Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site whuxl.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!houxm!whuxl!orb
From: orb@whuxl.UUCP (SEVENER)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Re: Reagon's mistakes - list wanted
Message-ID: <267@whuxl.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 2-Oct-84 08:35:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: whuxl.267
Posted: Tue Oct  2 08:35:00 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 3-Oct-84 19:11:42 EDT
References: <5218@nlm-mcs.ARPA>, <255@whuxl.UUCP> <1010@pyuxa.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Labs
Lines: 36

>  Reagan never, I SAY NEVER, mentioned Carter in his
> remarks about the CIA and our other intelligence branches.  The
> media took his words and twisted them to sound as if he had.
> I heard the so-called offending remarks and they refered to
> past administrationS.  See the S Sevener.  That indicates
> a plural.  Reagan was talking about Ford and Nixon too.  And,
> if you don't think the CIA has been emasculated by the liberals
> in Congress, then your living in a dream world. 
> 
> T. C. Wheeler

Well, I suppose you must be right- Reagan not only meant to blame the
Beirut bombing on the Administration from four years ago but Administrations
from 8 years ago as well.  Therefore former President Ford has criticized
Reagan's remarks as well as former President Carter.  President Ford said
that Reagan should take responsibility for the bombing and not try to
blame past administrations (whether Carter's or Ford's) for his own
mistakes.
What does the statement "the CIA has been emasculated by the liberals
in Congress " supposed to mean? Two Congressmen appeared on the MacNeil-
Lehrer report the other night-one Republican ,the other Democratic--
neither denied that Congress has voted every penny for CIA intelligence
gathering the Reagan administration has ever requested.
There is an important distinction between "intelligence-gathering" and
covert operations.  I think the Congress has tried to place some limits
on CIA meddling in other countries affairs--the mining of Nicaragua,
the overthrow of Allende in Chile,etc.
I think the CIA has no business determining other people's governments
or engaging in terrorist activities such as mining other countries harbors.
However, placing limits on such activities does NOT mean that the Congress
has placed any limits upon the CIA's intelligence gathering activities or
budget. 
Tim Sevener
Bell Labs, Whippany
whuxl!orb