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Re: NAF Bits 'N' Pieces
To: ALL
From: POW-MIA InterNetwork
Date: August 09, 2003
"BITS 'N' PIECES
THE NEWSLETTER OF THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF FAMILIES
FOR THE RETURN OF AMERICA'S MISSING SERVICEMEN
+ WORLD WAR II + KOREA + COLD WAR + VIETNAM + GULF WAR +
August 2, 2003
Optimism on The Speicher Case.... Well, we can't have that, can we. No, there can be no optimism when it comes to the possible return of a live POW, a truthful and accurate determination of his fate or of a scientifically acceptable identification of remains.
In our last Bits, we excerpted wire service stories on Senator Bill Nelson's trip to Iraq. During and after his visit Senator Nelson expressed optimism that we were getting closer to Speicher. He reported "new and highly classified" information on Speicher, but stressed that he did not know if Speicher is alive or not. Although, he stated he was optimistic that the case will be resolved.
The Speicher family attorney, Cindy Laquaidara, was even more optimistic than Senator Nelson. During a Fox News interview, Ms. Laquaidara maintained that Capt. Speicher is, in fact, alive. This optimism had to be stopped!
An anonymous source leaked a classified Pentagon report to Rowan Scarborough of the Washington Times. In an article dated July 16th, Scarborough stated: " A secret Pentagon report states that once-promising leads in the hunt for Capt. Michael Scott Speicher in Iraq have turned up no evidence of his whereabouts, contradicting public official comments that the search was producing positive results."
"The classified document also cast serious doubt on the credibility of the Iraqi defector who first raised hopes in the United States that the Navy pilot was alive and a captive in Iraq after his plane was shot down in 1991. The defector claims to have seen Capt. Speicher alive in 1998. But Iraqis interviewed by U.S. investigators say he is lying, according to the report prepared for Gen. Richard B. Myers, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman."
"The internal report, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Times, quotes one Iraqi as saying the defector is a "born liar." U.S. officials are said to now have serious questions about the unnamed defector's veracity. "
"No significant evidence of [Capt. Speicher's] status has been discovered," says the two-page classified report dated June 23. It says investigators have obtained an "alleged Speicher flight suit," which is being examined for DNA evidence. The report presents a much more pessimistic outlook for the search than has been generally presented in public by some U.S. congressmen who have received official briefings."
"Sen. Bill Nelson, Florida Democrat, said he saw classified information on a trip to Iraq that made him think the mystery would be solved. Sen. Pat Roberts, Kansas Republican, made similar upbeat comments."
"A day after the date of the Pentagon report, titled "Personnel Recovery Efforts in Support of Capt. Speicher," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld was asked about the Speicher search at a Pentagon press conference. "I read two reports today, and what they told me is that the senior people involved in, I guess the Iraqi Survey Group, are focused on this issue, attentive to it. ... There is nothing that has been turned up thus far that I could elaborate on that would be appropriate."
"The report is stamped "secret" and written as an update on the extensive search for the pilot, whose F-18 was shot down during Desert Storm. The report reveals that the main source for a report last year that Capt. Speicher survived the crash is a defector from Saddam Hussein's Special Security Organization (SSO), which maintained the dictator's rule in Baghdad."
"The defector, whom U.S. officials call "defector No. 2314," provided names of witnesses who he says support his story. But when contacted by the U.S. search team, the Iraqis deny the defector's account. "None of the information provided by 2314 has proven accurate," the Pentagon report states."
"...the defector's story, in part, prompted the Navy to change his status to missing-captured and to promote him from commander to the rank of captain. This information created a storm of prewar news coverage that Saddam might still be holding an American he was supposed to release, with all other prisoners of war, after the March 1991 cease-fire. But the secret Pentagon report lists a number of leads that turned out to be bogus:
- Defector No. 2314 provided the names of several doctors who he said had knowledge of Capt. Speicher's whereabouts. "All denied having any knowledge; two have passed a polygraph exam," the Pentagon report says.
- The defector said his supervisor at SSO also knew of Capt. Speicher's imprisonment. But the supervisor denied this, passed a polygraph and called No. 2314 "a born liar."
- The source said a psychiatrist at the Rashid prison worked there during Capt. Speicher's purported captivity. But the psychiatrist "denied any knowledge."
- U.S. Central Command has recovered thousands of POW-related files in Iraq. "To date, analysts have found only one reference to Speicher. The reference indicates he ejected and lists his status as 'unknown.' "
"The report says a search team tried to reach the crash site in mid-June, after the successful U.S.-led war to overthrow Saddam but was foiled by enemy fire. It has previously been reported that investigators found the initials "MSS" on a cell wall in the Hakimiyah prison. Criminal investigators speculated that MSS might stand for Michael Scott Speicher, but made no determination."
"Concludes the report, "U.S. CentCom has searched every known location associated with Speicher. Other than at Hakimiyah prison, where U.S. forces found the initials 'MSS' carved in a cell wall, no significant evidence of his status has been discovered."
"As next steps, the Army's Criminal Investigative Command is examining items taken from Hakimiyah prison. The items include sponges, clothing, shoes and manacles. "Process consists of cataloging, chemical and DNA analysis and will take weeks to months to complete," the secret report says."
"The Iraq Survey Group cell was also to interview an ethnic Iraqi U.S. citizen who had been held at another Baghdad prison, Abu Ghurab. "This individual reported to U.S. Marines that he heard Iraqi guards discussing the 'U.S. pilot.' "
"The paper says the cell administered a polygraph exam to the defector, but it does not give the results. It says the military has asked the CIA "to conduct an independent polygraph of 2314." A CIA spokesman yesterday said the agency does not comment on polygraph issues."
Based, in part, on the Washington Times article, Senator Nelson took action, requesting a copy of the report. The following is excerpted from the Washington Times, July 17 by Rowan Scarborough. "Sen. Bill Nelson has asked the Pentagon for a copy of a classified report on missing Navy Capt. Michael Scott Speicher that casts doubt on the credibility of an Iraqi defector who claimed to have seen the downed pilot alive in 1998."
"Mr. Nelson, Florida Democrat, made the request after The Washington Times disclosed the report in yesterday's editions. A spokesman for Mr. Nelson said the Pentagon has agreed to provide the report soon."
"Stamped secret and dated June 23, the two-page document was prepared for Gen. Richard B. Myers, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman. It concluded, "No significant evidence of [Capt. Speicher's] status has been discovered."
"The report also said Iraqis who the defector said could corroborate the Speicher sighting all denied the account. One called the defector a "born liar."
".... The senator returned to the United States saying he was now optimistic that the mystery would be solved based on new evidence. His spokesman said yesterday that the evidence comes in the form of documents that could lead to new sources who may know of Capt. Speicher's fate."
"The Pentagon report was pessimistic, based on evidence collected by June 23. It said the defector, the main source for the original Speicher sighting, is a former member of Saddam Hussein's Special Security Organization, which maintained his hard-line rule in Baghdad. The report quotes his superior at the SSO as saying he is a "born liar."
"The defector, whom the U.S. calls No. 2314, also said several physicians could back his story. "All denied having any knowledge; two have passed a polygraph exam," the Pentagon report said."
Wait... Let's Stop For A Minute -- The source passes his polygraph exam and provides the names of "several" physicians who could back up his story. All denied sources allegations and "two have passed polygraph exams." The article below states: "The military has conducted polygraphs on a number of witnesses identified by 2314." Yet, it seems that only two are mentioned as having passed the polygraph.
According to our thesaurus "several" means "consisting of an indefinitely small number that is more than two or three but less than many." Does that mean the others failed their polygraph exams or have not yet been polygraphed?
We have always believed in the use of the polygraph to gauge the accuracy of a sources information. We also believe that there must be compelling motivation, for a source to be able to beat a polygraph. Who would have the greater motive to lie, in this case? Would it be the Iraqi member of Saddam's Special Security Organization who defected or those within the Special Security Organization still loyal to Saddam?
We didn't have long to wait for our answer?
SADDAM'S LOYALISTS THWART POLYGRAPH TESTS - so reads the headline on a July 21st article by Rowan Scarborough. According to the Washington Times article "Captured Saddam Hussein loyalists in Iraq are proving adept at beating lie-detector tests, frustrating attempts to find banned weapons and to learn what happened to Navy Capt. Michael Scott Speicher.
U.S. officials and military officers say trained interrogators in Baghdad have caught Iraqi Ba'ath Party loyalists lying while hooked up to the machine, which showed they were not being deceptive.
Officials attribute the lying to many factors. They say it may have become part of the culture of Saddam's regime to lie routinely. In other cases, the Iraqi intelligence service and Special Security Organization trained operators how to "beat" the machine. And there is the issue that polygraphs, which measure changes in heartbeat, respiration and perspiration, are simply not accurate.
In one incident, an Iraqi involved in a weapons program was shown two pictures. In one, officials cut his image out of a photo of workers at a weapons factory. He agreed that the cut-out image was of him. They then showed him the full photo, with his image restored. This time, he denied that he was in the photo. The polygraph did not catch him in this blatant lie.
"Polygraphs are being used in the interrogation process with mixed results," a military officer in Iraq said. "Many of the suspects being interrogated were formerly part of the Ba'ath Party intelligence apparatus, so they would reasonably understand how the device works."
Asked to comment, a defense official at the Pentagon said, "We do not discuss such matters of intelligence as a matter of policy." Interrogation teams include personnel from the CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency and the Army's Criminal Investigative Command."
".....One polygraph issue came to light in the search for Capt. Speicher, whose F-18 Hornet was shot down on the first day of the Gulf War in 1991. He appears to have ejected. The Navy first said he was killed in action but now classifies him as missing/captured.
A secret Pentagon report obtained by The Washington Times shows that the Defense Intelligence Agency is aggressively using polygraphs to determine the Navy pilot's fate.
A defector from Saddam's Special Security Organization said he saw Capt. Speicher alive in 1998. The defector, No. 2314, is said to have passed a polygraph test administered by the Defense Intelligence Agency's prisoner-of-war and
missing-in-action cell.
But when agents question people who the defector said could corroborate his story, the witnesses said he was wrong or lying. His superior at the security organization called the defector a "born liar," according to the classified report.
"None of the information provided by 2314 has proven accurate," the report states.
"The CIA plans to administer its own polygraph. "Cell has asked CIA to conduct an independent polygraph of 2314," the report states. The military has conducted polygraphs on a number of witnesses identified by 2314...."
Our Last Bits Generated This Comment From A Reader: "Nelson is impatient..." I hope he gets throughly pissed enough to recognize what's been going on for decades..."
Now We Understand - We are sure you have all experienced the frustration of trying to explain the POW/MIA issue to legislative aides in the offices of your Senators and Congressional Representatives. In most cases, the aides just don't get it or don't want to get ,it and we've often wondered about the closed minds found in many congressional offices.
Now we have what may be an explanation. Perhaps it is the Congressional Research Service Issue Brief for Congress titled "POWs and MIAs: Stuatus and Accounting Issues." It is from this briefing paper that many legislative aides form their opinion on the POW/MIA issue.
As John Backes, National Alliance of Families Wisconsin State Director, wrote: "I can see why the aides who work on this react the way they do." John obtained the latest CRS Brief, updated June 26, 2003, from his Senator.
We received the report yesterday and have not had a chance to read it cover to cover. However, in thumbing through it, the Korean War section caught our eye. After reading it, we knew exactly what John meant.
From the CRS Brief.... "Korean War POWs/MIAs - "Since the Korean War ended in 1953, there have been rumors Americans captured by the North Koreans or Chinese were, or still are, held against their will in North Korea, China, or the former USSR. There is little doubt that the communist powers involved in the war have withheld much information on POW/MIA from the United States"
"DPMO states that although there is no first hand direct evidence of Korean War POWs being transferred to the Soviet Union, the cumulative weight of circumstantial evidence is so compelling that they beleive that a least a small numbers of Americans were infact so transferred. There are indications that some sightings of Caucasians by foreign nationals in North Korea may be of American soldiers who defected to North Korea in the post-Korean War era. At least four such Americans who defected in the 1960s are known to be alive. Assertions of very large numbers of Americans (several hundred or more) being transferred, and/or their use as "guinea pigs" for Soviet and Soviet-bloc chemical and biologicl warefare experiments, has not yet been validated to any appreciable degree."
"Some U.S. POWs were not released by China until 1955, 2 years after the war ended. Two civilian CIA aircrew members shot down over North Korea during the war in 1952, were imprisoned for 20 years and not released until 1972. Declassified U.S. documents indicate that the U.S. government maintained an intensive interest in live POWs from the Korean War throughout the 1950s. The documents are more explicit than anything yet relased regarding the Vietnam War. Throughout 1950s and 1960s the Soviets, Chinese and North Koreans, maintained labor camps containing millions of political prisoners. The end of the Korean War in 1953 was followed by intensely bitter relations between the U.S., the North Koreans and the Chinese. This suggests that the two communist enemies of the United States during the Korean War, as well as a Stalinist Soviet Union, were inclined to hold live Americans - perhaps more so than Vietnam in the 1970s."
Unfortunately, these paragraphs give legislative aides only half the story.
The statement "Assertions of very large numbers of Americans (several hundred or more) being transferred and/or their use as "guinea pigs for Soviet and Soviet-block chemical and biological warfare experiments, has not yet been validated to any appreciable degree" doesn't tell the whole story.
Former Secretary of State John Foster Dulles must have thought the "assertion" valid. A 1954 cable marked "Secret," bearing Dulles' name, (Note: Cable quotes are presented with all typos and misspellings) stated:
"According Despatch 1716 from Hong Kong airpouched you a recently arrived Greek refugee from Manchuria reported seeing several hundred American POW's being transferred Chinese trains to Russian trains Manchouli late 1951 and early 1952. Some POW's wore sleeve insignia indicating they were Air Force non-coms. Great number Negro troops also observed. This report corroborates previous indications UNC POW to might have been shipped to Siberia during Korean hostilities."
"United States has been greatly concerned general subject UNC personnel who may still be Communist custody. Department has just accepted British offer make representations Peiping behalf UNC personnel who may be Chinese Communist custody. Question raising this matter informally Geneva under careful consideration."
""Unless you perceive objection request you approach highest available level Foreign Ministry and leave Aide Memoire undicating (sic)...reports have now come attention United States Government which support earlier indications that American Prisoners of War Korea had been transported into Soviet Union and are now Soviet custody. Request fullest possible information these POW's and their reparation earliest possible time."
"In your discussion with Foreign Office, you may desire inform Soviets without revealing source that we have reliable accounts transfers POW's Manchouli." (To view cable visit www.nationalallaince.org/korea/dulles.htm
Based on what the cable called "reliable accounts" Secretary of State Dulles requested "repatriation" of these POWs at the "earliest possible time."
The Dulles cable clearly states: "several hundred American POWs being transferred." Yet the CRS Brief states the transfer of several hundred or more "has not yet been validated to any appreciable degree."
We think the actions of Secretary of State Dulles validates the information. We also believe most congressional legislative aides would view the matter differently if they knew of the Dulles cable.
The statement: "There are indication that some sightings of Caucasians by foreign nationals in North Korea may be of American soldiers who defected to North Korea in the post-Korean War era. At least four such Americans who defected in the 1960s are known to be alive," discounts the work of DPMO's own analyst.
No mention is made of the conclusion reached in a March 1996 report by I. O. Lee an analyst with the Defense Prisoner of War Missing Personnel Office (DPMO.) His conclusion states: "There are too many live sighting reports, specifically observations of several Caucasians in a collective farm by Romanians and the North Korean defectors' eyewitness of Americans in DPRK to dismiss that there are no American POWs in North Korea."
In his report, Mr. Lee discusses two groups of Americans. One a group of possible deserters, and a second group of American Prisoners of War (POWs). According to Mr. Lee "A second, larger group of Americans is comprised of US service members, most likely POWs from the Korean War and possibly Vietnam War era. There have been numerous reports of both American and British POWs in North Korea. One of the most compelling reports received over the years was a sighting reported to DoD by a Romanian in 17 Feb 1988...."
"...The analysis of numerous live sighting reports correlate that American POWs live in a group compounds in various locations in Pyongyang and its suburbs and perhaps other places in DPRK. POWs movements in DPRK are apparently controlled by the North Korean Government."
Yet, the CRS Brief implies that the live sightings of Americans in North Korea can be explained away as sightings of the 4 purported defectors.
As for American Korean POW's being used as "guinea pigs" the DIA seem to believe the information valid. An April 17, 1992, DIA report states: "Information uncovered by DIA indicates that up to "several dozen" unwilling participants in this program may have been executed upon its conclusion in North Korea."
Of the source, DIA states; "He remain a very sensitive source who has provided reliable information to the U.S. intelligence community for many years."
"Several hundred...." or "several dozen...." Dulles believed "several hundred" American POWs were transferred to the former Soviet Union and acted on the information. This information and the extensive information uncovered by the Joint Commission Support Directorate, the investigative arm of the U.S. Russian Joint Commission is not mentioned.....
I.O. Lee said there are "too many live sighting reports... to dismiss that there are no American POWs in North Korea," yet this information is not mentioned....
DIA information, from a source with a history of providing reliable information to the intelligence community, indicating medical experimentation preformed on POWs, is not mentioned.
Instead, all of this is "Assertions" that "have not yet been validated to any appreciable degree." What is an "appreciable degree?"
Agreement Reached For Remains Recovery in North Korea - from the Associated Press July 15, 2003... "The United States will pay North Korea $2.1 million to conduct four searches this summer and fall for remains of American servicemen missing from the Korean War, the Pentagon said yesterday. The deal was struck Saturday after three days of talks in Bangkok between North Korean Col. Gen. Li Chan-bok and an American delegation led by Jerry Jennings, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for POW-MIA affairs, said Mr. Jennings' spokesman, Larry Greer....."
"Mr. Greer said that in addition to working out arrangements for excavations at battlefield sites, the American delegation in Bangkok repeated its request for access to four American servicemen who the Army says deserted their U.S. units in South Korea in the 1960s and are living in North Korea. In the past, the North Koreans have said the four do not want to talk to U.S. authorities, and no agreement was reached during last week's talks, Mr. Greer said."
Did Anyone Ask About Live POWs In North Korea - Remember I.O. Lee's statement: "There are too many live sighting reports, specifically observations of several Caucasians in a collective farm by Romanians and the North Korean defectors' ,eyewitness of Americans in DPRK to dismiss that there are no American POWs in North Korea." Did anyone ask about Live POWs?
A Comment From Roger Hall: "The U.S. government is in a position where we cannot do anything on surviving and unreturned Korean War POW/MIAs unless N. Korea wants to release them. Denying their captivity allows the U.S. government to control public opinion. Remember that the U.S. government will not negotiate for the POW/MIAs as part of the armistice negotiations and deals the POW/MIA issue separately as a humanitarian issue. This prevents the Koreans from dealing, to their benefit, on the POW/MIAs."
North Korea Refuses Access To Jenkins - from Kyodo News July 14th - "North Korea has rejected a request by the United States to allow it to contact four former U.S. servicemen in the country, including Charles Robert Jenkins, the husband of a Japanese woman who had been abducted to North Korea, a Defense Department source said Monday. The request was made at talks last Thursday and Friday in Bangkok on joint searches for remains of American servicemen missing since the Korean War."
"Jenkins, a former U.S. Army sergeant, is the husband of Hitomi Soga, one of five Japanese abducted to North Korea who are now ,back in Japan."
Maybe The Happy Defector... Isn't Happy Or A Defector - If Robert Jenkins has spent the last 35 + years in North Korea by choice, isn't it strange that the North Koreans wouldn't exploit this. Wouldn't it benefit the North Koreans to have Jenkins denounce his former country, while extolling life in North Korea?
Unless, of course Jenkins ended up in North Korea the same way his wife did... kidnaped.
2004 Starts October 2003 - As we began reporting back in 1999, JTF-FA as we know it will cease to exist in 2004. Briefing slides for a DPMO Strategic Plan indicated no budget for JTF-FA in Fiscal Year 2004.
For the U.S. government the 2004 Fiscal Year begins October 2003. At that time, JTF-FA and CIL-HI will merge becoming Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC)
The following comes from the European and Pacific Stars & Stripes July 12th, by Wayne Specht, "Two military units ,deeply involved in the search for fallen GIs from America's past conflicts will be merging into a new command in October. The Hawaii-based Joint Task Force-Full Accounting at Camp Smith, and the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, will become the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command."
"CILHI and JTF-FA remain devoted, dedicated and determined to achieving the fullest possible accounting of our missing personnel from our nation's wars, CILHI Deputy Commander Johnie E. Webb Jr. stated in a news release."
"Combining the organizations' assets, personnel and expertise can only equal a stronger and more efficient organization, Webb stated in the release. The U.S. Pacific Command's Adm. Thomas Fargo recommended
proceeding with the merger to increase efficiency by placing the units, which have similar goals, under the same commander and staff...."
Why does Johnie Webb still have a job?????
H. RES 103 - As of this date we have 17 co-sponsors in addition to Congressman King, who introduced the resolution. We need to move this legislation and now is the time to do it! Remember to call, fax or write your Congressional Representative and ask that he support H. RES 103 to establish in the "House of Representatives a Select Committee to be known as the Select Committee POW and MIA Affair."
According to the legislation: "The select committee shall conduct a full investigation of all unresolved matters relating to any United ,States personnel unaccounted for from the Vietnam era, the Korean conflict, World War II, Cold War Missions, or Gulf War, ,including MIA's and POW's."
We have posted a list of all 435 Congressional Representatives, along with phone and fax numbers. You can find the list at http://www.nationalalliance.org/leg/list.htm Just find your state and look for your Congressional Representative. If you represent a ,statewide organization, contact all your Representatives.
Congress is in recess for most of the month of August. This means that many Congressional Representatives will be back in their home districts. All have district offices. Now is the time to make a visit to the local office. Then make your call and send your faxes, and if you have already done that.... do it again!
This is very important and we need your help.
Gone Fishin - as is our custom, we will suspend Bits N Pieces for a summer break. Look for the next edition of Bits N Pieces on September 13th. We will continue email updates on the status of H.RES 103. If any major news breaks, we will ,bring it to you.
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
We will leave you with this section from the July 12th Bits - it's a comment, relayed to us by one of our family members. While attending the annual government briefings in Washington D.C., this family member had many conversations with various military and civilian employees involved in the governments POW effort.
One of those individuals, a member of the military, told this family member... "I told my [redacted] that if I ever go missing.... hire someone to find me."
That's quite a statement coming from a member of America's military involved with the effort to find and recover POWs and MIAs.
Think about it!
Contact us here!
DOLORES ALFOND - National Chairperson (dolores@nationalalliance.org)
425-881-1499
LYNN O'SHEA - Director of Research (lynn@nationalalliance.org)
718-846-4350"
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