1981.12.16: December 16, 1981: Headlines: Congress: Action Corps: Intelligence Issues: Presidents - Reagan: Ruppe: New York Times: Senator Alan Cranston writes: The controversy over Mr. Pauken's nomination arose not because he is a Vietnam veteran, as Mr. Thorson falsely suggests, but over the question whether the extent and nature of his service in military intelligence violated - or appeared to violate - a policy indispensable to the effectiveness of the Peace Corps, if not to its very survival.

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Directors of the Peace Corps: Peace Corps Director Loret Ruppe Miller (1981 - 1989): Loret Ruppe Miller: 1981.12.16: December 16, 1981: Headlines: Congress: Action Corps: Intelligence Issues: Presidents - Reagan: Ruppe: New York Times: Senator Alan Cranston writes: The controversy over Mr. Pauken's nomination arose not because he is a Vietnam veteran, as Mr. Thorson falsely suggests, but over the question whether the extent and nature of his service in military intelligence violated - or appeared to violate - a policy indispensable to the effectiveness of the Peace Corps, if not to its very survival.

By Admin1 (admin) (151.196.110.31) on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - 6:44 pm: Edit Post

Senator Alan Cranston writes: The controversy over Mr. Pauken's nomination arose not because he is a Vietnam veteran, as Mr. Thorson falsely suggests, but over the question whether the extent and nature of his service in military intelligence violated - or appeared to violate - a policy indispensable to the effectiveness of the Peace Corps, if not to its very survival.

Senator Alan Cranston writes: The controversy over Mr. Pauken's nomination arose not because he is a Vietnam veteran, as Mr. Thorson falsely suggests, but over the question whether the extent and nature of his service in military intelligence violated - or appeared to violate - a policy indispensable to the effectiveness of the Peace Corps, if not to its very survival.

Mr. Thorson states that it is ''not true'' that the Peace Corps has a strict prohibition against former intelligence agents within its ranks. The truth is that ever since its inception in 1961 the Peace Corps has had a policy designed to preclude even the appearance of a connection with intelligence activities. This policy bars any former agent or employee of the C.I.A. from ever serving as a Peace Corps volunteer or employee. And it strictly prohibits anyone else from serving if he or she has engaged in intelligence activities in the preceding 10 years. Thomas Pauken, director of Action; Loret Ruppe, director of the Peace Corps, and William Casey, director of the C.I.A., have said that they intend to continue this policy. Mr. Thorson states that Thomas Houser served in Army counterintelligence 13 years before he became deputy director of the Peace Corps in 1969. However, no information to that effect was brought to the attention of the Senate at the time of Mr. Houser's confirmation.

Senator Alan Cranston writes: The controversy over Mr. Pauken's nomination arose not because he is a Vietnam veteran, as Mr. Thorson falsely suggests, but over the question whether the extent and nature of his service in military intelligence violated - or appeared to violate - a policy indispensable to the effectiveness of the Peace Corps, if not to its very survival.

PEACE CORP'S SAFE DISTANCE FROM C.I.A., ET AL.

Published: December 16, 1981

To the Editor:

As the principal Senate sponsor of legislation to separate the Peace Corps from the Action agency, I was astonished by the letter (Nov. 27) from Donald Thorson, Action's assistant director for legislative affairs, accusing The Times of inaccurate reporting. It is Mr. Thorson who is inaccurate.

Mr. Thorson states that it is ''not true'' that the Peace Corps has a strict prohibition against former intelligence agents within its ranks. The truth is that ever since its inception in 1961 the Peace Corps has had a policy designed to preclude even the appearance of a connection with intelligence activities.

This policy bars any former agent or employee of the C.I.A. from ever serving as a Peace Corps volunteer or employee. And it strictly prohibits anyone else from serving if he or she has engaged in intelligence activities in the preceding 10 years.

Thomas Pauken, director of Action; Loret Ruppe, director of the Peace Corps, and William Casey, director of the C.I.A., have said that they intend to continue this policy.

Mr. Thorson states that Thomas Houser served in Army counterintelligence 13 years before he became deputy director of the Peace Corps in 1969. However, no information to that effect was brought to the attention of the Senate at the time of Mr. Houser's confirmation.

Mr. Thorson also claims that separating the Peace Corps from Action would ''cost the taxpayers more money.'' The evidence points in exactly the opposite direction. Internal Peace Corps budget documents estimate that, while separation will cost about $900,000 in firstyear administrative expenses, it will save $1 million annually thereafter.

Finally, the controversy over Mr. Pauken's nomination arose not because he is a Vietnam veteran, as Mr. Thorson falsely suggests, but over the question whether the extent and nature of his service in military intelligence violated - or appeared to violate - a policy indispensable to the effectiveness of the Peace Corps, if not to its very survival. The Foreign Relations Committee narrowly voted for his confirmation, 10 to 7.

Making the Peace Corps an independent agency will reaffirm its fundamental policy of keeping free of all taint of an ''intelligence connection.'' It is a sorry state of affairs that a high official of Action, in his determination to keep the Peace Corps within that agency at any cost, is willing to jeopardize a policy intended to protect the integrity of the Peace Corps and the safety of its volunteers and staff. ALAN CRANSTON, U. S. Senator from California, Washington, Dec. 9, 1981




Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Peace Corps Annual Report: 1981; Congress; Action Corps; Intelligence Issues; Presidents - Reagan; Loret Miller Ruppe (Director 1981 - 1989)





When this story was posted in March 2009, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers RSS Feed

 Site Index Search PCOL with Google Contact PCOL Recent Posts Bulletin Board Open Discussion RPCV Directory Register

PCOL's Candidate for Peace Corps Director Date: December 2 2008 No: 1288 PCOL's Candidate for Peace Corps Director
Honduras RPCV Jon Carson, 33, presided over thousands of workers as national field director for the Obama campaign and said the biggest challenge -- and surprise -- was the volume of volunteer help, including more than 15,000 "super volunteers," who were a big part of what made Obama's campaign so successful. PCOL endorses Jon Carson as the man who can revitalize the Peace Corps, bring it into the internet age, and meet Obama's goal of doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011.

Director Ron Tschetter:  The PCOL Interview Date: December 9 2008 No: 1296 Director Ron Tschetter: The PCOL Interview
Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter sat down for an in-depth interview to discuss the evacuation from Bolivia, political appointees at Peace Corps headquarters, the five year rule, the Peace Corps Foundation, the internet and the Peace Corps, how the transition is going, and what the prospects are for doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011. Read the interview and you are sure to learn something new about the Peace Corps. PCOL previously did an interview with Director Gaddi Vasquez.

Feb 22, 2009: Return to Indonesia? Date: March 1 2009 No: 1333 Feb 22, 2009: Return to Indonesia?
Clinton says PC expects to resume in Indonesia 18 Feb
Indonesia still touchy about Peace Corps 17 Feb
PCVs Remain Safe in Madagascar 30 Jan
Dodd's Senate seat up for grabs? 21 Feb
Tony Hall Talks About Poverty and Hunger 18 Feb
Pro Football Player Aaron Merz to serve in Zambia 17 Feb
Moyers could be new Murrow for US Public Diplomacy 17 Feb
Obituary for Nigeria CD Francis Underhill Macy 10 Feb
George Packer writes: Parties argue government role 10 Feb
James Rupert writes: Missile Strikes Counterproductive? 10 Feb
Danny Hevrol in Madagascar amidst fighting 6 Feb
Reed Hastings writes: Please Raise My Taxes 6 Feb
Obama overrides Hillary on Chris Hill appointment 6 Feb
Joseph Acaba has "The Right Stuff" 4 Feb
Maureen Orth writes: A New Start 2 Feb
Henry Rayburn could make art out of anything 1 Feb
Obama out to marry military power with diplomacy 30 Jan
Mike Fay honored by the San Diego Zoo 30 Jan
Charles Stroh writes: Karzai seen as impediment to change 29 Jan
Madeleine Meek writes: The market and the bath 26 Jan
NPCA gets new Web Site 22 Jan
Read more stories from January and February 2009.

Some PCVs return to Bolivia on their own Date: October 23 2008 No: 1279 Some PCVs return to Bolivia on their own
Peace Corps has withdrawn all volunteers from Bolivia because of "growing instability" and the expulsion of US Ambassador Philip Goldberg after Bolivian President Evo Morales accused the American government of inciting violence in the country. This is not the first controversy surrounding Goldberg's tenure as US ambassador to Bolivia. Latest: Some volunteers have returned to Bolivia on their own to complete their projects.



Read the stories and leave your comments.








Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: New York Times

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Congress; Action Corps; Intelligence Issues; Presidents - Reagan; Ruppe

PCOL38760
62


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: