In Search of Enemies - A CIA Story - John Stockwell

IN SEARCH OF ENEMIES
Potts was in early the day of the meeting. I soon had the charts
propped against the coffee table and chairs so he could see them.
Potts looked them over slowly .. I admired them as he went. Then it
happened. Potts decided to change one of the lines on the "Accomplishments"
board. And he spotted a typographical error. "We can't
say that," he declared. "It doesn't look right. I thought I told
you ... ,,
"Well, sir, there is nothing we can do now. The meeting is at
nine-thirty. Colby's car leaves at nine and it's eight-fifteen now."
"But we can't use them like that! ... Take them back down to
Graphics . . . See what they can do."
"Sir they can't ch~nge them now. There isn't time .. . It took them
eight hours to get these done ..."
"They always find a way. Go on. Hurry."
A director of CIA briefing of the 40 Committee was a historic
event; decisions would be made, armies moved, people would die,
and Colby would be calm and effective, appearing completely
knowledgable on Angola and Central Africa. He could not turn and
point to a chart that had a typographical error. Of all its activities,
the agency is the most conscientious and professional when preparing
memoranda, papers, charts., or briefings for the White House or
Congress. No agent operation will ever galvanize a headquarters
office into such feverish activity as the announcement that it has to
prepare a paper for the director or the 40 Committee. The papers
which flow up through the chain of command are letter perfect,
immaculately typed, and in the crispest form of Washingto,n's
bureaucratic English.
I rounded the turn into "G" corridor, past the northeast entrance,
and heard a police whistle shrill and a voice shouting "Sir .. . Sir
,,,
. . . St op . . . STOP.
I jerked to a halt. A woman guard rushed up to me, her hand on
her pistol.
"Where are you going?" she demanded.
"Officer, I have to get these to the director and damn quick!"
"That's not the way to the director's office."
"I know, but I have to go to Graphics first."
"You come to my desk, I'm going to have to get your name and
badge number and check you out. You can't run in this building."
"Officer, my name is John Stockwell, my badge is HW469. You