DATE=2/23/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-39059
TITLE=CIA/BAY OF PIGS REPORT
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=MIAMI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY HAS RELEASED AN INTERNAL
REPORT COMPILED BY AGENCY OFFICERS AFTER THE FAILED BAY OF PIGS
INVASION IN CUBA MORE THAN THREE DECADES AGO. THE REPORT, LONG
THOUGHT TO BE LOST, CRITICIZES NEARLY EVERY ASPECT OF THE FAILED
OPERATION. V-O-A'S JIM TEEPLE HAS DETAILS FROM OUR MIAMI BUREAU.
TEXT: THE ONE HUNDRED AND-FIFTY PAGE REPORT, LONG REGARDED AS
ONE OF THE MOST SECRET DOCUMENTS OF THE COLD WAR LAY FOR MORE
THAN THREE DECADES IN SAFE OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. IT SAYS THE C-I-A'S OPERATION TO INVADE
CUBA IN 1961 WAS CHARACTERIZED BY IGNORANCE, INCOMPETENCE AND
ARROGANCE.
THE REPORT WAS WRITTEN BY THE C-I-A'S INSPECTOR GENERAL LYMAN
KIRKPATRICK SIX-MONTHS AFTER THE FAILED INVASION. IT WAS OBTAINED
BY PETER KORNBLUH A SENIOR ANALYST AT THE NATIONAL SECURITY
ARCHIVE, A WASHINGTON BASED RESEARCH GROUP WHICH SEEKS TO
DECLASSIFY AND CATALOG U-S GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS. MR. KORNBLUH
WHO DIRECTS THE CUBA PROJECT AT THE NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVE
SAYS THE C-I-A REPORT IS A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT.
/// INSERT KORNBLUH ACTUALITY ///
IT IS QUITE LITERALLY, PROBABLY THE MOST SELF-CRITICAL
REPORT EVER WRITTEN INSIDE THE AGENCY, AND THERE ARE
DOCUMENTS THAT WERE DE-CLASSIFIED WITH IT THAT SHOW
THAT SENIOR OFFICIALS WERE CLEARLY WORRIED THAT THIS
REPORT WOULD LEAK, THAT IT WOULD GET INTO THE HANDS OF
CONGRESS, THE AMERICAN PUBLIC AND THE MEDIA AND THAT IT
WOULD BE USED IN THE EARLY 1960'S TO UNDERMINE THE
FUTURE MISSION AND EVEN THE VIABLITY OF C-I-A COVERT
OPERATIONS.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
THE REPORT WAS SO SENSITIVE SAYS MR. KORNBLUH THAT THEN C-I-A
DIRECTOR JOHN MCCONE HAD ALL BUT ONE COPY OF IT BURNED.
ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, SENIOR C-I-A OFFICIALS KNEW VERY EARLY
ON THAT THE MISSION'S SECRECY HAD BEEN COMPROMISED, AND THAT IT
WAS LIKELY TO FAIL.
PETER KORNBLUH SAYS THE REPORT ALSO MAKES IT CLEAR THAT C-I-A
OFFICIALS WITHHELD CRITICAL INFORMATION FROM PRESIDENT KENNEDY.
/// KORNBLUH ACTUALITY #2 ///
ONE OF THE MOST SURPRISING THINGS IN THE REPORT IS THAT
IT BASICALLY SAYS THAT C-I-A OFFICIALS SHOULD HAVE GONE
TO THE WHITE HOUSE AND SAID, MR. PRESIDENT THIS
OPERATION SHOULD NOT GO FORWARD UNDER THESE POLITICAL
CONDITIONS, WE DO NOT FEEL IT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL, AND
INSTEAD THE REPORT POINTS OUT THE C-I-A DECIDED TO
GAMBLE ON VICTORY WITH VERY DUBIOUS ODDS OF SUCCESS.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
THE REPORT SAYS SENIOR C-I-A OFFICIALS DID NOT HESITATE TO GAMBLE
WITH THE LIVES OF MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND FIVE-HUNDRED CUBAN
EXILES IT TRAINED TO INVADE CUBA BUT THE C-I-A NEVER TOOK THE
EXILES VERY SERIOUSLY. FEW OF THE C-I-A CASE OFFICERS INVOLVED
IN THE BAY OF PIGS OPERATION SPOKE SPANISH AND EXILE LEADERS WERE
IGNORED. JOSE BASULTO WHO HEADS, BROTHERS TO THE RESCUE, A
MIAMI-BASED EXILE GROUP WAS PART OF AN INFILTRATION TEAM SENT
INTO CUBA TO ASSIST THE INVASION. HE SAYS THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY
TO DESCRIBE HOW SENIOR C-I-A OFFICIALS TREATED CUBAN-EXILES.
/// INSERT BASULTO ACTUALITY ///
ARROGANCE -- THEY SIMPLY DID NOT BELIEVE THEY WERE
DEALING WITH PEOPLE OF HIGHER INTELLIGENCE. THEY
SIMPLY THOUGHT THEY WERE DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO WOULD
DO ANYTHING, IF THEY WERE INSTRUCTED BY AMERICANS TO ACT
IN A CERTAIN WAY.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
MORE THAN TWO-HUNDRED CUBAN-EXILES WERE KILLED DURING THE
INVASION AND MORE THAN ONE-THOUSAND OTHERS WERE CAPTURED BY CUBAN
TROOPS.
THE OPERATION WAS ALSO A MAJOR FOREIGN POLICY DEFEAT FOR JOHN
KENNEDY AND HISTORIANS SAY THE YOUNG PRESIDENT WAS SO FRUSTRATED
OVER ITS FAILURE, THAT HE APPROVED OTHER MEASURES, INCLUDING
ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS, TO GET RID OF FIDEL CASTRO. (SIGNED)
NEB/JLT/WDC/PT
23-Feb-98 6:36 PM EST (2336 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.