News



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
.