The Rise and Fall of Richard Helms

[Douglas Caddy]

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/the-rise-and-fall-of-richard-helms-191224/?fbclid=IwAR0KgdHT2vwqphohDgOwusLvbFr_gAPAr9CGFrEaTYOJE-tAq8xMErrRN5w

[David Andrews]

I would venture that it wasn't only Dulles's perception of Bissell as an idea man that got him the DDP job over Helms in 1958, but Bissell's family and social connections to Dulles's circle, and Helms' lack of them.  That lack may have caused Hunt to be in Helms' favor for a time, as Hunt came from outside the network also. 

Edited February 1, 2020 by David Andrews

[Ron Bulman]

A historical article, deep.   There was a good thread on here not too long ago involving Helms and Watergate.  I've not read about his dislike for covert operations or assassinations before.  Makes me wonder if Angleton and the "retired" Dulles might not have went around him through (?) Shackley and Harvey (?), Phillips (?) to set up Oswald and Morales to set up the JFK assassination itself.  If Angleton controlled Oswald's files...  They would have wanted as few who had a need to know as possible, and only those truly committed and trustworthy.  Reasonable speculation?

Edited February 2, 2020 by Ron Bulman

[Ron Bulman]

I was reading today in the fall issue of Garrison today, the Frontier Justice article by Casey Quinlan.  It mentions him working with assassination specialist Otto Skorzeny.  Was Hems really anti assassinations?

[Adam Johnson]

Great article,

One continuous common trend it seems of men in power within the intelligence/investigative fields of the United States during the 50's 60's 70's and perhaps we will find out of the 80's and beyond is "that even though they are government employees and whatever work or files or information they produce during their careers of government service this body of work/files/information belongs to the US government and the people of the United States, they all believe it is their right to destroy that information when they leave office".

To me the destruction of these materials is criminal.

When someone in such a position is fired or retired all of their personal files should be confiscated before that employees departure. If that person has destroyed or removed files before they leave office, pension benefits can be reduced or totally withheld in extreme cases. That information and records of service belongs to the country not the individual.

Edited February 3, 2020 by Adam Johnson