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Interview for Mr. Jack Devine

Position: Former Acting CIA Deputy Director of Operations

Purpose: The purpose of this interview is to explore the conditions of the CIA
Directorate of Operations in the years leading up to September 11, 2001. A number of
counterterrorism initiatives such as the Counterterrorism Center (CTC) were begun while
Mr. Devine held senior positions at the CIA. Mr. Devine also led the Counternarcotics
Center (CNC) and thus has experience in the CIA's attempt to solve a functional problem
challenging CIA's geographically-oriented structure. Mr. Devine also headed the CIA's
Afghan Task Force from 1985-1987 and thus has experience with operational
considerations in Afghanistan.

Key Questions

Background:
1) Please provide for us an account of your positions at the CIA and the years that
you held those positions.
2) When did you leave the CIA? Who replaced you in your last position at the CIA?
Who was the DCI at that time?
3) Have you supported the CIA in an independent contractor position since retiring?
Management:
1) What was the impact of the end of the Cold War on the DO? How did it impact
personnel levels, resources, skill mix, retirements, etc?
2) How were priorities set for the DO, and what flexibility did you have to align
resources against those priorities?
3) Did you close stations and bases overseas - and if so, how did you decide what
assets and missions to cut?
4) How did the White House and the NSC set priorities for the CIA during your
tenure? How did the White House conduct oversight of intelligence?
5) How has the role of the DCI changed over time? How involved was the DCI in
the operation of the DO? Were the DCI's authorities sufficient for his
responsibilities?
6) What lessons did you learn from heading the Counternarcotics Center regarding
how the DO confronts a functional rather than geographic challenge?
7) What priority did you place on support for the military? How has the Intelligence
Community's responsibility for support for military operations (SMO) evolved
over time?
The Intelligence Community:
1) How did you, as ADDO and Acting DDO, perceive your role in the larger
Intelligence Community? Do you recall when and why the term "Intelligence
Community" came into existence?

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Risk Aversion:
1) Describe the culture of the CIA's Directorate of Operations. Did it reflect the
popular perception of risk-taking, "can do" organization?
2) Was risk-taking an important ingredient in the culture of the DO? How has this
changed over the years? Can you provide particular instances where the officers
of the DO were challenged, investigated or disciplined for actions that were legal,
but politically sensitive?
3) Please describe the "Northern Iraq Incident" of 1995. What impact did this have
on the DO?
Counterterrorism:
1) During your tenure at the CIA, how did counterterrorism rank among the DO's
competing priorities? What were the major world events that took place during
your tenure that occupied your time? Were you able to apply sufficient resources
to the terrorism problem?
2) How was the DO organized to counter terrorism activities around the world?
What were the motivations for establishing the Counterterrorism Center? Who
was responsible for overseeing CTC? What was CTC's original mission, and
how did it evolve over time?
3) Based on your experience, what HUMINT capability do we need today to counter
terrorism?
4) What is the role of liaison in counterterrorism?
Special Activities:
1) Please give us your assessment of the state of special activities capabilities when
you became DDO and when you retired from the agency.
2) What guidance did you receive from the DCI and/or NSC in developing and/or
maintaining these capabilities?
3) How did you evaluate the performance of the CIA to conduct special activities?
4) What are your views on whether the CIA should continue to be help responsible
for special activities when the Department of Defense can conduct such activities?
Analysis:
1) What is your opinion of the JIC process? Should the U.S. adopt any aspects of
the JIC?
Other Issues:
1) Congressional oversight
2) CIA support to state and local governments

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 WITH DRAWAL NOTICE

RG: 148
Box: 00003 Folder: 0009 Document: 19
Series: Team 2 Files

Copies: 1 Pages: 15

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The item identified below has been withdrawn from this file:

Folder Title: [Jack] Devine

Document Date: 08-19-2003
Document Type: Handwritten Notes
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Subject: notes and summary of interview with Jack Devine

In the review of this file this item was removed because access to it is
restricted. Restrictions on records in the National Archives are stated in
general and specific record group restriction statements which are available
for examination.

NND: 361
Withdrawn: 11-05-2008 by:

RETRIEVAL #: 361 00003 0009 19

System DocID: 5570