Ted Shackley

[James Richards]

I may have missed the appropriate thread, but I was wondering if anyone has read this book yet?

http://www.potomacbooksinc.com/Books/BookD...productID=96265

James

[Ron Ecker]

James,

Based on this reader's review from Amazon.com, I'm not going to spend any money on it.

"Shackley could have chosen to enlighten us about what he learned as head of CIA's Miami office in the months before and after the JFK assassination. He chose not to do so. There is no mention of many issues raised in other books that he could have discussed to make a major contribution to history. He never mentions Operation 40, or operations against the Fair Play for Cuba Committee (which Oswald made famous by his association with it), or the efforts of anti-Castro operatives to blame Castro for JFK's murder (which he would have known a lot about), or his testimony to the House Assassinations Committee, or his knowledge of operatives, or alleged operatives, accused over the years of complicity in the events preceding JFK's murder. On the other hand, there is ample coverage, with many pictures, of the award ceremonies in his honor, if you are interested in that sort of thing. I wonder why this self-named 'Spymaster' bothered to write this book."

Ron

[James Richards]

James,

Based on this reader's review from Amazon.com, I'm not going to spend any money on it.

"Shackley could have chosen to enlighten us about what he learned as head of CIA's Miami office in the months before and after the JFK assassination. He chose not to do so. There is no mention of many issues raised in other books that he could have discussed to make a major contribution to history. He never mentions Operation 40, or operations against the Fair Play for Cuba Committee (which Oswald made famous by his association with it), or the efforts of anti-Castro operatives to blame Castro for JFK's murder (which he would have known a lot about), or his testimony to the House Assassinations Committee, or his knowledge of operatives, or alleged operatives, accused over the years of complicity in the events preceding JFK's murder. On the other hand, there is ample coverage, with many pictures, of the award ceremonies in his honor, if you are interested in that sort of thing. I wonder why this self-named 'Spymaster' bothered to write this book."

Ron

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks, Ron.

I guess sometimes there is value in what is not said.

James

[Pat Speer]

I have the book and have cited it as a source several times................ I haven't fully read it, but found it worthwhile because it confirmed a few things I never would have suspected Shackley would admit. A few things come to mind...

He admits that the anti-Castro Cubans running infiltration teams into Cuba were running drugs back out. He claims to have stopped it. This raises the question of what the real objective was of these men, particularly those with mob ties like Sturgis.

He claims that Second Naval Guerrilla or whatever you wanna call it--a second invasion--was designed to build Artime up in the eyes of Cubans. The CIA knew word of the pending invasion would spread to Cuba. They were hoping this would help to re-invigorate the Cuban underground, without which a second invasion would be pointless. Since the Cuban people never rose up, the second invasion was NEVER actually scheduled. Instead, they kept it hovering in the distance like Bugliosi's book on JFK.

He admits that Air America was used by opium dealers on occasion to bring their crops to market. Once again, he claims to have put a stop to it. He acknowledges however that the U.S.' allies in Laos were mostly drug-lords, and it would have been detrimental for the greater fight against communism to try and change their way of life.

While the book doesn't dish the dirt one might hope for, it comes across as being fairly honest. Sort of like Bissell's book. Not as smug as Helms'.

Edited July 13, 2005 by Pat Speer

[Allan Eaglesham]

James:

Thanks for posting the picture of Mr. Schackley -- so few are available.

As you know, a few years back, Martha Schallhorn and I published an article in JFK/Deep Politics Quarterly, drawing likenesses between people caught on camera in and around Dealey Plaza and men sometimes linked with the assassination.

One of the comparisons was between Ted Shackley and a man taken into custody, thought to be Larry Florer.

I offer a comparison -- using your new* picture -- here for comment.

Allan

*New to me at least.

http://www.manuscriptservice.com/FFiDP/FFiDP/

Edited July 13, 2005 by Allan Eaglesham

[John Dolva]

James:

Thanks for posting the picture of Mr. Schackley -- so few are available.

As you know, a few years back, Martha Schallhorn and I published an article in JFK/Deep Politics Quarterly, drawing likenesses between people caught on camera in and around Dealey Plaza and men sometimes linked with the assassination.

One of the comparisons was between Ted Shackley and a man taken into custody, thought to be Larry Florer.

I offer a comparison -- using your new* picture -- here for comment.

Allan

*New to me at least.

http://www.manuscriptservice.com/FFiDP/FFiDP/

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

a comment: it's hard to make clear statement, there are similarities and differences, perhaps this orientation helps?

[Pat Speer]

Not the same man.

[James Richards]

Hi Allan,

I tend to agree with Pat that they are not the same man. Very close though. The thing for me that goes against Shackley is that at the time of the assassination, he was 36 years old. Florer looks like he was no more than mid twenties.

Here is Florer below being interviewed by the Dallas cops. He also looks to be heavier set that Shackley.

For me, Florer does bear a striking similarity to Ed Kolby though.

***************************

Pat,

Thanks for some of the insights into the book. The drug running out of Cuba is an interesting aspect to this. Several exiles figured prominently in this exercise and showed that their cause to free Cuba from Castro was not always their first objective.

It's a good reminder that if anti-Castro exiles were involved in the assassination, then it may have nothing to do with their politics or their standing within a particular faction, but more to do with who they were as men. The word mercenary springs to mind.

James

Edited July 13, 2005 by James Richards

[Tim Gratz]

In my opinion the noses, chin and glasses are different. The different glasses are, of course, of much lesser importance than the different noses and chin.

Didn't Hunt use disguises on some of his operations? I may be thinking of his participation in the break-in of Ellsberg's psychiatrists.

Regardless of whether the conspirators were CIA, KGB or DGI agents, one must consider, I would expect, the possibility that disguises were employed.

[Antti Hynonen]

James,

Could you kindly present a comparison between Ed Kolby and Florer...

Thanks.

Antti

[Allan Eaglesham]

Antti:

He is a comparison of Florer and Kolby sent to me by James this morning. Kolby is new to me.

There certainly is a resemblance between Florer and Kolby.

Allan

[Antti Hynonen]

Hi Alan,

Yes, there certainly is a strong similarity. It could be the same fellow, using an alias.

As far as I know, Ed Kolby is said to be an immigrant from Finland (Ed Kolby is definitely not a Finnish name, so perhaps he has taken a few aliases on that side of the puddle...)

Interesting.

Thanks for the comparisons James.

[John Dolva]

an attempt at resizing, comparing can't make mind up, obvious similarities, some not. he could certainly be a well dressed chap.

[Shanet Clark]

I think Shackley was Florer.

Florer was apprehended around the Dal Tex building and gave a

story so similar to Brading/Braden that they seem to be scripted.

It seems to me that "babyface" Shackley and "gangland" Braden

were a shooting team, one with a rifle, the other with a radio, in the Dal Tex.

[Pat Speer]

Upon looking back through the book, I found I over-stated Shackley's statements about drug-runners among the Cuban infiltration teams. He claims no awareness that this occurred, argues that he fought against it happening, but acknowledges that it still might have happened.

He also confirms the names of a few of his JMWAVE employees. While these names might be common knowledge, his confirmation is envaluable.

On page 51, for example, he says that both Dave Morales and Tony Sforza warned him about the hazard of mafia influence on the exiles, particularly the influence of Santos Trafficante. Elsewhere I've read that Sforza dropped dead around the same time as Morales. Should he be considered another mysterious death?

On this same page he says that the original station chief was Al Cox and his assistant was Bob Moore, and that Morales' PM assistant was Tom Clines.

Shackley also refers to William Harvey as his mentor and says that Harvey's creation of Task Force W was a sardonic reference to William Walker, the American adventurer who tried to capture Honduras in 1860.

At another point he mentions our favorite Dealey plaza witness, Rip Robertson, and notes that Robertson worked with a team including Grayston Lynch and Mickey Kappes. (Does anyone know what became of Kappes?) He also notes that Robertson's team leaders were surviving vets from the BOP. Does this fit in with our theory that Julio Garcia was his team leader? Was Garcia a BOP vet?

Shackley also mentions that Cuban agents called Morales "El Gordo," the Fat One.

Edited July 26, 2005 by Pat Speer