, YOU SEE,
.IS LOCATED IN A NUMBER OF AGENCIES OF OUR GOVERNMENT, NOT JUST
THE CIA: THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT, THE STATE DEPT, THE FBI,
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TREASURY AND THE NEW ENERGY DEPT. I HAPPEN TO BE DIRECTOR OF
ONE--CIA. LALSO HAVE ANOTHER JOB, THAT OF THE DIRECTOR OF
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE--WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IT IS TO HAVE ALL
THE INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES PULLING TOGETHER. THE NEW ORGANIZATIONAL
ARRANGEMENT EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS SECOND TASK OF
PULLING ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES TOGETHER ESPECIALLY WHEN COLLECTING
INTELLIGENCE DATA. FOR INSTANCE, THE DEFENSE AND STATE DEPTS
WILL EACH HAVE THEIR OWN ANALYTICAL AGENCIES IN ADDITION TO THAT
OF THE CIA. WE SEEK AND WELCOME DIVERGENT AND COMPETING IDEAS.
AND OPINIONS, FOR GOOD INTELLIGENCE DOES NOT COME BY REVELATION,
IT ALWAYS IS SHROUDED IN UNCERTAINTY AND ALTERNATIVE INTERPRETATIONS
BELIEVE THAT THIS NEW ORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENT WILL
ENSURE BETTER PERFORMANCE IN BOTH COLLECTING AND INTERPRETING
INTELLIGENCE. I AM CONFIDENT ALSO THAT THE PRESIDENT AND MANY
OTHER OF OUR TOP EXECUTIVES GAVE A GREAT DEAL OF ATTENTION. TO
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THIS NEW PLAN BECAUSE OF A RECOGNITION THAT GOOD INTELLIGENCE
IS PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANT TO OUR COUNTRY TODAY THAN EVER SINCE
THE CREATION OF A CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION 30 YEARS AGO.
THIRTY YEARS AGO WE HAD VAST MILITARY SUPERIORITY. 'THE
SOVIETS HAVING RECOGNIZED FAILURE OF THEIR SYSTEM TO GROW IN
OTHER WAYS, HAVE BECOME A WORLD POWER BASED ON THEIR MILITARY
MIGHT. LARGE AMOUNTS OF THIS POWER ARE POISED ON NATO'S
FRONTIERS-IN EUROPE AND RANGE THE HIGH SEAS. IN THIS CONDITION
OF ROUGH MILITARY PARITY, THE VALUE OF INTELLIGENCE TODAY IS
GREAT. REAL ADVANTAGES CAN ACCURE FROM ACCURATELY KNOWING
WHAT YOUR POTENTIAL ADVERSARY'S STRENGTH IS AND WHAT HE INTENDS
TO DO WITH IT. HE SELDOM TELLS YOU THIS, BUT HE DOES GIVE IT
AWAY IN MANY SMALL WAYS, WHICH WHEN WATCHED OVER A LONG PERIOD
OF TIME, AND PIECED TOGETHER, CAN GIVE YOU REAL ADVANTAGES.
IT IS THE KIND OF LEVERAGE THAT CAN TURN THE TIDE OF BATTLE.
THAT'S THE IMPORTANT END PRODUCT OF. INTELLIGENCE.
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IF YOU LOOK PAST THE MILITARY SCENE, THERE ARE OTHER
SIMILAR SITUATIONS: ECONOMICS - 30 YEARS AGO - ECONOMICALLY
INDEPENDENT - TODAY INTERDEPENDENCE - ENERGY SITUATION - LOSE
SHIRT. IF NOT SMART - POWER BLOCKS - RAW MATERIALS/TRADE LEVERAGE.
POLITICS - WORLD DIFFERENT FROM'U.S. DOMINATION TO SITUATION
TODAY, EVOLVING NATIONS ARE GOING OWN WAY AND DO NOT WANT TO
BE DICTATED TO EITHER BY THE U.S. OR SOVIET-RUSSIA. WE MUST
BE SMART, UNDERSTAND POL/ECON/CULTURAL ATTITUDES OR WE WILL
BE OUT-MANEUVERED.
AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE NEED GOOD INTELLIGENCE TODAY
MORE PERHAPS THAN IN THE PAST, WE ARE JUSTIFIBLY MORE CONCERNED
THAT INTELLIGENCE BE COLLECTED, ANALYZED, AND EMPLOYED IN WAYS
CONSONANT WITH OUR CONCEPTS OF SOCIETY. WE:CANNOT AFFORD-TO.-
UTILIZE METHODS OF COLLECTING SECRET INTELLIGENCE THAT OUR
SOCIETY FEELS.WOULD JEOPARDIZE THE VERY VALUES WHICH WE ARE SEEKING
TO DEFEND.
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HERE IS WHERE THE OTHER HALF OF THE PRESIDENT'S NEW
PROGRAM COMES INTO PLAY: STRINGENT OVERSIGHT. WE HAVE TAKEN
A NUMBER OF APPROACHES TO THIS:
1. REAFFIRMATION OF IMPORTANCE OF JOB - THIS IS
A BODY CREATED 1/ YEARS AGO TO SERVE AS A WATCHDOG ON
ETHICS AND PROPRIETY OF THE ENTIRE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY.
3 DISTINGUISHED CITIZENS
ANY INDIVIDUAL CAN WRITE
BOARD, WHEN INVESTIGATES, REPORTS ONLY TO PRESIDENT.
SUPPORTING LEGISLATION NOW BEING CONSIDERED BY
CONGRESS TO ENSURE THAT ANY WIRETAPPING DONE IN U.S. IN
THE NAME OF COLLECTING FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE DOES NOT
CONTRAVENE RIGHTS OF OUR CITIZENS.
NEXT, WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO THE PAST AND TRYING TO
ENSURE THE PUBLIC THAT ANY ABUSES THAT DID EXIST ARE TRULY
BEHIND US1
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FOR INSTANCE, I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE TODAY THAT ALL OF
THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ROCKEFELLER COMMISSION WHICH WERE
DIRECTED AT THE CIA HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED,
WE ARE ALSO LOOKING THE PAST SQUARELY IN THE EYE, EVEN
WHEN IT IS UNPLEASANT, ON WEDNESDAY OF THIS WEEK I PRESENTED
TO THE CONGRESS EVERY DETAIL OF INFORMATION WHICH I HAVE ON
.THE DRUG RELATED ACTIVITIES OF THE CIA DURING THE PERIOD
1953-1965, NOW THIS WAS 12 TO 24 YEARS AGO AND WE ALL HATE
TO REHASH ERRORS OF THE PAST, ESPECIALLY RECOGNIZING THAT
NATIONAL ATTITUDES AND MORES CHANGE WITH TIME AND WHAT MIGHT
HAVE BEEN CONDONED YESTERDAY MAY BE COMDEMNED TODAY, WHAT
HAPPENED, HOWEVER, IN THIS CASE, IS THAT.WE FOUND DOCUMENTATION
ON THIS SUBJECT IN OUR RETIRED RECORDS ARCHIVES WHICH HAD NOT
BEEN FOUND DURING CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATIONS OF THIS SUBJECT
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UPON BEING INFORMED OF THIS, I FELT OBLIGED
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IMMEDIATELY TO NOTIFY THE PRESIDENT AND THE CONGRESS. SOME
OF THESE REVELATIONS CONCERN ACTIVITIES IN YOUR FINE CITY.
I REGRET THIS, BUT ASSURE YOU THAT NOTHING OF THIS SORT IS
BEING, OR WILL BE TOLERATED TODAY, THE MOST INEXPLICABLE
PART OF THE ACTIVITIES HERE IN SAN FRANCISCO, AND IN OTHER
CITIES, WAS THE TESTING OF VARIOUS DRUGS ON INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT
THEIR KNOWLEDGE. WE DO NOT HAVE THE NAMES OF THE INDIVIDUALS
.TESTED. HOWEVER, NOW THAT WE HAVE UNCOVERED THIS INFORMATION
I INTEND TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO IDENTIFY AND NOTIFY THESE
PERSONS.
AGAIN, I WOULD URGE THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS PAST
HISTORY: TWO DECADES OLD. THE CIA~S.OPEN AND FRANK HANDLING
OF THIS DISCLOSURE IS ALSO PART OF AN EFFORT TO OPEN AMERICAN
INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITY TO. GREATER PUBLIC SCRUTINY THAN IN THE
PAST. THIS IS PART OF A VOLUNTARY EFFORT TO LEVEL WITH AND INFORM
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THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, WITHOUT DAMAGING THAT ONGOING INTELLIGENCE
WORK WHICH MUST BE KEPT SECRET TO SUCCEED. FOR EXAMPLE;
WE HAVE TRIED TO BE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE MEDIA--
INVITED THE CAMERAS OF AND 60 MINUTES INSIDE THE.CIA FOR
THE FIRST TIME. I AM NOT SURE IF IT WAS GOOD OR BAD TO DO THAT
WE LOST A LARGE SHARE OF OUR FORMER MYSTIQUE WHEN EVERYONE
DISCOVERED THAT THE JAMES BONDS OF OUR COUNTRY GO TO WORK IN
A RATHER USUAL OFFICE BUILDING WITH RATHER ORDINARY LOOKING
FELLOW-WORKERS. I HOPE THAT THIS LOSS OF GLAMOUR DOESN`T HAVE
AN ADVERSE IMPACT ON OUR RECRUITING!
WE ARE ALSO ATTEMPTING TO TRY TO MAKE MORE OF OUR
PRODUCT ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. THE PUBLICATION OF UNCLASSIFIED.
STUDIES IS ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT, SUBSTANTATIVE INITIATIVES.
IT STEMS FROM A CONVICTION THAT THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY IS
WORKING FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THAT THEY DESERVE TO SHARE
OUR RESULTS WHENEVER THAT IS POSSIBLE. WE INTEND TO PUBLISH
IN UNCLASSIFIED FORM THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF INTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS
THAT WE . CAN .
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TO DATE WE HAVE PUBLISHED SEVERAL MAJOR STUDIES WHICH I
BELIEVE MAKE AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO PUBLIC DEBATE:
THIS PAST MARCH WE PUBLISHED A REPORT ON WORLD ENERGY SITUATION
AND TWO SUBORDINATE STUDIES ON THE SOVIET AND CHINESE ENERGY
PROSPECT.
--ESSENTIALLY ECONOMIC STUDY
--STUDY SAID:
WORLD ENERGY PRODUCTION CAPABILITY WILL FALL
BEHIND DEMAND IN EARLY TO MID-1980'S; THAT MEANS
THERE WILL BE PRESSURE ON PRICES. WHY? ONE
REASON IS THAT WE EXPECT A SHARP DECLINE IN
OUTPUT OF OIL IN THE SOVIET UNION, SOVIETS
DON'T TELL US THESE THINGS, EVEN THOUGH IT WILL
HAVE MAJOR IMPACT ON THE WORLD ECONOMY. AFTER ALL,
THE SOVIET UNION IS WORLDS LARGEST PRODUCER OF OIL..
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BUT WE HAVE USED INTELLIGENCE TO PIECE THIS
TOGETHER - LARGELY OPEN SOURCES,
MAKE CLEAR - NOT? OF WORLD OIL RESERVES AND
WHETHER WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF OIL? THE ISSUE
IS ONE OF GETTING ENOUGH OIL OUT OF THE GROUND
OR BEING ABLE TO FIND ALTERNATIVES LIKE NUCLEAR
POWER OR CONSERVATION MEASURES ADEQUATE TO REDUCE
DEMAND TO THE LEVEL OF PRODUCTION IN THE NEXT 7 TO 8
YEARS. WE DON'T THINK WE CAN FIND ANY COMBINATION
THAT COULD PILL THE BILL BEFORE 1985. AFTER THAT
IT IS A DIFFERENT QUESTION.
ONE OF THE SIDE BENEFITS OF PUBLISHING THIS TYPE OF STUDY
IS THE EXCHANGES IT LEADS TO W'ITH.;OUR.CRITICS. .I REPLIED TO ALL
SERIOUS CRITICS AND INVITED THEM TO DETAIL THEIR CRITICISMS.
THOSE WHO DID I INVITED TO SPEND A DAY WITH THE AUTHORS OF OUR
STUDY.
IT WAS AN EXCELLENT EXCHANGE AND OF A TYPE WHICH I HOPE
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TO ENCOURAGE WITH THE ACADEMIC AND INDUSTRIAL COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE ALSO DELIVERED A STUDY TO THE JOINT ECONOMIC
COMMITTEE OF CONGRESS WHICH WILL BE RELEASED BY THEM. THIS
COMING TUESDAYS IT THOROUGHLY EXAMINES THE OUTLOOK FOR THE
ENTIRE SOVIET ECONOMY OVER THE NEXT DECADE. IN NEITHER THE
OII, STUDIES OR THE SOVIET ECONOMY STUDY DO WE PRETEND THAT
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SOVIET ECONOMIC PROBLEMS ARE INSURMOUNTABLE. WE DO POINT OUT,
HOWEVER, THAT SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SOVIET ECONOMY, WHEN
VIEWED IN THE LIGHT OF PERFORMANCE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS,
INDICATE THE SOVIETS WILL - IN THE NEAR FUTURE.- BE FORCED TO
MAKE SOME D I FFiI;IC.U:L T CHOICES. FOR EXAMPLE:
CAN THEY CONTINUE TO EXPORT OIL TO THEIR EASTERN
EUROPEAN SATELLITES OR WILL THEY NEED TO SEND IT ELSEWHERE
TO EARN HARD CURRENCY?
WILL THEY CONTINUE TO CONSUME OIL AT THE SAME RATE,
OR WILL THEY HAVE TO TURN TO A VIGOROUS CONSERVATION PROGRAM?
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CAN THEY MEET THE INCREASING MANPOWER NEEDS OF
THEIR INDUSTRY AND STILL MAINTAIN THEIR HUGE MILITARY
:..ESTABLISHMENT?
THESE ARE ONLY SOME OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF OUR FINDINGS.
'IT IS MY HOPE THAT THESE STUDIES WILL CONTRIBUTE ANOTHER
PERSPECTIVE TO INFORMED PUBLIC DEBATE ON THIS ISSUE AND ENGAGE
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WITH THEIR INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY.
LET ME ASSURE YOU1 HOWEVER, THAT WE CAN NOT AND WILL NOT
OPEN EVERYTHING UP. AN ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT OF INTELLIGENCE
OPERATIONS.IS THE ABILITY TO PRESERVE SECRETS. SOME OF THE
.INFORMATION BEHIND BOTH THE SOVIET OIL AND ECONOMIC FORECASTS
WAS DERIVED FROM SECRET SOURCES WHICH WOULD BE JEOPARDIZED IN
THE FUTURE WERE WE TO REVEAL THEM,
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THUS, WE CANNOT FORGET THAT WHILE WE MOVE TO DEMYSTIFY
INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES AND TO BUILD PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING
AND SUPPORT FOR WHAT WE DO IN THE DEFENSE OF OUR COUNTRY, WE
MUST ASK AND OBTAIN THE PUBLIC'S COOPERATION IN PRESERVING THAT.
LEVEL OF SECRECY WHICH IS ESSENTIAL TO THESE ACTIVITIES.
IN SHORT WE ARE WORKING IN TWO DIRECTIONS AT ONCE. By
DECLASSIFYING INFORMATION THAT NEED NOT BE CLASSIFIED WE ARE
ATTEMPTING TO PROMOTE GREATER RESPECT FOR GENUINELY SECRET
INFORMATION.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN, WE ARE DRAWING A TIGHTER
PROTECTIVE CIRCLE AROUND THAT INFORMATION OR THOSE ACTIVITIES
WHICH ARE TRULY SECRET.
THUS TODAY, WE ARE DOWNGRADING MORE INFORMATION TO UNCLASSIFIED
AND PUBLISHING IT FOR PUBLIC USE ON THE ONE HAND; AND ENFORCING
GREATER CONTROLS ON SECRECY WHERE JUSTIFIED ON THE OTHER.
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IN CONCLUSION, LET ME MAKE THREE POINTS:
1. THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY IS A UNIQUE NATIONAL
RESOURCE WITHOUT WHICH OUR COUNTRY COULD NOT OPERATE AS
WELL AS IT DOES IN THIS COMPLICATED,WORLD. THIS RESOURCE
MUST BE PRESERVED.
2. BECAUSE OF THE'.INTENSE INTEREST IN CONGRESS IN
OVERSEEING INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES AND BECAUSE OF THE
PERSONAL INTEREST OF THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT -
COUPLED WITH A SENSITIVITY WITHIN THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY ITSELF TO THE ISSUES OF LEGALITY, MORALITY-AND
ETHICS, HEIGHTENED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS OF INVESTIGATION
AND CRITICISM, YOU CAN BE ASSURED THAT THE INTELLIGENCE
.COMMUNITY IS DOING THE JOB IT . WAS CREATED TO DO, DOING IT,
COMPETENTLY, AND DOING NOTHING ELSE.
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YOU WILL BE HEARING FROM THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY. I INTEND TO MAKE THE PUBLIC ONE OF THE
DIRECT BENEFICIARIES OF OUR EFFORTS TO A DEGREE WHICH
HAS NEVER BEEN ATTEMPTED BEFORE.
I ASK YOUR INTEREST AND YOUR SUPPORT.
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