The CIA had shared information on more than 300,000 persons with different law enforcement agencies including the DIA and FBI. It had spied on, burglarized, intimidated, misinformed, lied to, deceived, and carried out criminal acts against thousands of citizens of the United States. It had placed itself above the law, above the Constitution, and in contempt of international diplomacy and the United States Congress. It had violated its charter and had contributed either directly or indirectly to the resignation of a President of the United States. It had tainted itself beyond hope.
Of all this, the CIA's blatant contempt for the rights of individuals was the worst. This record of deceit and illegality, implored Congress as well as the President to take extreme measures to control the Agency's activities. However, except for a few cosmetic changes made for public consumption such as the Congressional intelligence oversight committee nothing has been done to control the CIA. In fact, subsequent administrations have chosen to use the CIA for domestic operations as well. These renewed domestic operations began with Gerald Ford, were briefly limited by Jimmy Carter, and then extended dramatically by Ronald Reagan.
Any hope of curbing these illegal activities is scant. Recently, George Bush and current DCI William Webster announced a need to again target political enemies of the U.S. for assassination. It is ironic that Webster, a former Federal Judge, would chose to ignore the limits and constraints placed on the government by the Constitution. During his tenure as Director of the FBI, the bureau was once again involved in the infiltration of groups practicing their constitutional right to dissent against U.S. government policies. Once again, the FBI compiled thousands of files on individuals protesting Reagan's war against Nicaragua and support for the genocidal Salvadoran military. Now, Webster is in a position of perhaps even greater power and, without doubt, would have no qualms about abusing it.
Conclusion
Given the power granted to the office of the presidency and the unaccountability of the intelligence agencies, widespread illegal domestic operations are certain. We as a people should remember history and not repeat it. It is therefore essential that the CIA be reorganized and stripped of its covert operations capability. Effective congressional oversight is also an important condition for ending the misuse of the intelligence apparatus that has plagued every U.S. administration since the formation of the CIA. A great deal is at risk our personal freedoms as well as the viability of this society. The CIA must be put in its place. Should we demand or allow anything less, we will remain vulnerable to these abuses and face the risk of decaying into a lawless state destined to self-destruction.
References
1. Robert L. Bomsage and John Marks, eds., The CIA File (New York: Grossman, 1976), p. 97.
2. Morton H. Halperin, et al., eds., The Lawless State (New York: Penguin, 1976), p. 138.
3. Ibid.
4. Organizing Notes, April 1982 (Vol 6, No. 3), p. 6.
5. Thomas Powers, The Man Who Kept the Secrets (New York: Knopf, 1979), p. 246.
6. Op. cit., n. 2, p. 145
7. Ibid., p. 146.
8. Op. cit., p. 245.
9. Op. cit., n. 2, pp. 148-49.
10. Ibid., p. 148.
11. Ibid.
12. Op. cit., n. 2, p. 150.
13. Op. cit., n. 5, p. 248.
14. Op. cit., n. 2, p. 153.
15. Center for National Security Studies report, Operation Chaos (Washington, D.C.: 197), p. 11.
16. Op. cit., n. I, pp. 101-02, 106.
17. Op. cit., n. 2, p. 153
END
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