RESPONSE TO CDA ON STARGATE

CIA-STARGATE

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This memo discusses the response to the Congressional Directive on the Stargate program. The directive transfers resources from the DIA to the CIA and requires the submission of a status report. The SAC report expresses concern about the program's pursuit of liaisons and its classification. During a briefing, the program manager reveals that the program is an operational activity accepting requirements and conducting remote viewing operations. The proposed approach in responding to the directive is to form a blue ribbon panel to assess the program and make recommendations. The program manager believes the transfer to the CIA occurred because of a failure to conduct objective reviews and pursue liaisons. The program has expended all its funds and the R&D activities have stopped. The CIA plans to provide its own support for the program and keep the three operational remote viewers as DIA employees until the panel reports. The memo acknowledges potential controversy surrounding parapsychology and the need to anticipate issues.

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Body:  Approved For Release 2004/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000100040021-1
 SG1I
 Memo for  :   Comptroller
 Via:   DDS&t
 ExDir
 D/OCA
 Subject:   Response to CDA on Stargate
 1.   The conference report contained language that transferred
 ten civilian billets and,  500k dollars from DIA to CIA and
 directed the DCI to submit a status report to the appropriate
 committees by March 1,  1995. This status report is to include
 a management strategy,  transfer status,  and identification of
 a program manager.   I have been asked to pull this activity
 together and to prepare a response to the CDA.   That response
 is attached. Because of the many issues associated with this
 program and the potential for some controversy between us and
 our oversight committees I seek a corporate buy in to the
 proposed approach.
 2.   Language in the SAC report,originally directed at DIA but
 incorporated by reference in the conference report,  requests
 that funds be applied equally to foreign assessment,
 research,   and operational viewing. The SAC report expresses
 concern that Congressional direction in the past regarding
 the "solicitation of users across the NFIP and DOD and
 development of joint programs with the Russians and Chinese
 has only been sporadically pursued. They further note
 "obvious reluctance on the part of DIA leadership for this
 Approved For Release 2004/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000100040021-1
 Approved For Release 2004/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000100040021-1
 program" and direct pursuit of liason activities and a relook
 at the tight classification for the program.  It also directs
 a retrospective reviow and technical analysis of the data
 that has been produced by the program "since its inception 20
 years ago."
 3.   On 14 December,  during a briefing arranged by cms and
 given by the current dia program manager,  the program was
 described as an operational activity that is accepting
 requirements,  conducting remote viewing operations,  and
 disseminating intelligence based on these operations.   Over
 90 such operations had been conducted during the past year.
 Staffing consists of three remote viewers,  a program manager,
 a technical advisor and a secretary.   Asked his opinion for
 the reasons the Congress had transferred the program to CIA,
 the program manager stated his belief that he had failed to
 respond to previous direction to conduct objective reviews
 and pursue foreign liason activities.   He also told us that
 all of the program funds had been expended and that their
 contractor  (SRI)  had stopped work on the R&D activities.
 4.   Our proposed approach in responding to the CDA is to
 conduct a multiphase program, beginning with the formation of
 a blue ribbon panel to assess the current program and make
 recommendations to us regarding how to proceed. With Army
 support, we plan to   contact the chairman of a panel that did
 a review for the Arny of unconventional techniques( including
 remote viewing),  for enhancing human performance,  and ask him
 to convene a similar group for our blue ribbon panel review.
 Approved For Release 2004/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000100040021-1
 Approved For Release 2004/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000100040021-1
 5.D/OCA described this approach  to Mr. Ricxhard D Amato,  the
 congressional staffer responsible for the language effecting
 the transfer,  and Mr DAmato expressed concern about the DIA
 people,  in particular the three remote viewers,  during the
 period that the panel is conducting our review.   Our approach
 to this is to tell DIA that we do not need a program manager
 and will provide our own technical and administrative support
 for the activity.   The three operational remote viewers
 should be kept as DIA employees until the Blue Ribbon panel
 reports and our program plan is developed.  If they are
 continuing to conduct operations,  they need to use the
 tasking and dissemination methods already in place in DIA.
 6.   There are several potential issues that could arise and
 need to be anticipated,  and that cause me to raise this
 subject with you at this time.(a)   Parapsychology is a very
 controversial subject It has been studied for at least the
 past hundred years by many renowned scientists without
 reaching any yes/no answers regarding its scientific
 validity.   We do NOT /intend to ask our blue ribbon panel to
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