Stansfield Turner: Difference between revisions
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He served as president of [[Naval War College]] from [[1972]] to [[1974]] and was subsequently director of the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA) from [[1977]] to [[1981]] ([[Jimmy Carter]]'s administration). He was a member of the [[Monsanto]] board of directors. He is now a senior research scholar at the [[University of Maryland, College Park]]'s School of Public Policy. |
He served as president of [[Naval War College]] from [[1972]] to [[1974]] and was subsequently director of the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA) from [[1977]] to [[1981]] ([[Jimmy Carter]]'s administration). He was a member of the [[Monsanto]] board of directors. He is now a senior research scholar at the [[University of Maryland, College Park]]'s School of Public Policy. |
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Under Turner's direction, the CIA emphasized [[TECHINT]] and [[SIGINT]] more than [[HUMINT]]. This organizational direction is notable because [[William Casey]] was seen to have a completely opposite approach, focusing much of his attention on HUMINT. He gave notable testimony to Congress revealing much of the extent of the [[MKULTRA]] program, which the CIA ran from the early [[1950s]] to late [[1960s]]. Reform and simplification of the intelligence community's multilayered secrecy system was one of Turner's significant initiatives, but produced no results by the time he left office. |
Under Turner's direction, the CIA emphasized [[TECHINT]] and [[SIGINT]] more than [[HUMINT]]. This organizational direction is notable because [[William Casey]] was seen to have a completely opposite approach, focusing much of his attention on HUMINT. He gave notable testimony to Congress revealing much of the extent of the [[MKULTRA]] program, which the CIA ran from the early [[1950s]] to late [[1960s]]. Reform and simplification of the intelligence community's multilayered secrecy system was one of Turner's significant initiatives, but produced no favorable results by the time he left office. |
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To the contrary, Director Turner's decision to reduce by 25% the number of CIA operatives providing useful human intelligence to the CIA is thought to have substantially impaired the US's capacity to understand and respond effectively to changing conditions around the world. In the Middle East, for example, a fundamentalist uprising overthrew Iran's government. Shortly thereafter, U.S. embassy personnel were taken hostage and held by the Iranians until January 20, 1981, the day Ronald Reagan replaced Jimmy Carter as US President. Similarly, the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan came as a surprise to the CIA under Director Turner's leadership. |
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Notable ancestors include [[Jerrold Gaylord Turner]] (1743-1802). |
Notable ancestors include [[Jerrold Gaylord Turner]] (1743-1802). |
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Revision as of 05:34, 18 November 2005
Stansfield Turner (born 1 December 1923) was a U.S. admiral and Director of Central Intelligence.
Turner attended both Amherst College and attained a commission in the United States Navy. During his naval career he served as commander of U.S forces of Japan and Korea, as well as Southern Command of NATO.
He served as president of Naval War College from 1972 to 1974 and was subsequently director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1977 to 1981 (Jimmy Carter's administration). He was a member of the Monsanto board of directors. He is now a senior research scholar at the University of Maryland, College Park's School of Public Policy.
Under Turner's direction, the CIA emphasized TECHINT and SIGINT more than HUMINT. This organizational direction is notable because William Casey was seen to have a completely opposite approach, focusing much of his attention on HUMINT. He gave notable testimony to Congress revealing much of the extent of the MKULTRA program, which the CIA ran from the early 1950s to late 1960s. Reform and simplification of the intelligence community's multilayered secrecy system was one of Turner's significant initiatives, but produced no favorable results by the time he left office.
To the contrary, Director Turner's decision to reduce by 25% the number of CIA operatives providing useful human intelligence to the CIA is thought to have substantially impaired the US's capacity to understand and respond effectively to changing conditions around the world. In the Middle East, for example, a fundamentalist uprising overthrew Iran's government. Shortly thereafter, U.S. embassy personnel were taken hostage and held by the Iranians until January 20, 1981, the day Ronald Reagan replaced Jimmy Carter as US President. Similarly, the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan came as a surprise to the CIA under Director Turner's leadership.
Following his departure from office, Director Turner has written several books, including 2005's Burn Before Reading: Presidents, CIA Directors, and Secret Intelligence, in which, perhaps unsurprisingly, he advocates disbanding the CIA.
Notable ancestors include Jerrold Gaylord Turner (1743-1802).
External links
- Prepared Statement before Congress on MKULTRA
- Testimony before Congress on MKULTRA, Part 1
- Testimony before Congress on MKULTRA, Part 2
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