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been an objection on the grounds that the CIA did not have the capability to perform such an operation?

Mr. Dillon. It could have been, it may have been just something that they couldn't do, and therefore there is no use talking about it.

Mr. Dawson. The subject matter of the meeting was probably something which the Secretary of Defense had a leading role in designing a policy for, right?

Mr. Dillon. I don't recall the details of what was happening at that time in the Congo. But I do have a basic recollection that over this period of time it was a pretty difficult situation, with UN forces in there, and all sorts of troubles down in the southeastern part where the copper mines were, and trying to get people out so they wouldn't get killed. There was always contingency planning, whether we would have to use any of our forces for another evacuation or something else. So it was a very mixed up and sort of a hot situation at that time.

So certainly various people in the Defense Department would be interested. Mr. Gates, when I spoke to him, said that he personally had not given primary attention at any time to the Congo. He said it might have been Jim Douglas, who, as I mentioned to you there, was listed as attending one of those meetings. And I don't recall exactly what his title was at that time, but he had been, I think, Secretary of the Air

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