SUGGESTED REPLY FROM SENATOR ALAN CRANSTON TO(Sanitized)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73B00296R000100010050-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 21, 2006
• Sequence Number: 50
• Publication Date: June 24, 1970
• Content Type: LETTER

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Senator Alan Cranston GLC
SUGGESTED REPLY
24 June 1970
Thank you for your note of 31 May 1970 in which you express
concern about the activities of the Central Intelligence Agency.
On the assumption that you would like to know more about the
functions of this agency, which was established by an act of Congress
in 1947, I am enclosing for your information a pamphlet on the CIA
which covers not only the statutory basis under which it operates but
also discusses supervision given it both in the Executive and
Legislative Branches of our Government.
I trust that you have fully recovered from the surgery to your
Sincerely,
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Senator George Murphy GLC
This is-in response to your letter of 21 May 1970 in which you
express concern about the Central Intelligence Agency generally and
raise several specific points regarding possible CIA involvement in the
present situation in Cambodia.
As I believe you know, the CIA does not comment on the various
allegations which are made in the press and elsewhere with regard to
its activities. Although the Agency has made no public comment with
respect to its possible involvement in the Cambodian political upheaval,
it has been made a matter of record that the Agency had no part in Prime
Minister Sihanouk's ouster.
I can appreciate the reasons for your general concern, but I can
assure you that the Agency is the subject of detailed oversight both in the
Executive Branch and in the Congress. In addition to the supervision which
it receives directly from the President and the National Security Counsel,
CIA is responsive to the supervision of the President's Foreign Intelligence
Advisory Board (the membership of which I am enclosing) and its budget
receives detailed attention by the Bureau of the Budget.
In the Congress, Subcommittees of the Armed Services and Appro-
priations Committees in the House and the Senate keep themselves informed
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with regard to the Agency. I have the privilege of being one of the five
members of the CIA Subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee
and I can assure you that the Agency holds nothing back from this Subcommittee
or from the CIA Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
I can also assure you that the appropriations for CIA are given as close a
scrutiny as any agency in Government, notwithstanding the fact that of
necessity this must be done outside of the public eye.
My colleagues on the Appropriations Subcommittee are men of
the highest caliber. I know they are as concerned as anyone can be regard-
ing the high cost of running our Government and they are taking such steps
as they feel are prudent to reduce these expenses in so far as possible.
On the assumption that you would be interested in the mission of
the Agency and the statutory authority under which it operates, I am
enclosing for your information a pamphlet on the Agency.
I trust that this information is responsive to your inquiry.
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Senator Alan Cranston GLC 24 June 197U
The charges which you refer to in your recent letter to the effect
that the Central Intelligence Agency is involved in dope activities undoubtedly
stems from an address reportedly made by Representative John V. Tunney,
of California, to the Wilshire Chamber of Commerce in Los Angeles and
which was commented upon in the 11 April issue of the New Yorker
magazine. I am enclosing a copy of that article.
The Central Intelligence Agency does not officially comment on
various allegations which are made from time to time in the press and
elsewhere with regard to its activities, However, I have looked into the
matter mentioned in the New Yorker article and pass on for your information
some of the facts as they have been made available to me. The original
decision to support the Meo tribesmen under General Vang Pao was made
by President Kennedy in '1961. Because of the rapid deterioration of the
situation in Laos due to Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese expansion
of areas under their control, the Kennedy Administration made the decision
to support the Meo tribesmen who were seeking to prevent their country
from being overrun by these forces who had direct Soviet assistance.
U. S. advisors were withdrawn from Laos following the Geneva agreement
of 1962, but in 1963, when it became obvious that the North Vietnamese had
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no intention of observing Laotian neutrality and in response to appeals
from Vang Pao, the U. S. resumed logistical and materiel support.
The charge that Vang Pao is attempting to dominate other factions
throughout Northern Laos apparently overlooks the fact that Vang Pao's
troops are engaged solely in defending their own homeland against the
vastly superior invading forces--67, 000 North Vietnamese troops.
Contrary to the statement in the New Yorker article, the Plain de
Jarres is only 300 miles from the Ho Chi Minh Trail and operations there
have a direct impact on the enemy's use of the trail.
While opium is indeed grown in northern Laos, that grown by the
Meo tribes is consumed locally and does not reach the export market.
Most of the opium exported from Southeast Asia comes from Burma and
according to the Bureau of Narcotics all of Southeast Asia provides only
5 percent of the opium and opium derivatives sold in the U. S.
In recent years, U.S. advisers have been quite successful in
persuading the Meos to substitute cash crops of rice and livestock in order
to reduce their reliance on opium. U. S. airlines operating in the Far East,
including Laos, employ security personnel specifically assigned to watch
for smuggling of any kind, including opium.
I trust you will find this information of assistance in your evaluation
of this article.
Enclosure
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Rep. F. Bradford Morse GLC 24 June 1970
SUGGESTED REPLY
Thank you for your recent letter expressing concern over the
oversight of the Central Intelligence Agency.
As you are aware, the Central Intelligence Agency does not comment
on the various allegations which are made in the press and elsewhere
with regard to its activities. I can appreciate the reasons for your concern,
but I can assure you that the Agency is the subject of detailed oversight
both in the Executive Branch and in the Congress. In addition to the
supervision which it receives directly from the President and the National
Security Counsel, CIA is responsive to the supervision of the President's
Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board (the membership of which I am
enclosing) and its budget receives detailed attention from the Bureau of
the Budget.
In the Congress, Subcommittees of the Armed Services and Appro-
priations Committees in the House and the Senate keep themselves informed
with regard to the Agency. My colleagues on these Subcommittees in the
House assure me that the appropriations for the CIA are given as close a
scrutiny as any agency in the Government, notwithstanding the fact that
this is done outside the public eye.
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On the assumption that you would be interested in the mission of
the Agency and the statutory authority under which it operates, I am
enclosing for your interest a pamphlet on the Agency.
I trust that this information is responsive to your inquiry.
Approved For Release 2007/03/06 : CIA-RDP73B00296R000100010050-5