Offline Illumination

Wanted: Gen-X Chumps, I Mean, Spooks

Including a Review of Rodney Stich's Disavow

by Uri Dowbenko

In case you missed it, the CIA is trolling for fresh blood.

Yes, the US Central Intelligence Agency -- that fun-loving, drug-dealing, government-subverting dinosaur of a bureaucracy -- is running ads for new recruits.

The ad, in the employment section of the Wall Street Journal (September 7, 1999), features a photo of a smug-looking thirty-something woman with her chin in hand, and the preposterous headline -- "Do you have what it takes? Integrity. Intellect. Common Sense. Patriotism. Courage."

Sadly there was no mention of the applicant's ability to actively participate in, or at least look the other way, when confronted with state-sanctioned terrorism,like illegal drug smuggling or money laundering.

Sponsored by the CIA Directorate of Operations, Clandestine Service, the ad says you can't be older than 35 to enter the trainee program. In other words, the ad copy is aimed directly at people who may be unaware of the Agency's bloody and treacherous history.

"For the extraordinary individual who wants more than just a job, this is a unique career, a way of life that will challenge the deepest resources of your intelligence, self-reliance and responsibility," the pitch continues.

"It demands an adventurous spirit, a forceful personality, superior intellectual ability, toughness of mind, and a high degree of personal integrity, courage and love of country."

Give that copywriter a raise. With outrageous lies like these, Gen-Xers could sign up for the Gambino family with a clear conscience.

Then there's the close -- "You will need to deal with fast-moving, ambiguous and unstructured situations that will test your resourcefulness to the utmost."

"Patriotic" CIA Drug Smuggling

Ambiguous? Ask CIA operative Oliver North, aka John Cathey. He could lie to Congress with a straight face.

When veteran FBI Special Agent Richard M. Taus uncovered and reported evidence of CIA drug trafficking by a group called the "K-Team," he was set-up and sent to prison on phony charges.

"The K-Team had a front operation with the patriotic sounding name National Freedom Institute and called its operation the 'Enterprise,' the same that repeatedly surfaced in the Iran Contra congressional hearings," writes Rodney Stich in his ground-breaking book Defrauding America.

Taus discovered that that K-Team was a CIA operation, engaged in drug trafficking, the looting of savings and loans, and other activities related to what later became known as Irangate and Iraqgate.

Another of Stich's sources, Gene "Chip" Tatum confirmed these allegations. He was the helicopter pilot who actually ferried CIA operatives Oliver North, Felix Rodriguez, aka Max Gomez, and William Barr -- CIA's Southern Air Transport attorney and later US President George Bush's Attorney General -- in Central America.

Tatum describes one meeting to "determine where over $100 million in drug money disappeared on the three routes from Panama to Colorado, Ohio and Arkansas. This theft was financially draining the operation known as the 'Enterprise'... The first call was made by Fernandez to Oliver North, informing North that 'the money loss was occurring on the Panama to Arkansas route, and that means either Seal, Clinton or Noriega.'"

Imagine -- the late CIA drug transport pilot Barry Seal, former Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, as well as Panama's General Noriega were all suspected of skimming George Bush's cocaine profits.

"Fifteen minutes later the portable phone rang and Vice President George Bush was on the line talking to William Barr," writes Stich. "Barr said at one point, referring to the missing funds, 'I would propose that no one source would be bold enough to siphon out that much money, but it is more plausible that each are siphoning a portion causing a drastic loss.'"

Tatum said that Barr then dialed another number immediately reaching Governor Clinton. Barr explained the missing money problem to Clinton, explaining that over $100 million of the Enterprise monies had disappeared, and warning that the matter must be resolved or "it could lead to big problems."

The problems were evidently ironed out. Bill Clinton became president, one of the CIA's "few groomed men," who was promised his position on the "short list" for the job, according to Terry Reed and John Cummings, authors of Compromised.

In another instance, Tatum described "flying the group to Santa Ana, Honduras meeting with Enrique Bermudez and other Contra leaders and visiting a cocaine processing facility. Tatum described the strong smell of jet fuel and acetone and the large fuel pods that had the tops stripped off them and in which were fuel and leaves," writes Stich.

"Tatum repeated what Oliver North said, 'One more year of this and we'll all retire.'"

The hubris of these criminals is unbelievable. And Oliver North, of course has still not retired.

"North added, 'If we can keep those Arkansas hicks in line, that is," referring to Barry Seal and Governor Clinton... As Tatum listened to these conversations he remembered the army officer's remarks, 'Tell no one. There's no one big enough in your chain of command.'"

No kidding. Hearing Oliver North talk about the involvement of George Bush and Bill Clinton in drug smuggling, Tatum wisely followed the advice.

"Courageous" CIA Money Laundering

Or you could ask Ronald Rewald, an international wheeler-dealer who thought he had it made. Hobnobbing with the world's movers and shakers, Rewald was living the lifestyle of the rich and famous. He had a $2 million estate in Hawaii, a chauffeured limo took him to work everyday, and he even played polo with the Sultan of Brunei, the richest man in the world.

The subject of another book by Rodney Stich called Disavow, Rewald had a dark secret. He was just a front man for the CIA, an informant since college when he began spying on "subversive" organizations like the SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) during the late 1960's and 70's.

Later as chairman of BBRDW -- Bishop, Baldwin, Rewald Dillingham and Wong -- a Hawaii-based CIA front masquerading as a worldwide investment company, Rewald thought he had nothing to fear. But then came the setup and the fall. Today after spending ten years in prison as the fall guy for the CIA, Rewald is reportedly still in denial.

According to Stich, BBRDW was a CIA proprietary, a company wholly owned by CIA operatives, started, operated and funded by the CIA in 1979 using many of the same high level people that had staffed Nugan Hand Bank.

Nugan Hand was the infamous Australia-based money laundry used by CIA to disburse Southeast Asian drug revenues.

In a chapter of Defrauding America, Stich writes that "the CIA used BBRDW as an international investment company cover with 120 employees staffing offices in 16 countries including Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, New Zealand, Singapore, London, Paris, Stockholm, Brazil and Chile. CIA personnel opened and operated these far flung offices."

When his cover was blown by a Honolulu reporter, Rewald never saw it coming. Since he'd been working for the CIA since his college days, he just naturally assumed that the CIA takes care of its own. Rewald was wrong.

"Disavowed" by the way, means "once your cover is blown, pal, you're on your own."

The book Disavow by Rodney Stich and T. Conan Russell should be required reading for anyone who's even thinking about working for the so-called "intelligence" agencies -- CIA, DIA, NSA, FBI, ONI, etc.

Just as there is no honor among thieves, there is even less among "spooks" -- the double-dealing spies of the world.

Disavow deals with global realpolitik and the important business of state -- making drug deals, laundering money, buying elections -- the professional expertise for which the CIA is absolutely unparalleled anywhere on earth.

Ronald Rewald found out the hard way. If he ever writes his autobiography, he should call it, "I Was a Chump for the CIA."

In this context, the brazen affront of the CIA's Wall Street Journal ad is absolutely astounding.

"The CIA is an equal opportunity employer and a drug-free work force," the ad continues lying. "We represent America and we want to be representative of America."

By the way, whistleblower and former FBI agent Richard M. Taus is still incarcerated, a political prisoner of the CIA's treachery and phony war on drugs.

(Letters of condolence can be sent to Richard Taus, 91A1040, LH, Clinton Correctional Faciltity, P.O. Box 2001, Dannemora, New York 12929.)

Uri Dowbenko is CEO of New Improved Entertainment Corp. He can be reached by e-mail at u.dowbenko@mailcity.com

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