roR thkRmnx, xatejsibx. afccuuR COBHCTX
Subject! Covertcholc^leal) Operations
1* th regard to the discussions ot the aationsl Security Council recti nc the other afternoon on thisish to present thecfihifik oosuensHs oany edvants,;eB. lan worioni out, aa suggested below, would ovcreooo elaoat ell of the objections rained*elieve it would be in consonance with thea-Corroa paper exvd would satisfy the Statedemndand Inroa of propaganda nre to be used and what underground resistance novoEaenta ore to be supported. Purtiicrnorc, the rdgesstod plan would be la conoawncend rould answer the objections of tho .secretary of the Arciy regardinj; tbe eetabliehaeift of aw Agency and re^ai-diic nakiug tho itotlonal Security Council aa operating body. elieve this attested plan would rocoivo toe warn support of the Joint Chiefo of Staft and certainly would bo in lino with the Intent of Congress as derived from cosnrorsaUons with both Senators end KeprooonUtives.
2. 'So begin with. In the propocod paperirector of Special studios, aa preseuted, It lo ificcasary to divide "Covert operations" Into too aoctiona; (l) those operations that will be carried out Inhoan that will be carried out only during war Une oreriod wdon the outbreait of war ia imminent, lhe first group of ouch operations, those to be carried out in peace tlno, will involve black propaganda, including norula subversion, assistance to underground aovsrents, and support bT roslirtance Eoveaento. Ibe second tiroMp, which it is very obvious that the 'Jnittd States would not perfora excoyt in relation to war orwar waa so clooo that it was felt It eould not be avoided, ore tho positive operations Involving sabotage, outl-oatotago, denolition, subversion against hostile states, gusrrllavacuntion. The above division appears towt logical enc li;*srajch. as if, la vary difficult to believe that wo would send in portico to accoaplioh nhyaieal destruction in any phaaocold" war.
To carry out this concept, It io suggestedaper bo prepared to eat forth tho following points i
(a) To provide in the Stateigh-level liaison officer for covert operations. This officer should be of sufficient stature to have the authority to pass on the fore* of -TopoconJa to bo employed and to tall tho Central Int lUgonee Agency that it Is tho policy of tho United Stales to rep?ortl-aveh an under-ground or resistance rwvercnt and to deny such support to another
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ound or resistance novecemt* (It hss bssn tit* lsck of say ouch liaisonauthority that has rosily caused the pre pent diecuaoloos.)
(b) Corert operations of Wis firstvolvinfi black propatandu, aatlataaco to underground uovouents, and support of reolatanaa uorenentfl, to be carriod on In peace tl-w, ah nil be conducted by the Central fnVUl^ence Agency ln accordanceC and In accordance with the pollcloo derived fron the liaison officer nontionod In (a) abgvo*
(e) Covert operatlora of the second, levelTin* eabotaie, antl sabotage, dewlltlon,hich are not to be carried on inv, but only in war tlas ortate of ener^ancy, to be cone Id* rod and plaa'-od nowoRoltteo under tho Joint Chiefs ofits']', with fron the Amed :iarvicos and the Central Intelligence Agency. It is to bo emphasised that only "pla-Tntac" is to bo done no* for this seaond group of operations*
(d) Uoth groups uf operatlona ln ear tine or emergency will naturally fall under too Upon tha outbreak of war ortate ofhe organisation eoad-uctlnd covert operations in (b) art ore should be lifted bodily fronCentral iiiic" Agoney end planed undnr the Joint Chiefs ofin relation to the plans for tha covert operations Mentioned in (c) above.
(o) Ihe Joint Chiefs of .Staff will ho kept Inf.by the 'tral Agencye Bcesums uadertaknn under (b) ouove, tii order thattransitioneace tics atntvsar tiwa ot.;tus can br issSB snoolhly ond efficiently*
mf
Director of Central Intelligence
Original document.
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