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U.S. Congress, Letter to Senator William Fulbright, [Representative Michael J. Harrington’s summary of secret testimony of CIA Director William Colby on covert operations in Chile], July 18, 1974

34 Chile only one government witness with knowledge of U S activities in Chile appeared At thnt hearing Congressman Fraser and I questioned Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Harry Shlaudeman on possllJle CI A involvement in Chlle while he was stntione 1 there as De1 uty Chief uf li�sion from 1069 through mid-1973 Ills answers R transcript of which is attached incllcuted to me some knowl dge on hi -i part of CI A activities that he was unwilling to discuss before n luly­ conf tituted Committee of tbe House The inherent Hmitatlons fncing uemlJN'S of Congre�s in uncovering the fncts of covert acti 'ities such ns tho e in Chile requires I believe a commitment by those in a po�ition to act lJeyoml the existing illusory ovcr8i�ht mnl'l1inl'ry At his confirmation hen rings on July 2 mm Dirl 'ctor Colby said ' WP are not going to run the kin1l of intelligf'nce service thnt other countries run 'e nre g1Jing to run one in th • American l-Oeil'ty nud the Amc ricnu constitn­tiunnl structure nncl I cnn see that tlwn' mny he n l'l' Juirement to expo - e to the Aml'rican people n great deal more than might he conn•nient from the narrow intelligence po int of Yil•w I fret it is timP to hold Ir Colhy to his •onunitnwnt ns the f'ongrc ss 11ul the AmNkan 1wo11ll' have a l'i�ht to lt 1111 whnt w 1� low• in om· nnmt• in Chill' hl 'h ns l wonltl 11rf'fer to Sl' ' this t ·c·o111plislwll within the 'ha111wls of the Con­ATessional pro ·Ps - its i111port1111c·e ·onvinc·c•� HW that our very s�·stc-m of � vt-rn­ua•nt refJnl rn that knu yl _•rl�e of 11w1·kn11 net h·it if• '-1 in Chile uot n•111 1h1 soh•ly with n Jrnmlful of oflidals nrnl IrrnlJ11rs of '011 1·pss 'J'herefor I 111' 1' �·on to 1n·om11tl�· turn tl1is runtter to the utll•ntion of the Forl'ign Affnirs Commith·P for n c·ornpl€'h• pnh il- inw�tlg-utinu of l ·11itPd �tntt s rl'lntiom with C'hil I trust tl1nt �·ou will n�n• - that the imp111·tnw·t• pf tliis 111attPr 111Hl its irnplit'utions for futun for eig-11 poli -iP� of till' l'nit�d �httPs dt•111a111ls no kss Yours i-i111•prl'Jy l1nr u r T IIA1rn1�G-rox f t l'Tt MBER 11 Hli-t Hnn Tno U - fi lo1tGAX Chairman llot '� ' Porcirm Affairs Co111miflt· · �LSJ Uflyburn lfo1t8C Jdit'c RuiMiny ll a 'f tinyt m D ' DE R ht CnAIHMAN' I nm writin r to n• itHrm 111y r ' 11wst to �-ou of July 1� 1074 that you initiate open 11 arin�s in 1·0Hlll�ti1111 with l nitt•1l - itah• - pulky with 1·11s11t•1·t to 'hile during tlw lleutlP 11nintl As you know Ir Villinm Colli�- Diret tor of tlw CJ in r 'C'ent n1 w -11 111t•r rP11orts is rP11ort1·1l ns lun·in� --tat •d that tilt• CL is nn i118tr11nwut ut poli ' thnt it do�s not muk - U i -y and that in l'OIUH ' I ion with tlw g-Pn ·�·• 1 111d1•sti11P n 'livitips in Chill' during tlw ll 'tulP pt riod t111• g-t•nc· · wns impleuwntinK th foreign po1ky of the Unitt l �tatt � llt lll·P I h •liP ·t- tlrnt the issue rPsts s Jnarely within thP jurisdktion ot the lloll -l' t'orl'ign ffnfr - Committ€'P who mndf' ttu• policy which lPtl the f'pntrnl l11telllgpm•n Ag1- m-r to mule1·tnke the l'Xtl·llsive c1arnlestine ac·tivities clei igne1l to suhvt•rt tl1P Allt•ntlt• gon•rnniPnn In my opinion an necounUng to the 111erknn 11t•ople nml the Congrtiss i8 in order nml we should demand t1lllt ncc onntlng from �ecretary of �tat - Kh i inger who accor ling to Ir Colby w u tlw author of the polky toward Chile It is no tonger urceptahle for the Congn•ss to aNtuiesce In State De11urtment officials' coming lJefore Congressional ronunittees and making stutenwuts wl1lc-h tf not outri l bt lies nre nt leust t rn�ions of the trnth I urgp thut yunr committN• before whkh Stnte Dep1utment offldals hn ·'-' testitietl on this mutter reopen its inquiry ln light of what we now know a111l 1lPtermhw wtwtl1n or not tr1111s 1 ri1 ti- of their previous tc stlmony should be tl'Unsmitted to the Depurtnwnt uf U -tire for perjury Yours i incereJs l1cHAEI T II RRl�OTOX Jn Y 1� lfli-t lion J VnT J - o FULllRIOHT Chairman Rnrntc f'orcigti Relations Oon1111ittcc 1215 Dirksen Senate Office RuiWing Washi11yton D C DEAR �lR CHAIRMA� As you mny know for som€'thne I hnw bePn n 'tiYf'l�• 1ntnl•sterl in the dewlopment of United Stat€'s foreign policy townrd Chill' nrnl pa1·tlculnrly since the overthrow of the Allende go erument on Septemlwr 11 35 ' _ 1073 and my visit to tbnt country shortly thereafter It ls my purpose in writing to distu�s some of the fruits of my endeaYors in that direction which I feel 11ose se1·ious t uestions about the manuer in which our current relations with Uhile t· ·ohed how our policies there w�re implemented and how Congress bas exer­ dsell its oversight function I request that you bear with me on the length of this letter slnc·e I feel that the huportuu 'e of itij subject mutter requires a de­ tailed and t·omprehensive Jrl'sentution of the evolution of my present concern �o doubt you nre familinr with umnerous reports dating fl'om the tlme of Snlm lor lll'mle's election as l'reslde11t in 1970 nlleging thnt the United State� _goverunwnt played an active role in tryiug to influence Uhilean 1101itks lnnuedi­ ately uftei· the militury coup Inst Oetoher further r�ports appeared which indi­ - ·atPd thnt the United States was involn•d either direC'tly or indirectly At thnt time I made n Yery bril•f trip to l' hile whkh e1mbletl me to gain u sense of the 11revailing nttitudP there aml helped nd l some substance to my €'arlier impres­ i-ion that the l1nitecl States had eugal- ed in political and economic destnbilizotiou efforts that eveutunll�· ll'd to Pre -iclent - llPrnle 's tlownfall Siuee thnt time I have re1wa tedly trietl to foc us attention in Congress on the origins of Amerknn policy toward th ' Allende government to determine its pos8i1Jle intluC'nce in the eyentual course of e vents in Chile In particular I wns con­ 'l•rnecl with the netivlties of th£• Treasury Department and the Central Iutelli­ gt •nce gen 'y thC' latter of which is tbP suuje •t of quite limited Congres sionnl review thnt i� lJC'rfunctory and comes after the fact As you can readily 8ee from the exdrnnge of corresponden 'e which is uttadu 'd to this letter my efforts have not been productive of any sulJstnntial inquiries into our policies toward the Allt 1ule govemnH'nt Jnsh'Hll th ' frw lwarings that huYe bePn held focuse l lurgt Jy on th ' internal situation in Chile mn allegations of denials of ciYil and jmlkinl rights The following Jist of hearings nnd witnesses dea1·ly documents that fn ·t Sc 11t W 10i3 Rubcommittee on Inter- mericun Affairs Assistaut Secretary of 8tnte Jnck KuhisC'h XP11t r 19i3 �nbcommittC'e on Inter- Aml'riran Affairs Assistant Secretary of State Jack Kublsrh O 'tobpr 11 Hlia �uucomrnittc c on IntN-Amerienn Affnit·s Ct •11tral Intelligc n 'e Agl' 1e r witness Ol'tobC r u 10i3 f-iubcouunittC e on Inter- mericnn Affairs DC'fense Intelli­ g •nee � g•'ll '�· annlysts DreemlJer i 10i3 Subcommitte 's on Intc r-� mNican Affairs nncl Internntionnl Drganizations nncl on•menh Ill I �_ HIGHTH IX CIIILI-�-Dr Frank Xew­ man lay 7 1074 Snhrommlttees on IAA and 10 I HU IAX RIGHTS IX CHILF ­ Chnrl 'S Porter former Iemller of Congress Ira Low attorney la�· 3 WH �nl conunittep - on AA nnd IO HU 1 X RIGHTS IX CHILE -Dr CoYey Oliver former TJnitrd �t ites mhns�ndor Jtme 11 l074 Suhconimittt C'S on L A and 10 IITT IAX RIGHTS IX CIIIJ J J -fot·mf'r Attornl'�· GPtwrnl Rnm�l' 'Inrk Tml�l ' 'illinm Rnoth lmw 12 lni-1 Rnhc•ommittf'C' -l nn I A uml IO I lll' J X RIGHTS IX CJJILl� -nP1111ty bsistant �ecrPtnrr of �tnh• llnrr�· f hlnnllf'lnnn Jnnl' 11' HlH - l 11h •o11m1ittl'P� nn L - nrnl 10 IIF�L X RIGHT� IX CHILE -ProfN- �or8 Hkluucl n�nn Tohn Pl uwk nncl Hiordnn Rof'tt 1''ollowin t the S 'JitE mbn 2 i Hti3 hearing- Chairman Fni 'ell i�sn ' a i tntf'­ nwnt whidt l'f' til tlw �uheommittPP will hnltl nclditionnl hPn rin�s on ChilP in the 111•nr future vt l intC rnl to c011 h1f't n full S 'ah• hwf'sti�ntlnn of Unitt 1l --tntPf 11111ic r townrcl Chile '' The 'ommitte1l lnn rmtl e of thnt f tnte uwnt hnf-l not h ' ll P1U'i-ll1 ' 1 le f-pit ' A �Ni 'S of C'Oll 'f -lltlon� hPt f' 'Jl my offif'P nn1l th ' Snh­ 'Ollllllitt ' ' hnth nt th£ f tnff IPvel 11111 h twPen Chnirmnn l'iH 'ell ano tnY8Plf l'innlly a l' ' llt' 'lt rna1le In wrltin� hy ffi ' on Inrrh 7 1074 to Chnirman 'Fni ' '11 tlrnt lw hold hE arlng� on ' F K n 'tivitie� In Chile ref nltPd in nn tncon 'l11sh-f •xchnngc of 'tterfl O Pr thrPP monthfl with the end result that the Suhcommlttee ha� prorn �Nl two dnyi of h 'arin�fl H18Sih1y somPtim 's this summn with non­ J OYNllm 'nt wHnPS�PS Th ' one pos�ihle opJlortnnity thnt wns_nffo1· lP l to l rohe United Stntes poll 'le� townrtl Chi P ·o ' 'llrr£ '1 rlnrln1 r ·t1tp �nh1•ommltte€' 'Xecntlrn i 'si lon testlmonv in �o 'tohr r ' 1073 of CL dlrC'C'to·r Wllllnm r Jhy who unfortnnntply retnfled to J' 'f J HtHl fully to 'lll 'sflons of CI aPti 'itlPf in Chfl ' dtlng the jnrlsdlctlon of the rm ' l SC'rrl 'Ni CommittPP With little exl 'Ctntlon that tangible results 1 36 would foltow he 18nse of its t 14 llefN·Nt 'e to th£ CIA in suc-h mntter� I turned to tlw Spodal Snhc-ommittee on JnteJllgen ' of the Hom -e Armed Senic-e11 Com­ mfttet In my lettei· of AJlrtl 2 l»H to Cbnirnum Nedv i ft copy of whkh is nli-t attached I recount l the relurtnn -e of CIA Dire tor William Colby to fully testify before the 1'�ore4rt1 Affain Committel' and r 'Quest d thnt Chairman Xedzi's NnlK·ouunittee holcl henring i to quei tions lr Colby dlrN tly ns to coY 'rt CIA OJK m tious in Chil � tr ColLy testlttell on p1il 22 lOH nncl nftt r some delny largely dne to Chairman Xl'dzi's desire to obtain clearnnce from l'hairmnn Hebert I was uotitlC' l on or nhout Jum� 1 rnH thnt I wouhl he gin n a ·c-ess to the tramwript I read the henring transc·l'i 1t once on Jtmt' 5 nrnl agaiu on Jnne 12 arnl tlu• information conlainrd In th� Colhy testimon�· eom·hwed me that it is of critknJ importance ltn· tlw Congress nnd the �- nwrkon Jll ople to learn the full tmth of Amerkan nttiviti 'S in Chill' I wish to �hare this infonnation with �-Ctn in the hor e thnt � on will f£ el tlle snme sl'nse of com·ktion that I expet·hmced u11on Jparning thP full detnil - of i- igntticnnt r � nc-tivities in the nffairs of miotht r cotmtry_ witltout nny prior ·onsnltf tion of l' 'l'n the commltteo chnrgt d with ovPrseeing sneh 01 emtiorn In fawt nc-tual formnl notification of that eomn itt ' -� c·1tme i-eemlngly ni- nn nftnthon�ltt and onlr aftn· my H'CJUest was 111111h• 111cm�· JU«mths afl 'r th ' OJl 'mti ns had hN'll l 'OllUUdl'd 'hile my mPmory mui-t i-�rn• hen • as the onl�· �om·ce fo1· the suh - tanct' of tl1 - t i thnony I i-uhrnit the following s1rn1ma1·y of its contents ns nn hulkation_ of whnt transpirNl in Chil 'J'l1t• testimony ns gln•n on AJlrll 22 lfii-t h · fr Col hr who wn - w ·nm­ JlfllliP l by n fr Phillips who wn - apparently thP Latin Amc rirrtn 8pednti�1 of the CIA Also ln nttc rnlaJH' ' w1·e Clrnirmnn Xe lzi and Frank Slntinshek Chit f 'otml- f•l of thE' 11011 - e Armed Ht•nic 's Commlttl'e • pJwoximatelr one third nf 1hP -IS llfl� 'l'-l of te - 1imo11 ' is 1lc Yotc d 1o e xpo�ition hr fr C'olhr of n 'ontlnuons 't-ntrnl IntPlll z 111•fl Ag-t•11r · inn h· •mc•nt in the intE 'rnal politic� of f'hilP from rnn2 throu�h lHi 1 fo�t of the rPmnimlc r of the tC' - timony llfO 'icles n dC'seriptiou of tl1fl 11wthnds c•111plo�·C'cl hy the CI in rondnrting- i- 1wh operations forn - iug on tlw d�tail -1 of how 1-1r·tiYitiC'i in Chile wn nt·eomplii-hP l On•r th£ l lft tu 7 l 11Prio1l tlw Forty C'om 11ittPp an intc rdcpnrtn1C'ntnl liody that rE• 'iPwi nrnl rntt1orl1 11� nll co · rt CIA netfritie� and ls c-hnlred hy Ou• Pn �irlC'nt' - dYii-or on Xntlonal �pc•nrity Affnirs nuthorized the exrendl­ tnrP of w1woxhnntt ly $11 million to hC'IJ1 Jlrf' ·ent thl' election of Allende nnd in Ir Col11 r's words d '�tnlliliz ' th ' Alleurlf• O 'e rnment so n� to preclpitnte iti- lownfnll 'l'he n�enry ncti 'itiPf- in C'hile were viewed ns n prototype or labora­ fi ry experinwnt to t • - t the f ' hniqnc � of lwa ·�· finnnC'ial lm· stnlC'nt in efforts 111 1li •t'f'tlit nnrl hring rlown a g-on•11mwnt P'unclin� vnS 1rm•fd 'd to tndividnnl ' polftiral 11nrtiP� nml mNUn ontlPt� in 'hilP throUJ h ' Jannels in othn ronntri ' - in hoth L Hh1 Anu•rir11 rn1l Enrri1lf' Ir Colby's de8rri11tion of these operations wns tlire ·t thon�h not to tlu • poi11t of identif�·ing ndnnl rontncts and condniti i - total of $3 million was sf'nt 1n 100-1 to th C'hri�tinn nrmormtir Party it1 Chile that wa� oppoHlng Allende In the nntlonal elPctio11- Al�o in 100f 1111iclf'n­ tlfl 'd Amc rlcnn cor1wratlons - l��e�ted thnt the CIA sn ·e ns n ronduit for c-ori10rntE' furnls tlrnt would flnanr· ' nnti-Al1Pnc1P nc·th·ltit i hut thnt ill · 1- 1·e 1 ' 'tP t n� nnworknlJle Approximntely $500 000 was authorized In 1969 to fnntl indh·idnals who could be nurtured to keep the nnti-Allende for 'es adive ancl intac·t During the HliO elertion fn whirh AllE'ncle e ·entunlh- wnR PlPrted Pr '�illf'nt Moo ooo· w 1� h·en to oppo ition pnrtr per�nnel An ·ex l 'nditure of $3a0 000 wns nuthorized to hrihe the Chilenn Congre51s whirh nt that time wn� fared with dc 'iclin11 a run-off Plt rtion �ween • llE nde nnd the oppo - ition C'Rndhlnte 'l'he hrilw wnnlcl Ital ' heen r•art of n �d1eme to overturn the results of the eC'tion 1n whl 'l1 Atlt tule hRd JrninPd ft plurnlity but that pl11n although orlginnlly fiJlprovPtl by th ' J orty 'omm1ttf'e Wall later evah1Rted as unworkahle 'J'hP testimony hHUC'ah•s that the Agency role In 1970 was viewed as that of the i-poiler involving general attempts to polttlcally destabUl r e the country nncl fliscredlt Allende to improve the likelihood that an opposltlon candidate would win Following the election of Allende $o million was authorlud by the Forty Commfttee tor more destabillzatlon ettorta during the perlod from 1971 to 1973• • 37 An addltional- $1 G million was spent for the 197 J munh•ipal elections Some of these tundl i were used to support an unnamed but influential anti-Allenue newspaper Although a specific request in the summer of 1973 for $50 000 to assist the trucker's stl ike was turned down the 'orty Committee did authorize in Au­ gn t 1073 on expenditure of $1 million for fm·ther political destallilization a ·­ th•itfei 'l'hls final nuthorlzation came without un · apJmrent tleterrent t Jt in� pose hy the recently completl'd bearings into ITT tm·ol 'emeut tu Chile nod the Senate Wlltergate Committee's di dosure of CL Ul'tiYlties related tu Watergate The full plan nuthoriie l in August was called off when _the_ miJitary N►Ul ­ occnrred lei s than one month later In the aftermath or the coup howl'ver funtls that hull bec n ·ommittcd were s1ient These inchHkd f i 5 000 to one indl­ vldunl to purchusc 1 mdh- station 1111d $9 000 to fln11m·e u trip to other Lntln AmPrkan -•apttuls to f 'a�sure thPm about the new military h•tHlNi- Since learning this information I have attempted onee ugnin to indn 'l' �omP frmbt rs to lUl' rne tlw fnl'ts of our iu 'oln-ment in the l'ldlc•au sitnntlon to cfpter• mine how thoi e polides ernh'ecl nncl bow they c·uu he Justified as being in the national lnten•�t I ha ·t• bad a rea --onnbly Pxh•11 led l'oll ·ersation with Cong1'l•s ­ mnn Praser nnd briefer onc s with Con gl'essmuu Fasl'ell und llnmllton in whit-h I dl'S 'ribed what l learned from the Uolhy testimony Whill' tlwy n-re hull't-d distrpssetl ut the details of CIA 01wrntion -1 nothing wn forthco111ing ns n rt -- ulr of tho�e com·e1·1mtiom that lends nw to belil•Ye that tlwre would be further inn •sti­ g1ltions or hNtrings Into the brondn policy 11ucstious that i- nd1 activities po�e - I turn to rou ns a last f - ort hnving clespain•cl of tl e llkt-lihootl of nnythinl I M· dnl'tive oc·c·urring ns n rc• -ntlt of the avenues I linve already 1mri-ue d It i 'l indiratin of my frustruticm8 to note that in the fin• 11wetlngi this Yt'Ur of the Suheon1111ittt f_• on Intc r-Arm•ricnn Affniri- which foc·U '- cl on hnmnu rights in Chile onl�· om• �owrnment witness with knowlPdge of r � ntti 'ities in Chile UJ► lt•aret1 At tl1 1t hearh1Jr Congressmnn Frns£'r and I qlwstioned De luty Assh tant Rec·retn1·y of 8tnte Hnrry Shlnudemnn on Jtfls�illlP CI invoh·C'mC'nt in Chile while he wns i- tntiou£'d thPrf• ns Deputy Chief of tlsi ion from mun throu�h mid-Hl7 l His 1U1 - wt rs a trans •ritlt of whi -h is nttiwhed indic·ntec to me i- onie knowledg-C 011 his part of CIA aetiYitit's that h ' w11s tmwillin tt to disc·us - hPforp n luly­ constituted ' ommittee of the House Tl e inherent limitations fneh1g Iemhers of Con�ress in uncovering the fneti- of c·o 'ert nrtt 'ities --sm·h---ns-thm-c -·tn- hile­ re 1uire -l I believe a commitment by those in n vosition to net beyond the exh tiJ1� illusory over�ight maebiner�· At his conflrmntion hearings on July 2 lfl73 Dire tor Colli · s 1h1 We are not goi� to run the kind of intelligell 'I ' �ervke thnt other conntrh•� run Ye nre going to run one in the AmniC'an sorlety nnd the Amerl 'nn 'nn - tit11· tionnl strnC'ture and I 'lln sec that there may lt n reqnh·Pnwnt to expo - e to the AmNkan 'Opie a gr·ent deal more than might t p conYenieut from the uarrnw in-telligPJWe point of YiPW I f el it is time to holcl Ir Colby to his 'ommitment as the Congref f mut the Anwri 'nn l e llle have n right to learn what wt1s lonP in our nnmP in 'hllP �fuC h nR I would prefei• to i- ec this accomplisherl within the ehannel '-1 of the Cong-r l - ­ i- lonnl J►ro 'e�s its importunee con' fn ' l - me that our vc ry sy - tl'm of go ·ernm 'nt rE'qnires that knowledgf' of AmeriC'an nctlvlties in Chile not remain i -olely with a hn nd ul of officials and Members of Congre�s Tlu reforP I urg-e you to promJ►tlr turn this matter to the nttentfon of the �oretgn Affni� Committee for a eomplete publlc Investigation of United States relations with Chile I trust that rou will agree thut the importanc -e ot tht� matter and its implicntlons for future fordgn pollcle� of the United States demands no less Yours sincerely llICHAEL J HARRINGTOX JUI Y 26 lOi 4 Hon thrll F J •• J HARRINGTON l S Hotue of R p1·e1cntatii·c Dr AR CoNoRF SSMAN I apolo dze tor the delay in responding to your letter wa 1tingt0t1 n o but have been diverted by hearings In the Commlttf'e and other related mattC'r - '·'