09/21/09 - Cuba Socialista (Habana) -
Sixty years of dirty work by the CIA
On October 29, 1962, in Paris (France), the CIA recruited Rolando Cubelas,
whom it gave the cover name of AM/Lash, with the sole purpose of assassinating
the Commander-in-Chief.
By Dr. Néstor García Iturbe
On September 18, 1947, the US Congress approved the National Security Act of
1947 which brought about the National Security Council. Under Title 1, Section
102 of that law, authority was granted for the creation of the Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA). Prior to the formation of the CIA, the Office of
Strategic Services (OSS), dating back to June 1942 under the direction of
William Donovan, had conducted undercover activities. The OSS had neither
clearly defined work it was to perform nor the mechanisms to control its
activities, undertaking whatever activity it was asked of them: assassinations,
kidnappings, undercover assignments, law violations, sabotage, commando
operations, meddling in other nations' internal affairs and whatever
intelligence needs other agencies did not wish to perform because they
considered it "dirty work."
Aside from the special operations being performed by its agents and
officers, the OSS created an important department of Comparative Intelligence
Analysis in charge not only of processing data obtained, but also for creating
the means of both misinformation and propaganda that were to be put in place
against the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo axis.
Information was also obtained by electronic means using a network of
stations of which Coonawarra, near Darwin (Australia), was the most important.
Altogether, the OSS had 13 stations to intercept mainly coded messages.
At the end of World War II, it was deemed necessary to have all the
activities from the different agencies coordinated and consolidated so that they
could be transmitted to the high echelons of the US government. To that end, an
organization was instituted, the US Intelligence Community, to which all
intelligence and counterintelligence agencies would belong, among them the
recently created Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) whose director would also
served as the director for the Intelligence Community. CIA's first director was
Rear-Admiral Roscoe "Hilly" Hillenkoetter. Although Donovan had been nominated
for that position, there was opposition by some intelligence agencies and it
became necessary to find an individual acceptable to all, and "Hilly" coming
from a military intelligence background was such candidate.
The CIA's first undercover operation, which took place in 1948, was directed
to prevent the Italian Communist Party from taking power. The operation, at a
cost of US$30 million, had a strong participation by the Italian mafia, a
relationship which had existed since WWII. That same year, the CIA created the
Office of Political Coordination that, in order to hide its "true purposes," was
placed within the US State Department. The purpose of this office, or
department, was to develop political, psychological and economic actions that
would favor the US objective: reduction of Soviet influence around the world.
During the Korean War (1950-3) the CIA was given the assignment to open up a
second front that would originate in China. Chinese Nationalists were recruited
as mercenaries, their training taking place in Northern Burma (now Myanmar).
President Truman eventually terminated the operation, but these mercenaries
remained in Burma where they established an opium growing operation. with
Thailand as original destination en-route to the US. This drug traffic continues
to date.
In order to direct operations against the Socialist nations in Eastern
Europe, the CIA recruited in 1951 nazi war criminals that were assigned missions
behind the "Iron Curtain" to promote both sabotage and insurgencies.
Hillenkoetter was substituted in 1951 by Gen. Walter B. Smith, who became an
enthusiastic participant in undercover operations. Gen. Smith moved the Office
of Political Coordination from the State Department to the CIA and increased
intelligence activities against Socialist countries.
"Operation PB Success" which took place in 1954 ended ousting Jacobo Arbenz,
who was heading a legitimately constituted government in Guatemala. Cost for the
operation is placed at US$15 million, and it involved the use of American P-47's
piloted by mercenaries, and a group of 150 men commanded by CIA agent Carlos
Castillo de Armas. A CIA radio station took charge of psychological warfare
operations during the invasion giving erroneous information on military action;
that while other agents bribed civil servants and members of the military.
Arbenz' mistake was to take political and economic measures in defense of his
country's interests.
During Fulgencio Batista's dictatorship in Cuba, the CIA tried on several
occasions to stop the "Movimiento 26 de Julio" forces from reaching victory. In
mid-1958, the CIA contacted Justo Carrillo to carry a coup with politicians and
military uncommitted to Batista in order to end the latter's regime and call for
normalcy, so that the insurrectional fight would lose its momentum and main
objective. Such attempt did not succeed, and the "Movimiento 26 de Julio," with
the support of the people, assumed power.
The naming of Allen Dulles as head of the CIA in 1959 opened a new chapter
in the fight to stop the Soviet Union from gaining any ground. Several
operations of varied types took place at this time, many of them relevant to
shaping the course of events, and the help given to US sympathizers or those
afraid of "the Russians."
"Operation Ajax" which took place in 1959 jointly with British intelligence,
at a cost of US$10 million, resulted in the overthrow of Premier Mohammed
Mossadegh in Iran, who had nationalized the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. It
brought back to power the Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, a well known US puppet.
With respect to Cuba, Allen Dulles' intelligence gatherings indicated that
Communists and other radical elements had infiltrated the "Movimiento 26 de
Julio."
Information of such infiltration originated organizing in Santo Domingo
(Dominican Republic) a "foreign legion" made up of several hundred mercenaries
and close to two-hundred former members of Batista's old army, getting them
ready to invade the Island (Cuba). This plan was approved by Richard Nixon, then
Vice President of the US.
Heading the invasion would be Batista's general Eugenio Pedraza and the
operation would have the support of the "II Frente Nacional del Escambray" and
"La Rosa Blanca," a counterrevolutionary organization created, directed and
financed by the CIA. The operation ended in the capture of almost all invaders
as well as a sizable cache of weapons, together with the expulsion of several US
Embassy officials in Havana.
Early on, the CIA initiated plans to do away physically with the
Commander-in-Chief, Fidel Castro, and to date, after 49 years, the number of
attempts adds up to more than six-hundred.
On December 11, 1959, Colonel J. C. King, CIA Division Chief in charge of
Affairs for the Western Hemisphere, stated in a secret memorandum to the
Director: "Serious consideration must be given to the elimination of Fidel
Castro. None of those closest to him, such as his brother Raul or his friend Che
Guevara, have the same charismatic influence over the masses. Many well informed
people consider that the disappearance of Fidel would greatly accelerate the
fall of the current government."
It should be noted that 1959 saw sabotage actions by the CIA by different
means, among them the bombing of civilian targets, the setting on fire of cane
plantations, and the dissemination of subversive propaganda utilizing light
planes. These attacks caused not only economic losses but were responsible for
several deaths and many wounded. In 1960, the CIA initiated an operation in
Congo to bring down Patrice Lumumba's government which ended in that leader
assassinated. The CIA Station Chief, Lawrence Devin, was given orders to promote
an insurrection in Katanga province under Moise Tshombe, a CIA agent. Belgian
and American interests were then coordinated so as to assure control of the
world's largest uranium reserves.
On March 4, 1960, sabotage of "La Coubre," a French ship, took place in
Havana's Harbor. This action taken by the CIA to destroy weaponry and support
items which had been purchased by Cuba from Belgium also caused the death of 101
individuals and the wounding of several hundred others.
The "Plan of Undercover Actions against the Castro Regime" was approved on
May 17, 1960 by the president of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower. It
included air and naval pirate attacks, assassination attempts against Fidel and
other leaders, sabotage, acts against the economy, promotion and support for
counterrevolutionary groups within Cuba, and also included what later was to be
the invasion of Playa Girón.
The purpose behind all these actions was the overthrow of the revolutionary
regime, which had to appear as the result of mistakes made by such regime as
well as a strong popular support against it. After signing the Plan, Eisenhower
stated: "I don't know of a better plan to take care of the situation. The big
problem is leaks and lack of security; everyone must be willing to swear that I
don't know a thing about this. my hands must not appear on anything that it's
done, on anything that it's done."
In order to damage Fidel's public image, operation "MK-ULTRA" was developed
which consisted in the dissemination of hallucinogenic drugs, such as LSD and BZ,
in any TV studio where he might be. This and other operations did not
materialize because of fear among those who were supposed to carry them out. At
the same time, work had also started on a plan intended to cause the "accidental
death" of Raúl Castro.
During that time (1960) the CIA maintained a powerful station in Miami,
known as JM/WAVE. Its sole mission was to undermine the Cuban government. The
station had 40 employees which by April 1961 had grown to 538, commanding a
budget of US$50 million, which made it the largest US clandestine CIA station in
the world.
As the invasion was being prepared, the CIA continued focused on its intent
to physically do away with the Commander-in-Chief, thinking that if it did take
place, military action would have a greater chance for success. In August 1960,
the CIA got in touch with the mafia, its old and loyal ally. Colonel Sheffield
Edwards, a high ranking CIA official got together with Johnny Roselli and
offered him US$150,000 to assassinate Castro. This action was approved by Sam
Giancana, Godfather of the Chicago Mafia, who proposed they would do the work
without charging a penny as proof of their patriotism. An old link of the mafia
was given the assignment to poison Fidel; the poison did arrive in Cuba, but
once again, as it had happened with other plans, fear took over, preventing the
deed.
Kennedy's arrival to power in 1960 did not imply a change in politics
towards Cuba. Kennedy had accused Eisenhower and Nixon of tolerating a Communist
regime just 90 miles off the Florida coast, and that gave the CIA renewed zeal
for new actions against the Island. As a consequence, there was an increase in
sabotage, burning of sugar cane, assassination attempts, sequestering of planes
and vessels, and other violent and criminal acts.
All the above served as preparation for the Playa Girón invasion, the
so-called "Operation Pluto" and later "Operation Zapata." It was the mission of
the 2506 Brigade to establish a beachhead where a "Provisional Government of the
Republic Under Arms" could be found - that would take place on March 22, 1961
under the auspices of the CIA, such government presided by José Miró Cardona.
That government would be immediately recognized by the United States which would
"legally" permit the landing of 15,000 marines followed by whatever military
support was deemed necessary to bring down the revolution. The marines and two
aircraft carriers and escort ships would be just out of Cuban jurisdictional
waters to execute the lightening operation.
On April 15, readiness for the invasion was set in place with the bombing of
the airports at Ciudad Libertad, San Antonio de los Baños and Santiago de Cuba.
Radio Swan, a CIA radio station transmitting from Honduras was in charge of
disinformation and propaganda trying to get the Cuban people to join forces
against the Revolution. On April 17, the invasion which had been created,
organized and financed by the CIA took place, but 72 hours later the invading
forces had been defeated. As a result, not only did Allen Dulles lose his
position as Director of the CIA but this resounding defeat eroded any confidence
the Kennedy brothers may have had on that agency.
Trying to save face at all costs, the CIA initiated in 1962 "Operation Peter
Pan" which allowed thousands of Cuban children to be sent to the US by parents
who believed the lie that they would lose custody of their children otherwise.
The sabotage acts against the Cuban economy, attacks by pirate boats,
assassination attempts and other crimes doubled. In that same year, Robert
Kennedy, US Attorney General, declared that the government top priority was to
do away with Fidel Castro. Based on that priority, the CIA prepared a plan of
undercover operations called "Operation Mongoose." The plan included, besides
the physical elimination of the Commander-in-Chief, the gathering of
intelligence, subversion, sabotage, direct military action, and all the support
necessary for any internal counterrevolution, specially those groups operating
in Escambray.
Publicly, the CIA offered in 1962 rewards for the assassination of Cuban
leaders, paying from US$5,000 to US$100,000 depending on the importance of
person assassinated. It also increased the number of infiltrating groups
assigned the tasks of sabotage and assassination, and the smuggling of weapons
and provisions for those groups operating in the different provinces.
As a consequence of that plan of undercover operations, the CIA and other
agencies in the US Intelligence Community bacteriological war operations were
started to affect the marine fauna, sugar cane and other crops. General Lansdale
proposed "Task 33" with the objective to affect the sugar cane harvest by
disseminating chemical substances which would affect as well the health and
lives of those workers doing the harvesting. On October 29, 1962, in Paris
(France), the CIA recruited Rolando Cubelas, whom it gave the cover name of
AM-Lash. Cubelas was given a strong poison-contaminated needle, hidden in a pen,
by Desmond Fitzgerald, CIA Task Group Chief; the poison to perform the
assassination. Cubelas was discovered, and this turned out to be one more
unsuccessful attempt.
In October of the same year, the so-called "October Crisis" took place. U-2
spy planes, together with other intelligence gathered by the CIA, had discovered
the placement of rocket launchers in the San Cristóbal area in Pinar del Río.
Also in 1962, the CIA initiated "Operation Phoenix" in Southeast Asia,
principally in Vietnam. The CIA had a staff of as many as an 800 people assigned
to this operation, with close to another 5,000 from other agencies of the US
Intelligence Community, not including United States Army, Marine Corps and Air
Force personnel. The operation incurred costs in excess of one billion dollars.
The operation became unsuccessful as Vietnam was liberated.
In the years that followed, anti-Cuba activities continued with acts of
sabotage, hijacking of fishing boats, provocations from the naval base at
Guantánamo, electronic radio spying, pirate attacks and bacteriological warfare.
Actions against Cuban foreign delegations continued, targeting them with bombs
and having some of the members assassinated.
During 1967 the CIA maintained a high level of activity against the
guerrillas operating in Bolivia, and on October 8, Comandante Ernesto "Che"
Guevara was assassinated in La Higuera with the aid of CIA agents of Cuban
origin.
In subsequent years, the CIA and other agencies of the US Intelligence
Community maintained their hostility against the Cuban Revolution which was
manifested in acts of sabotage, terrorist attempts, assassinations, pirate
attacks and provocations from the Guantánamo naval base. Those activities were
performed under a series of given task names created by the CIA: "Omega 7,"
"Alfa 66,"Poder Cubano," "Movimiento Nacionalista Cubano," "La Rosa Blanca," and
others.
Acts of bacteriological warfare were perpetrated to harm the Cuban economy.
Viruses were introduced to harm the coffee production, the cultivation of rice,
tobacco and sugar cane; and also the pork production. Even humans were targeted
with the introduction of the virus Hemorrhagic Fever Dengue and Hemorrhagic
Conjunctivitis.
Latin America felt the monster's bite when the CIA, jointly with the Defense
Intelligence Agency (DIA) and other agencies of the US Intelligence Community
organized and financed the coup that overthrew the duly elected constitutional
government in Chile on September 11, 1973 and brought about the assassination of
Salvador Allende. The CIA spent over US$10 million in trying to get Allende to
lose the elected and, when that failed, they resorted to a military coup. It was
on this topic of Chile that Henry Kissinger suggested: "I don't see why we have
to watch calmly how a country converts to Communism because of the
irresponsibility of its citizens."
The African continent once again suffered attacks from the CIA in 1974, this
time in Angola where an undercover operation was organized to stop the Popular
Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) from obtaining power. The CIA
organized and financed two opposing movements to the MPLA, sending weapons and
money to both FNLA and UNITA, an operation that ended costing US$35 million; and
since that proved insufficient, the Ford administration asked for an additional
US$25 million, which was not approved. Cuban troops prevented the
materialization of the CIA plans which had additionally involved in the affair
the government of South Africa.
CIA's assassin hand manifested itself in the Western Hemisphere with the
sadly acts of "Operation Condor" which claimed the lives of many
revolutionaries, including two Cubans. Another terrorist method used by the CIA
included the detonation of bombs in locations attended by Cuban commercial and
diplomatic groups in several countries, culminating with the horrendous crime in
Barbados where CIA agents led by Orlando Bosh and Luis Posada Carriles placed a
bomb in a Cuban Airlines plane causing the death of 73 passengers.
In 1977, during the Carter Administration, all CIA activities against Cuba
were reviewed, putting an end to some of them and leaving those that pertained
to espionage. This administration entered into an agreement with Cuba where both
countries established Offices of Interests, something which allowed the CIA to
establish once again its station in Havana, which had been closed in 1961.
During 1978, the CIA was prioritizing the situation in Iran anticipating a
revolution in the making. In January 1979 the Shah left, allowing the Ayatollah
Khomeni, who had a strong anti-American fundamentalist following, to assume
power; something that the CIA had been unable to predict. The recruiting effort
of the CIA was unsuccessful, and the Ayatollah's forces took over the US Embassy
capturing many diplomats and officials as well as their families. The CIA then
organized, and Carter approved, operation "Eagle Claw" with the purpose of
rescuing the captured embassy personnel, something which ended in total failure.
CIA's efforts in trying to involve Cuba in the Shaba (Kenya) affair, which
took place in 1978, also resulted in failure and were criticized by the White
House. The FBI accused Cuba of helping terrorist groups, something which was
denied by the State Department. These policy inconsistencies towards Cuba
disappeared during the last two years of the Carter administration, when a more
aggressive attitude towards the Caribbean island became evident.
The final decisions taken by Carter relative to the CIA had to do with the
special operation directed to counter the Soviet Union's invasion of
Afghanistan. This operation required putting together a force to fight the
Soviets, which included the Taliban, who received weapons, explosives, money and
training to carry on a war against the invader. Although Carter initiated these
operations, Reagan carried them through, and it is calculated that over US$600
million were spent on this war.
The Reagan administration was determined to take back any lost ground,
especially in Latin America, so it directed the US Intelligence Community, and
among them the CIA, to overthrow the legitimately constituted government of
Maurice Bishop in Grenada, which collapsed because of the US military invasion
on October 25, 1983.
On May 20, 1985, the CIA inaugurated its principal means of propaganda
against the Cuban Revolution, "Radio Martí," which took on the task of
falsifying the situation in Cuba in order to create internal conflict in the
Island and promote subversion. This station represented yet another means in the
ideological war against the Revolution. In June 1987, the Cuban government made
known publicly the activities that the CIA and other US Intelligence Community
agencies had been undertaking against Cuba during the latter years. The
denunciation was documented via motion pictures, photos and interviews with the
agents who had been recruited to carry on those tasks.
The years 1989 and 1990 were characterized to include, aside from the
various ongoing punitive actions against Cuba, the augmentation of propaganda
via other radio stations besides Radio Martí. In 1990 TV Martí was created with
an annual budget of US$22 million; but to date, 17 years after its creation, its
transmissions are not seen in Cuba regardless of efforts and expenditures by the
CIA, year in and year out.
Subsequent years were characterized in aggressive work by the CIA against
Cuba, mainly the terrorist variety directed against tourist facilities in an
attempt to affect the tourist trade and the revenue it produced for the Island.
Plans against the life of the Commander-in-Chief did continue, and plagues were
introduced which could affect agricultural crops, such as the Thrips Palmi,
which was discovered in the Matanzas province in October 1996 and in other
provinces in 1997.
Plans against the life of the Commander-in-Chief have remained non-stop in
the CIA undercover operations. Among the most recent ones is one which was
planned to take place in the Dominican Republic in August 1997 during a regional
Summit meeting. That same year the CIA planned another attempt which would take
place in Margarita Island (Venezuela) in October, during the Ibero-American
Summit. In November 2000, the CIA made another attempt against Fidel's life
during the Ibero-American Summit in Panama, planning this time to blow up the
University's auditorium as he participated in a pro-Cuba rally. In all these
attempts, the CIA's hand and the name of Luis Posada Carriles have been present.
The activities of the CIA in different countries have taken place in
violation of local laws, kidnappings, torture and assassinations. Those in
Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2001 implicated the kidnapping of people of Arab origin by
the CIA, their torture to obtain information and later their incarceration at
the Guantanamo base.
In April 2002 the CIA, jointly with other agencies of the US Intelligence
Community, and at the US Embassy in Caracas, organized and executed a military
coup to overthrow the constitutional president of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez Frías.
However, troops loyal to the government, and the people, took control within 48
hours and Chavez was reinstated in his position as President.
The events of September 11, 2001 placed both the CIA and the FBI in a
precarious position. The people who took over the planes and directed them
against the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, had
entered the United States via regular airports, were trained in Florida,
received money through normal banking channels, were in constant communication
among themselves, boarded the planes in airports supposedly protected against
hijackers, and finally succeeded in carrying on their mission without the FBI or
the CIA detecting or neutralizing their activity.
Apparently, Israeli intelligence, the Mossad, had information as to what was
about to happen that day. If the Mossad was aware of it, why didn't it pass it
on to the CIA? Such action is likely to have been considered a necessary risk in
the fight against the new enemy, terrorism. The aim is to take on the fight to
Al Qaeda to its hide-out, occupy the country and take over its natural
resources; and also to find and arrest Bin Laden, who after all this time
remains free and in good health, making statements at those times when Bush's
popularity reaches the ground. What's behind all this? I trust that some day we
will know.
The invasions, first Afghanistan and later Iraq, created the need for a high
level of activity by both CIA and DIA. Repression, torture, assassinations,
terrorist acts and humiliations became par for the course. Prisoners were moved
from one country to another in secret flights, and after a few months they were
placed in confinement at the base in Guantanamo without allowing them the right
to defend themselves or even the minimal concessions allowed someone in jail.
Detentions continue to date, and the conditions have not improved.
But the CIA cannot forget about its "backyard." Happenings in Latin America
have given a new thrust to the Latin America Division, and within it, the
Special Operations Group. The number of personnel at this division has been
increased as has its budget. And within Science and Technology, the Office of
Technical Services has been given priority.
This availability of money, technical resources and personnel has been
backed by the Plans for Undercover Operations which are being developed for
Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua. It is no longer the Cuba operation
that they must tend to. Nevertheless, at its 60th birthday, the CIA is not in
its best shape to guarantee the normal results expected of them. Many of its
most experienced people have retired and now work in the private sector, some
claiming they could no longer take any more criticism and were tired that all
too often, in order for the politicians to save face, they have been accused of
mistakes they've never committed, or that some of the backup to their work has
been altered on occasions.
Because of this exodus, it has been necessary for the CIA to hire young,
inexperienced people in positions of responsibility which could better guarantee
operational success. Trust in the CIA has suffered a serious crack. People in
high government positions believe that the Agency is not doing what they are
supposed to, nor in the appropriate manner or with the urgency required. They
believe there is a high level of confusion within the Agency and that its
personnel is vulnerable to recruitment from foreign intelligence; and that there
is lack of pride in being part of the CIA and too much interest in easy money.
Examples of this are: Harold Nicholson, Aldrich Ames, Brian Regan and Robert
Hanssen (FBI)
Some claim that the CIA has ceased being elite, as it was a little over ten
years ago. Now women, Latinos, blacks, Chinese, people educated in public
universities - and not in select private ones - can all become CIA officers.
This idea has eroded the esprit-de-corps and created a highly competitive
atmosphere that permits stepping on anybody's toes. No one feels comradeship
with anyone else.
Mistakes made, or being accused of, have resulted in limiting the
supervisors' authority. Now a greater number of decisions are taking higher up
and that takes away from operational effectiveness. This also applies to the CIA
stations in different countries where those in charge no longer have the
decision-making power.
The flow of information is very slow. By the time the information reaches
the right party, that person has little time to make the decision, or at times
the information is incomplete or, what's even worse, it contains add-ons which
have little to do with the reality taking place, but that were included to
appear agreeable. Objectivity has been lost and also the timely opportunity for
passing on information.
This lack of confidence in the CIA has resulted in the FBI being assigned
missions which traditionally the CIA executed. Because of it, the FBI has ended
up with over fifty groups in foreign lands assigned to infiltrate terrorist
organizations and those engaged in drug trafficking, money-laundering and
organized crime.
The recent publishing of "The CIA's Jewels" could be considered as part of a
campaign to end the eroding of the agency's prestige, that although
mistakes-laden, it executes undercover acts, violates domestic and foreign laws,
commits terrorists acts, sabotages, tortures, assassinates and otherwise commits
horrible crimes. but always does it in compliance with a plan which has been
approved by the President of the United States of America.