Intelligence career Robert Gates

1 intelligence career

1.1 positions
1.2 director of central intelligence
1.3 level of involvement in iran-contra scandal

intelligence career
positions

while @ indiana university, gates recruited central intelligence agency , joined in 1966. on january 4, 1967, commissioned second lieutenant in united states air force after attending officer training school under cia sponsorship. 1967 1969, assigned strategic air command intelligence officer, included year @ whiteman air force base in missouri, delivered intelligence briefings intercontinental ballistic missile crews. after fulfilling military obligation, rejoined cia intelligence analyst.

gates left cia in 1974 serve on staff of national security council. returned cia in late 1979, serving briefly director of strategic evaluation center, office of strategic research. named director of dci/ddci executive staff in 1981, deputy director intelligence in 1982, , deputy director of central intelligence april 18, 1986, march 20, 1989.

director of central intelligence

gates while director of central intelligence.

gates deputy assistant president national security affairs march until august 1989, , assistant president , deputy national security adviser august 1989 until november 1991.

gates nominated become director of central intelligence (head of cia) in 1987. withdrew name after became clear senate reject nomination due controversy role in iran-contra affair.

gates nominated, second time, position of director of central intelligence president george h. w. bush on may 14, 1991, confirmed senate on november 5, , sworn in on november 6.

during senate committee hearing on nomination, former division chief melvin goodman testified agency corrupt , slanted during tenure of william casey gates serving deputy. according goodman, gates part of agency leadership proliferated false information , ignored reality . national intelligence council chairman harold p. ford testified during tenure, gates had transgressed professional boundaries.

deputy directors during tenure richard j. kerr (from november 6, 1991, until march 2, 1992) , adm. william o. studeman (from april 9, 1992, through remainder of gates tenure). served until 1993.

level of involvement in iran-contra scandal

because of senior status in cia, gates close many figures played significant roles in iran-contra affair , in position have known of activities. in 1984, deputy director of cia, gates advocated u.s. initiate bombing campaign against nicaragua , u.s. in power short of direct military invasion of country remove sandinista government. evidence developed independent counsel did not warrant indictment of gates iran-contra activities or responses official inquiries.

gates subject of independent counsel s investigation, investigation of gates intensified in spring of 1991 part of larger inquiry iran/contra activities of cia officials. investigation received additional impetus in may 1991, when president george h.w. bush nominated gates director of central intelligence (dci). chairman , vice chairman of united states senate select committee on intelligence (ssci) requested, in letter independent counsel on may 15, 1991, information bear on fitness of gates cia post.

gates consistently testified first heard on october 1, 1986, charles e. allen, national intelligence officer closest iran initiative, proceeds iran arms sales may have been diverted support contras. other evidence proves, however, gates received report on diversion during summer of 1986 ddi richard kerr. issue whether independent counsel prove beyond reasonable doubt gates deliberately not telling truth when later claimed not have remembered reference diversion before meeting allen in october.

president bush meets robert gates, general colin powell, secretary dick cheney , others situation in persian gulf , operation desert shield, 15 january 1991

grand jury secrecy rules hampered independent counsel s response. nevertheless, in order answer questions gates prior testimony, independent counsel accelerated investigation of gates in summer of 1991. investigation substantially completed september 3, 1991, @ time independent counsel determined gates iran-contra activities , testimony did not warrant prosecution.

independent counsel made decision subject developments have warranted reopening inquiry, including testimony clair e. george, cia s former deputy director operations. @ time independent counsel reached decision, possibility remained george have provided information warranting reconsideration of gates status in investigation. george refused cooperate independent counsel , indicted on september 19, 1991. george subpoenaed gates testify defense witness @ george s first trial in summer of 1994, gates never called.

the final report of independent counsel iran-contra scandal, issued on august 4, 1993, said gates close many figures played significant roles in iran/contra affair , in position have known of activities. evidence developed independent counsel did not warrant indictment...