There’s no one more interesting and important in the JFK story–and indeed the history of the CIA–who is more important than the late James Angleton.
Lisa Pease has studied the man and had a few things to say at the AARC’s conference on the Warren Commission last fall.
Be sure to see my two articles on Angleton in our collection The Assassinations as well. I tried not to overlap too much content – because some of the people at the conference had read those before. But you need to read all three to get the bigger picture. I’m very eager to see what Jeff adds to this story. I’m sure there’s so much more.
While I have questions about the latter points… At about 15 minutes “Helm’s said I’m not going to tell Angleton what to do.”
This is important. Very.
Technically, if Helms is Anleton’s boss why would he not tell him what to do? Would they both still acquiesce to Dulles?
If David Talbot is correct, it was Dulles who acquiesced to Angleton.
I defer to Mr. Talbot. After thinking about it Helms and Dulles both deferred to Angleton in regard to the autonomy he was given. In spite of loftier titles.
Counter Intelligence is a supremely powerful position even if an organization chart dosen’t always map it that way. It is akin to Internal Affairs in a police dept.
CI is a perch from which anyone else’s career and reputation can be broken with mere suspicion and the softest of allegations.