The panel of historians that advises the CIA on declassification of intelligence records reports the agency had cancelled a scheduled January meeting without explanation.
Prof. Robert Jervis of Columbia University, said “the reasons for this remain unclear to us, and no schedule for resumed meetings has been announced.”
The story was first reported by the Federation Of American Scientists, a reliable source. FAS notes “the changes may be made regarding composition of Panel membership, term limits, and similar issues but that the scope of the Panel’s activities will be unaffected. “
Let’s hope so. In the whirlwind of the news cycle, this may seem minor news. But the these historians have a key role in writing the official history of the American government.
Among other tasks, these historian review the preparation of the Foreign Relations of the United States series, known as FRUS.
Remember Iran
Take the example of the CIA-sponsored coup in Iran in 1953. The CIA’ first official account in 1989, it omitted all mention of the CIA–MI6 operation that caused it. The omission led to the resignation of the chief outside adviser on the series, and prompted Congress to pass legislation requiring “a thorough, accurate, and reliable documentary record” of U.S. foreign policy., according to the non-profit National Security Archive at George Washington University, also a highly reliable source.
But it wasn’t until 2017 that the agency got around to releasing a reasonably complete documentary record of the coup and the U.S. role in it. Trifling with this committee is trifling with historySource: CIA Historical Review Panel Put on Hiatus – Federation Of American Scientists
