◆ SpookStack

About this same time, the Department received another Priority cable from Stevenson for the Presi- dent and the Secretary of ' State asking for guidance to meet the Soviet charge that armed attacks against Cuba were being launched from the United States territory. He requested authority to go on record as favoring the motivations of the Cuban refugees in the US who were anti-Castro, but "I wish to make clear, however, that we would be opposed to any use of our territory for mounting an offensive against any foreign govern- ment." An advance copy of this message went to the Secretary of State at 9:15 p.m. on 16 April. 94/ That Stevenson was in the dark regarding details of the planned anti-Castro operations being sponsored by the Agency is, clearly evident from the reports of the various USUN and Department ,of State officials who were present at the Tracy Barnes briefing and/or who worked with Stevenson during the crisis that evolved following the D-2 air strike. Correspondence with these individuals reveals that Barnes did not, in any way, provide details about the anticipated tactical air operations -- neither its objectives nor its dates -- or about the deception activity. He - 252 -