DATE=10/29/98
TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-10982
TITLE=THE C-I-A'S NEW ROLE IN MIDEAST PEACE QUESTIONED
BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE
TELEPHONE=619-3335
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
CONTENT=
INTRO: FOR THE MOST PART, THE UNITED STATES PRESS GREETED THE
LATEST INTERIM MIDDLE EAST PEACE AGREEMENT IN EASTERN MARYLAND
LAST WEEK WITH GUARDED OPTIMISM. MOST PAPERS SUGGESTED IT WAS
GOOD TO GET THE PROCESS MOVING FORWARD AGAIN AFTER MORE THAN A
YEAR OF STALEMATE.
HOWEVER, ONE SPECIFIC ASPECT OF THE WYE AGREEMENT -- THE USE OF
THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY TO WORK WITH THE PALESTINIANS AND
ISRAELIS TO COMBAT TERRORISM AND INCREASE SECURITY -- HAS
ENGENDERED A VIGOROUS DEBATE. WE WELCOME ___________________ TO
OUR MICROPHONE NOW WITH A SAMPLING IN TODAY'S U-S OPINION
ROUNDUP.
TEXT: PRESIDENT CLINTON PLEDGED THE ASSISTANCE OF THE CENTRAL
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY AS A WAY OF ASSURING SUCCESS IN RESUMING THE
PEACE PROCESS. /// OPT /// THE NORMALLY SECRETIVE SPY AGENCY WILL
BECOME RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING AND VERIFYING THE TOUGHEST
PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT, INCLUDING IDENTIFYING AND
INCARCERATING TERRORISTS, AND HEADING OFF NEW BOMBINGS AND OTHER
SUCH ACTS. /// END OPT ///
SOME NEWSPAPERS SEE THIS AS SUCH A FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT FOR THE
C-I-A AND URGE THAT CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL AND A FAR-REACHING
NATIONAL DEBATE NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE BEFORE THE PLAN GOES INTO
EFFECT.
AS "THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE" PUTS IT IN A HEADLINE, "THE C-I-A COMES
IN FROM THE COLD" /// OPT /// AND IN CLEVELAND, OHIO, WHERE "THE
PLAIN DEALER" GREETED THE WYE AGREEMENT WITH "GUARDED OPTIMISM,"
THE PAPER'S EDITORIAL HEADLINE NOTED: "WELCOME PROGRESS IN TALKS
ON THE MIDEAST'S FUTURE CANNOT ALLAY DISCOMFORT AT SOME U-S
PROMISES." /// END OPT /// "THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE" EDITORIAL
CONTINUES:
VOICE: /// OPT /// THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS PUT THE
NORMALLY SECRETIVE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY IN THE
SPOTLIGHT ... AND THAT SET OFF ALARM BELLS ON CAPITOL
HILL, WHERE SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
RICHARD SHELBY (REPUBLICAN OF ALABAMA) DESCRIBED THE
MOVE AS 'TROUBLING' AND CALLED FOR HEARINGS. SUCH AN
INQUIRY IS ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE. /// END OPT ///
PRESIDENT CLINTON IS PUTTING C-I-A OPERATIVES IN THE
MIDDLE EAST INTO AN UNPRECEDENTED SITUATION OF HELPING
VALIDATE THE PALESTINIAN FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM. ....
GIVEN THE ENORMOUS AMERICAN INTEREST AND INVESTMENT IN
FOSTERING PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, THIS EXPANDED C-I-A
ROLE MAY BE FULLY JUSTIFIED. BUT CONGRESS IS JUSTIFIED
IN DEMANDING THAT THE PRESIDENT AND HIS ADVISERS EXPLAIN
IT FULLY.
TEXT: "THE (CLEVELAND, OHIO) PLAIN DEALER" ALSO HAS MISGIVINGS,
AS EXPRESSED IN THIS LEAD EDITORIAL.
VOICE: /// OPT /// THE CONCLUSION OF ANOTHER INTERIM PEACE
AGREEMENT ... AFTER 18 MONTHS OF STALEMATE AND MORE THAN
A WEEK OF DIFFICULT NEGOTIATIONS, IS WELCOME NEWS. ///
END OPT /// ... OUR ENTHUSIASM FOR THE AGREEMENT IS
TEMPERED, HOWEVER, BY CONCERN ABOUT COMMITMENTS THE
UNITED STATES UNDERTOOK - - OR CONTEMPLATED UNDERTAKING
- - TO HELP REACH IT. THE FIRST INVOLVES USE OF THE
C-I-A AS A MEDIATOR IN SECURITY DISPUTES BETWEEN
PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS, WHICH REALLY MEANS
SUPERVISING THE HANDLING OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS BY
PALESTINIAN SECURITY FORCES. THIS INSTITUTIONALIZES A
ROLE THE C-I-A HAS PLAYED QUIETLY FOR AT LEAST TWO
YEARS, BUT IT HARDLY CONFORMS TO THE AGENCY'S REAL
PURPOSE, INTELLIGENCE-GATHERING, AND IT COULD PUT C-I-A
PERSONNEL AT GREATER RISK.
TEXT: "THE PROVIDENCE (RHODE ISLAND) JOURNAL" VIEWS C-I-A
INVOLVEMENT AS "A DANGEROUS DEVELOPMENT."
VOICE: THIS ROLE IS LIKELY TO SUCK WASHINGTON INTO POLITICAL
INTRIGUES WITHIN ISRAEL, EMBROIL US DIRECTLY IN ENDLESS
ROUNDS OF DISPUTES BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIAN
AUTHORITY, AND PROVOKE CONFLICTS HERE AT HOME OVER
AMERICA'S MIDEAST POLICIES.
/// OPT ///
TEXT: ADDING A BIT OF HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE TO THIS DEBATE IS
STEVE POSNER, AUTHOR OF "ISRAEL UNDERCOVER: SECRET WARFARE AND
HIDDEN DIPLOMACY IN THE MIDDLE EAST." COMMENTING IN "THE BOSTON
GLOBE," MR. POSNER WRITES THAT THIS SO-CALLED NEW ROLE FOR THE
AGENCY IS NOT REALLY ALL THAT NEW.
VOICE: OFFICIALLY, THE C-I-A ONLY IMPLEMENTS POLICY AND DOESN'T
HELP FORMULATE IT THE WAY [CURRENT C-I-A DIRECTOR
GEORGE] TENET DID DURING THE MARYLAND SUMMIT. YET IN
THE YEARS WHEN THE P-L-O WAS STILL WANDERING IN THE
POLITICAL WILDERNESS, WITH THE U-S GOVERNMENT CONDEMNING
THE ORGANIZATION AS A GANG OF MURDEROUS THUGS UNWORTHY
OF DIPLOMATIC RECOGNITION, IT WAS THE C-I-A THAT CARRIED
OUT SECRET NEGOTIATIONS WITH [P-L-O CHAIRMAN YASSER]
ARAFAT AND HIS LIEUTENANTS.
/// END OPT ///
TEXT: TAKING A POSITIVE VIEW OF THE OVERALL AGREEMENT, FLORIDA'S
"ORLANDO SENTINEL" IS TROUBLED BY THE PLAN TO USE THE C-I-A.
VOICE: /// OPT /// ALTHOUGH THE NEW MIDDLE EAST ACCORD ISN'T
PERFECT, IT IS A GENUINE BREAKTHROUGH THAT STRENGTHENS
THE VOICE OF REASON. THERE IS A REASON TO KEEP FAITH
FOR PEACE. .... THAT SAID, TWO TROUBLING ASPECTS
DESERVE MENTION: THE INAPPROPRIATE ISRAELI BID TO LINK
PROGRESS IN THE TALKS TO THE RELEASE OF CONVICTED U-S
TURNCOAT JONATHAN POLLARD, SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE FOR
SPYING ON ISRAEL'S BEHALF. THE U-S COMMITMENT TO RAISE
THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY'S PROFILE IN HELPING TO
MONITOR AND IMPLEMENT THE AGREEMENT. /// END OPT ///
THE ADMINISTRATION ARGUES THAT THE SITUATION REQUIRES
SUCH AN EXPANSION OF THE C-I-A'S ROLE .... PERHAPS, BUT
THE PRIMARY ROLE OF OVERSEEING THE ACCORD BELONGS TO U-S
DIPLOMATIC PERSONNEL. THE C-I-A SHOULD REMAIN IN THE
BACKGROUND, CONDUCTING ITS INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES AND
PROVIDING SUPPORT.
TEXT: "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" IS EVEN MORE FORCEFUL IN ITS
MISGIVINGS ABOUT WHAT IT SEES AS A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN THE
AGENCY'S MISSION, NO MATTER HOW IMPORTANT THE GOAL.
VOICE: /// OPT /// THERE ARE SOME HARD QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED
ABOUT THE ROLE ASSIGNED THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
IN OVERSEEING CERTAIN SECURITY PROVISIONS IN THE NEW
ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AGREEMENT. /// END OPT /// ... THE
PROBLEM IS THAT THE C-I-A IS PROBABLY THE BEST THAT
WASHINGTON CAN OFFER IN ITS ROLE AS HONEST BROKER IN THE
PEACE PROCESS, BECAUSE OF THE CONFIDENCE BOTH SIDES
APPEAR TO HAVE IN THE AGENCY'S ABILITY TO BE FAIR AND
THOROUGH. BUT THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE CONGRESS FROM GOING
AFTER A FULLER EXPLANATION OF THE C-I-A'S TROUBLING NEW
ANTI-TERRORISM MONITORING MISSION, INCLUDING THE ADDED
RISKS FACED BY AGENTS ON THE GROUND.
TEXT: /// OPT /// AND LASTLY, A FEW MORE QUALMS FROM "THE KANSAS
CITY [MISSOURI] STAR."
VOICE: THERE ARE UNDERSTANDABLE DOUBTS ... ABOUT THE EXPANDED
ROLE ... THE C-I-A IS BEING ASKED TO PLAY IN
ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN RELATIONS. /// END OPT ///
TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF U-S EDITORIAL
OPINION ON THE ROLE OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY IN THE
REVITALIZED MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS.
NEB/ANG/GE
29-Oct-98 1:16 PM EST (1816 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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