In Search of Enemies - A CIA Story - John Stockwell

(200] IN SEARCH OF ENEMIES
which suggested lines to be used in formal press statements: We
could refuse to comment. We could categorically deny U.S. involvement.
Or we could state that the United States had supported the
Alvor Accord, which permitted the three liberation movements to
participate equally in preparing Angola for independence, but the
Soviet Union had delivered -arms to the MPLA, producing heavy
fighting. Angola's neighbors were concerned that the Soviet Union
was attempting to carve out a dominant position in Angola. We
would add that we were sympathetic but we had not supplied U.S.
arms to any of the liberation movements. Whichever, we should
emphasize the Soviet Union, so it would not look as though we were
attacking a minor liberation movement.
The State Department a few days later reported it had issued a
statement refusing to substantiate press inquiries and denying United
States involvement:
We have not been in the business of providing arms to the Angolan
movements. However, we have received reports that one of the movements,
the MPLA, has for some time been receiving large shipments
of weapons from the Soviet Union. It is understandable if African
governments are concerned about this development and we are sympa·
thetic to those concerns.
In the field our security was fairly good. We and our allies had
contro] over the only transportation into the fighting areas, especially
into Silva Porto, and could restrict those areas from all but a few
selected reporters or the extremely hardy individuals who were willing
to go i.n overland. However, one European reporter, whom we
knew only as Germani, began focusing on Kinshasa itself and was
scurrying about town with a good instinct for where we were hiding
the stories. The Kinshasa station report1ed his presence and the working
group discussed the threat he posed. It would be easy to have
Mobutu throw him out of the country. Could we get by with asking
Mobutu to do it? Germani wasn't American. Did we dare have
cables on record ordering the station to pull strings and have a
legitimate European reporter thrown out of Kinshasa? The press
would be extremely angry if it ever found out. The working group
stalled, wondering why the field hadn't thought of this solution
without headquarters' guidance. They were in daily contact with
Roberto and his deputies and could easily plant the idea. They could