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i . MORI DocID: 1451843
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: i 5317 Briley Place
’ i Washington, D. C. 20015
| . . . January 11, 1972
Mr. Lloyd Shearer So BN
Editor at Large . .
| Parade Magazine NEN
733 Third Avenue
New York, New York 10017 : |
Dear Mr, Shearer: : so ’ |
In your isaue of January 9th, one of Valter Scott's Personality Parade
responses stated that CIA "uses political assaesination 26 a weapon” and -
that Operation Phoonix "run by the CIA established a new high for U. S.
R political zspassinations in Vietnam. * Since I bave held responsible positions
in CIA for meny years and was also (during delached service from CIA) re-
) sponsible for U. S. support to Operation Phoenix, I believe Iam uniquely:
qualified to testify {as I have in public session under oath to Senate and House
Committees) that:
a. CIA does net and has not used political assassination an a
weapon, .
Coy b. Operation Phoenix was run not by the CIA but by the Govern- R
. ment of Vietnam, with the support of the CORDS element of the U, S,
Military Assistance Command in coordination with several U. S.
agencies including CIA,- . )
A c. Operation Phoenix {a not and was not a program of acsasaina-
H tion, It countered the Viet Cong apparatus attempting to overthrow
the Government of Vietnam by targetting its leaders. Wherever pos-~
sible, these were apprehended or invited to defect, but a substantial
- number were killed in firefights during military operations or re- .
"sisting capture. There is a vast difference in kind, not merely In,
degree, between thease combat casualties, (even including the few
abuses which occurred) and the victims of the Viet Cong's systematic
campaign of terrorism to which Mr. Scott quits accurately referred.
In order to clarify this important questisa to the millions of concerned
Americans who read Parade, I should appreciate your publishing this letter.
: ) : Sinceroly, "
. . i /8{ W. E. Colby
W. E. Colby - .
WEC:blp . N
* Distribution: - . ° 00667
Orig - Addressee 1 - ER 1 - ExDir 1 - Mr. Thuermaey
1 - William Sullivan of Stafe (via SAVA - 12 Jan) 1 - Colonel Farnham (OSD/15#