The CIA rebuttal to HSCA's interest in vest pocket operations

[Robert Howard]

I have seen hundreds of declassified files on the Kennedy Assassination, some of them are rather strange to say the least.

The following document, is among the most interesting, as well as one of, if not the most compelling interchange between the HSCA and the CIA regarding a theoretical "vest pocket" operation in the assassination.

The document contains allegations by the Agency regarding the quality of the HSCA staff's perusal of it's own documents, which if, the allegations were true, would not surprise many researchers as far as the dedication to the truth of G Robert Blakey and other assorted hierarchy.

Reading the document reminds me of the quote "who are you going to believe me or your own eyes?"

But that is probably a little hard to understand unless you are intimately familiar with the loose ends, so to speak.

See:

LTR

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/....do?docId=59029

For the record, it is a sad lament that in the year 2010, there has never been a detailed article or book regarding the Office of Naval Intelligence and the Kennedy Assassination. I believe that has been a serious mistake in retrospect.

Jim Olmstead awhile back wrote some very compelling material on alt.assassination.jfk, regarding certain persons in NSA and the codebreaking world, as well as the piece on the Marxist Marine.

It is a fact that three agencies: ONI, Army Intelligence and the Signal Intelligence Corp, intertwined in codebreaking operations, if there was a operation somewhat like what the HSCA alluded to, which the document above attempts to refute, those three agencies would present an interesting set of persons that could tie together the persons pulling the strings in what eventually transpired.

[William Kelly]

I have seen hundreds of declassified files on the Kennedy Assassination, some of them are rather strange to say the least.

The following document, is among the most interesting, as well as one of, if not the most compelling interchange between the HSCA and the CIA regarding a theoretical "vest pocket" operation in the assassination.

The document contains allegations by the Agency regarding the quality of the HSCA staff's perusal of it's own documents, which if, the allegations were true, would not surprise many researchers as far as the dedication to the truth of G Robert Blakey and other assorted hierarchy.

Reading the document reminds me of the quote "who are you going to believe me or your own eyes?"

But that is probably a little hard to understand unless you are intimately familiar with the loose ends, so to speak.

See:

LTR

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/....do?docId=59029

For the record, it is a sad lament that in the year 2010, there has never been a detailed article or book regarding the Office of Naval Intelligence and the Kennedy Assassination. I believe that has been a serious mistake in retrospect.

Jim Olmstead awhile back wrote some very compelling material on alt.assassination.jfk, regarding certain persons in NSA and the codebreaking world, as well as the piece on the Marxist Marine.

It is a fact that three agencies: ONI, Army Intelligence and the Signal Intelligence Corp, intertwined in codebreaking operations, if there was a operation somewhat like what the HSCA alluded to, which the document above attempts to refute, those three agencies would present an interesting set of persons that could tie together the persons pulling the strings in what eventually transpired.

Thanks for that nugget Robert,

It's almost funny now that every time they say to remove a name and replace it with "CIA employee" we at least know who they are talking about.

BK

BK

[Greg Parker]

I have seen hundreds of declassified files on the Kennedy Assassination, some of them are rather strange to say the least.

The following document, is among the most interesting, as well as one of, if not the most compelling interchange between the HSCA and the CIA regarding a theoretical "vest pocket" operation in the assassination.

The document contains allegations by the Agency regarding the quality of the HSCA staff's perusal of it's own documents, which if, the allegations were true, would not surprise many researchers as far as the dedication to the truth of G Robert Blakey and other assorted hierarchy.

Reading the document reminds me of the quote "who are you going to believe me or your own eyes?"

But that is probably a little hard to understand unless you are intimately familiar with the loose ends, so to speak.

See:

LTR

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/....do?docId=59029

For the record, it is a sad lament that in the year 2010, there has never been a detailed article or book regarding the Office of Naval Intelligence and the Kennedy Assassination. I believe that has been a serious mistake in retrospect.

Jim Olmstead awhile back wrote some very compelling material on alt.assassination.jfk, regarding certain persons in NSA and the codebreaking world, as well as the piece on the Marxist Marine.

It is a fact that three agencies: ONI, Army Intelligence and the Signal Intelligence Corp, intertwined in codebreaking operations, if there was a operation somewhat like what the HSCA alluded to, which the document above attempts to refute, those three agencies would present an interesting set of persons that could tie together the persons pulling the strings in what eventually transpired.

Firstly, thanks for referencing the work of Jim Olmstead. If Jim were a better writer (and I say that in knowing I'm no PDS, Gerald McKnight or Joan Mellen myself), and posted in other than mcadams' group, his work would be far more widely known and appreciated.

Secondly, by far the most interesting nuggets in that document for me is where the author states "because of his obvious instability, Oswald would never have met the Agency's standards for use in this field." and "because Oswald went to the Soviet Union in 1959, only the years 1959-1962 were checked by the committee." and lastly, "one officer claims to believe, as distinguished from 'acknowledges' the possibility of a "vest pocket" operation."

The first quote is absolutely true. Oswald did not fit the agent profile. It does not say he was not used in some manner. The statement however, clearly has the intention of having the reader infer from it that Oswald was not used.

The second statement is interesting in that it limits checking Oswald being "spotted" to the 1959-62 period - because he was most likely recruited at Atsugi in 1958 or possibly even prior to that.

The third statement could have solved the whole case had it been followed through.

To explain briefly: A so-called "vest pocket" operation is an "off-the-books" op usually on behalf of the WH and is used to provide max plausible deniability for the WH. In other cases, it may be an operation designed specically to cause max embarrassment to the WH.

Oswald was sent by Ike's Special Group to deliver scientific information needed to help stitch up a deal at the Geneva talks. This was information that could not be shared openly via Scientific Treaties because of the political flak it would cause. Oswald was chosen specifically BECAUSE he did not fit the "agent" mold, and therefore would not cause any concerns for the Soviets. The operation was hidden in existing CIA SR ops such as REDSKIN - which was the name of the legal traveller program mentioned in the document. Indeed, a REDSKIN agent was present when Oswald showed up at Snyder's office.

On the Russian side, the deal was that Oswald would be given access to the experimental shop in Minsk (again, this is why it was important Oswald did not fit an "agent" profile). That was the whole reason for Oswald's "defection" - though I do not believe he knew that was part of the plan until virtually the last minute.

The Special Group and/or the CIA however, double crossed Ike and used this op for the exact opposite of what it was intended, switching the material Oswald had to deliver for information needed to bring down a U-2 flight. All that was needed after that was to actually send a flight over - against the wishes of Ike....

Ike had to know he was done over, but could not do anything about it. It was afterall, his operation that got turned against him. In 1963, another operation would also be turned involving a president - though this time as a target...

Robert, this, along with other recently found information really nails it for me. I'm in the process of laying it all out as clearly as I can with all supporting documention. For a number of reasons, it's a slow slog.

Edited February 13, 2010 by Greg Parker