In Search of Enemies - A CIA Story - John Stockwell

Our Little-Known Allies (95)
was a medium-sized man, about Colby's build, with bushy eyebrows
and tinted glasses, through which he looked at me with sparkling,
friendly eyes. His seventh-floor penthouse office was walled on the
east by floor-to-ceiling glass which provided too much bright sunshine
for comfortable paperwork, and a view of the stately trees
which line the George Washington Parkway.
Potts briefed him on the prograf!l, while Carl listened morosely
and I took notes. He reviewed the approvals, the projected budget
(still s14 million), the flights of arms, and the relative troop strengths.
He also summarized the meeting of the 40 Committee, which had
approved the forwarding of arms to Savimbi and had ordered the
formation of the interagency working group. The 40 Committee had
also discussed the need for foreign advisors to bolster the African
troops of our allies. Potts mentioned the decision to send one of the
agency's prepackaged units of foreign weapons.
Nelson listened, his eyes focused on the coffee table. When Potts
finished, Carl took the floor. "Now would be a good time for us to
decide just how involved we want to get. We're sending some arms
... we can let them do the rest for themselves ... "
Nelson was still silent. Potts looked argumentatively at Carl. I
watched all three.
Nelson spoke. "Gentlemen, we've been given a job to do. Let's not
sit around wringing our hands." He paused and looked at each of us
sharply from under his thick eyebrows.
"What is our next step?'' he asked.
Potts was silent, thinking. Carl was out of it.
"Sir," I said, "we've got to have a look inside Angola. We don't
know enough about our allies. u
"What do you suggest?"
"We should have a first-hand report from Ambriz and Savimbi's
base at Silva Porto.''
Potts gave me a reproachful look. Carl's face clouded even darker.
I tried to ignore them, although their stares made me nervous. I knew
Potts resented any subordinate taking the initiative. Since Carl had
heard me expressing reservations about the program only a week
before, my enthusiasm in front of the DDO must have sounded
self-serving, almost hypocritical. But I was determined to be the one
to survey the situation inside Angola and this was my opportunity
to sell myself to the DDO.