William J. Casey

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William Joseph Casey (March 13, 1913 – May 6, 1987) was the Director of Central Intelligence from 1981 to 1987. In this capacity he oversaw the entire US Intelligence Community and personally directed the Central Intelligence Agency.

A native of Queens, New York, Casey graduated from Fordham University (1934) and St. John's University School of Law (1937). In World War II, he was a member of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement. After practicing corporate law in New York, he served in the Nixon Administration as the chairman of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission from 1971 to 1973.^[1]

Casey directed the successful presidential campaign of Ronald Reagan in 1980. After Reagan was elected president, he named Casey to the post of Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).^[2] During his tenure at the CIA, Casey played a large part in the shaping of Reagan's foreign-policy, particularly its approach to Soviet expansionism. Casey oversaw the re-expansion of the Intelligence Community, in particular the CIA, to funding and human resource levels greater than those before resource cuts during the Carter Administration. During his tenure restrictions were lifted on the use of the CIA to directly, covertly influence the internal and foreign affairs of countries relevant to American policy.

This period of the Cold War saw an increase of the Agency's anti-Soviet activities around the world. Casey was the principal architect of the arms-for-hostages deal that became known as the Iran-Contra affair. He also oversaw covert assistance to the mujahadeen resistance in Afghanistan by working closely with Akhtar Abdur Rahman (the Director General of ISI in Pakistan), the Solidarity movement in Poland, and a number of coups and attempted coups in South- and Central America.

William Casey died of brain cancer in 1987 at the age of 74. He is buried in the Cemetery of the Holy Rood in Westbury, New York.

He was survived by his wife, the former Sophia McDaid, and his daughter, Bernadette Smith.

1 Scandal and untimely death
2 See also
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Scandal and untimely death

Gary Sick alleged that Casey orchestrated a deal in 1980 with Iran to refrain from releasing the hostages until after the November presidential elections, in order to deny President Carter credit for their possible release. This came to be known as the "October Surprise." Congress investigated in 1992, but Casey's role was never thoroughly ascertained since he did not testify, as he had died in 1987.

However, an Internet samizdat document ^[3] includes a three page document purported to be an affidavit of William Casey witnessed by Richard Nixon, executed on December 9, 1986 in McLean, Virginia.

"I, William J. Casey, declare: I have found freedom to be a priceless commodity that demands constant vigilance..."

"The trick was to ignore the law and avoid public scrutiny. We were helped in our effort by William J. Clinton and William F. Weld."

"Freedom is a priceless commodity... Executed 9th day of December 1986 in McLean Virginia."

[edit] See also

[edit] References

Joseph E. Persico. Casey: The Lives and Secrets of William J. Casey-From the Oss to the CIA (1991)
Casey was featured prominently in Bob Woodward's book Veil: The Secret Wars of the CIA (ISBN 0-671-60117-2).
Casey's role in the Afghanistan War in Steve Coll's book Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, From the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001 (ISBN 1-59420-007-6).

[edit] External links

Preceded by Stansfield Turner	Director of Central Intelligence January 28, 1981 - January 29, 1987	Succeeded by William H. Webster

Directors of the Central Intelligence Agency
Souers • Vandenberg • Hillenkoetter • Smith • Dulles • McCone • Raborn • Helms • Schlesinger • Colby • Bush • Turner • Casey • Webster • Gates • Woolsey • Deutch • Tenet • Goss • Hayden

Chairmen of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
Kennedy • Landis • Douglas • Frank • Eicher • Purcell • Caffrey • Hanrahan • McDonald • D Cook • Demmler • Armstrong • Gadsby • Cary • Cohen • Budge • Casey • B Cook • Garrett • Hills • Williams • Shad • Ruder • Breeden • Levitt • Pitt • Donaldson • Cox