https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/2025/0318/176-10033-10145.pdf
Thank you to my “Georgia family” for the X post discussing this! I went to the archives pages and found the data in the link above.
Kennedy was warned in 1961 that the CIA, while at first glance, appeared to “Do good“. However, there were concerns that they were a non regulated “state within a state” with ability to do whatever whenever, and needed to be shut down.
This is worth the read.
Excellent paper, written when they actually knew how to write reports!
Already, in 1961, Schlessinger, Jr. observed how power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts, absolutely, and, even though the CIA was originally envisioned as an important piece, had become too powerful to control.
How many times have we seen this movie, or read this book?
Personally, many.
Now, we have discovered USAID was simply another method of funding for the CIA.
Exactly. I can't think of a single positive thing about the CIA. For them it is OK to murder leaders in other countries (i.e. Vietnam), and then we pay dearly for their sins for the next 10 years. Not only did it destroy Vietnam, it nearly almost destroyed us. Then we have CIA run by one of the most corrupt individuals in history, John Brennan, who tried to upend a duly elected President of the United States. Murder is ok, treason is ok, and assassination of a US President is ok. The organization needs to be abolished.