In Search of Enemies - A CIA Story - John Stockwell

[254] IN SEARCH OF ENEMIES
comings, misdeeds, and depraved behavior, President Carter announced
a reorganization of the intelligence community, which was
based on the hypothesis that the clandestine services are essential to
our national security. He elevated the position of the director of
central intelligence and increased its powers. The offices that have
traditionally been responsible for supervising the CIA were renamed.
The Congress was reassured that it will receive briefings on CIA
activities. Director Turner initiated a housecleaning, dismissing four
hundred people, so the Directorate of Operations will be "lean and
efficient."
The scope of CIA operations is not being reduced, and its overall
effectiveness, including the cover of its operatives overseas is only
being upgraded to a slight degree. The clandestine services still have
their charter to do covert action. Only thirteen overseas positions are
being cut; forty stations and bases will still function in Africa alone,
from Nairobi to Ouagadougou, with case officers energetically seeking
opportunities to protect our national security.
Not Horatio. The clandestine service is an unfortunate relic of the
- Cold War, entrenched in our government, protected by our selfindulgent,
nostalgic commitment to its existence. The CIA presence
in American foreign affairs will be judged by history as a surrender
to the darker side of human nature.
Already we are paying dearly for indulging ourselves. As we have
succeeded in making ourselves more like our enemies, more like the
KGB, the world has taken note. Throughout Africa, Latin America,
and Asia, at least, every legitimate American businessman, teacher,
and official is suspiciously viewed as a probable CIA operative, capable
of dangerous betrayals. The world knows that, in fact, numbers
of actual CIA case officers are posing as just such people, while they
recruit agents, bribe officials, and support covert adventures. The
positive contribution of such activity to our national security is
dubious. But mounting numbers of victims, the millions of people
whose lives have been trampled or splattered by CIA operations are
increasingly cynical of America. Becau~e of the CIA the world is a
n1ore dangerous place. An1ericans have reduced credibility. Worst of
all, by retaining the CIA we are accepting ourselves as a harsh and
ruthless people. It's the wrong game for a great nation. And the
players we've got are losers.