Trump releases some JFK files, blocks others under pressure

[webfact]

Trump releases some JFK files, blocks others under pressure

By Steve Holland and Jeff Mason

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jaqueline Kennedy and Texas Governor John Connally ride in a liousine moments before Kennedy was assassinated, in Dallas, Texas November 22, 1963. Walt Cisco/Dallas Morning News/Handout/File Photo via REUTERS

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered the release of 2,800 documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy but yielded to pressure from the FBI and CIA to block the release of some information, senior administration officials said.

 

Congress had ordered in 1992 that all records relating to the investigation into Kennedy's death should be open to the public, and set a final deadline of Oct. 26, 2017, for the entire set to be made public. Trump had confirmed on Saturday that he would allow the documents to be made public.

 

Administration officials told reporters on a conference call that Trump ordered government agencies to study the redactions in the documents over the next 180 days to determine whether they needed to remain hidden from the public. After the review, Trump expected such withholdings to be rare.

 

The officials described Trump as reluctant to accept agency requests to hold back thousands of documents but felt in the end he had no choice but to agree to their entreaties.

 

"The president wants to ensure there is full transparency here and is expecting that the agencies do a better job in reducing any conflicts within the redactions and get this information out as quickly as possible," one official said.

 

Another official said: “There does remain sensitive information in the records” that could compromise the identify of informants or intelligence operations.

 

Academics who have studied Kennedy's slaying on Nov. 22, 1963, during a motorcade in Dallas said they expected the final batch of files to offer no major new details on why Lee Harvey Oswald gunned down the Democratic president.

 

They also feared that the final batch of more than 5 million total pages on the Kennedy assassination held in the National Archives would do little to quell long-held conspiracy theories that the 46-year-old president's killing was organised by the Mafia, by Cuba, or a cabal of rogue agents.

 

'WHERE THE EVIDENCE IS'

 

Thousands of books, articles, TV shows and films have explored the idea that Kennedy's assassination was the result of an elaborate conspiracy. None have produced conclusive proof that Oswald, who was fatally shot two days after killing Kennedy, worked with anyone else, although they retain a powerful cultural currency.

 

"My students are really sceptical that Oswald was the lone assassin," said Patrick Maney, a professor of history at Boston College. "It's hard to get our minds around this, that someone like a loner, a loser, could on his own have murdered Kennedy and changed the course of world history. But that's where the evidence is."

 

Kennedy's assassination was the first in a string of politically motivated killings, including those of his brother Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., that stunned the United States during the turbulent 1960s. He remains one of the most admired U.S. presidents.

 

(Additional reporting by Scott Malone in Boston; Editing by Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-27

[Samui Bodoh]

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

Another official said: “There does remain sensitive information in the records” that could compromise the identify of informants or intelligence operations.

I have no wish to perpetuate conspiracy theories, but from what I have read (very limited) there are still some questions regarding the events of that time. The shooting of Kennedy was likely the single greatest individual murder of the twentieth century, therefore there should not be any remaining doubts or unknowns.

 

Now I am wondering who the informers were and what did they inform on?

 

What intelligence operations are still regarded as secret fifty years on?

 

Oh hell, now I am doing it...

 

[tonray]

From what I understand it is because of the 1979 re-examination of the files by the CIA that would expose agents and methods, some still active, to the public. While just about everyone involved in the 1963 queries is dead, the later scrutiny is what the CIA/FBI object to

[Orton Rd]

some still active after 38 years, very much doubt it, that sounds like an excuse. If LHO was a lone assassin why black anything, I don't expect they will even be releasing hi tax records. Still a cover up after all this time.

[amvet]

24 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

some still active after 38 years, very much doubt it, that sounds like an excuse. If LHO was a lone assassin why black anything, I don't expect they will even be releasing hi tax records. Still a cover up after all this time.

What are hi tax records?  What does that have to do with JFK? 

[tonray]

29 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

some still active after 38 years, very much doubt it, that sounds like an excuse. If LHO was a lone assassin why black anything, I don't expect they will even be releasing hi tax records. Still a cover up after all this time.

Alex Jones awaits, why worry about records ?

[BuaBS]

Still covering things with the "national security" excuse.

[Foozool]

All fake or worthless information. 

Trump needs to buy more support ? ???

Edited October 27, 2017 by Foozool

[Narratio]

1 hour ago, amvet said:

What are hi tax records?  What does that have to do with JFK? 

I think it was to be "his tax records".  And given the US tax mans propensity to require the minutest detail, that would include where he was getting money from - bank deposits, gifts etc. and what he spent it on - foreign currency exchange, airline tickets, weapons, ammo.

There's got to be somebody who has been gasping for that info.

[amvet]

4 minutes ago, Narratio said:

I think it was to be "his tax records".  And given the US tax mans propensity to require the minutest detail, that would include where he was getting money from - bank deposits, gifts etc. and what he spent it on - foreign currency exchange, airline tickets, weapons, ammo.

There's got to be somebody who has been gasping for that info.

Why bring it up in a thread about the JFK assassination?  I don't get the connection?

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

some still active after 38 years, very much doubt it, that sounds like an excuse. If LHO was a lone assassin why black anything, I don't expect they will even be releasing hi tax records. Still a cover up after all this time.

 

What is interesting is that the US elected government can instruct that these documents must all be released after an appropriate time and set a final deadline to do so. Then at the "eleventh" hour the CIA and FBI lobbying the then sitting President who agrees/submits to pressure and doesn't comply.

 

What are those agencies really worried about? And why are they so worried about it?

 

Did the CIA know in advance and do nothing? Or did they tell the FBI who did nothing? Protecting operatives and methods after so long? More likely protecting reputations or involvements and actions or lack of actions they don't want revealing. 

 

You can go on and on but it seems no one will ever know. The "public, the people, the electorate" choose who governs but aren't allowed to know what's going on!

[Baerboxer]

3 minutes ago, amvet said:

Why bring it up in a thread about the JFK assassination?  I don't get the connection?

 

I don't know but I'm guessing someone might think the tax records would show some interesting sources of income and expenditure.

[amvet]

11 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

I don't know but I'm guessing someone might think the tax records would show some interesting sources of income and expenditure.

For JFK?

[mikebike]

9 minutes ago, amvet said:

For JFK?

For OSWALD.

[amvet]

5 minutes ago, mikebike said:

For OSWALD.

That's an interesting thought.

[Krataiboy]

The widely-held suspicion that the CIA was involved in the plot to kill Kennedy has absolutely nothing to do, of course, with the Langley boys' objections to certain documents being released.

[watcharacters]

 

@ amvet

Don't you imagine if LHO's tax return showed a payment from a spy agency that that  might raise eyebrows?

 

Naturally, I doubt an agency's name would appear on a paystub.  

Edited October 27, 2017 by watcharacters

[shackleton]

This is going the same way as the Jack the Ripper conspiracies

even after 100 years we still don't know the correct answer

 JFK.  Will be the same 

we will never know the truth 

still more  books to come on who done it 

 

[Orton Rd]

27 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

@ amvet

Don't you imagine if LHO's tax return showed a payment from a spy agency that that  might raise eyebrows?

 

Naturally, I doubt an agency's name would appear on a paystub.  

Then why keep the tax records of a 'lone assassin' on low pay secret for over 50 years?

[Orton Rd]

18 minutes ago, shackleton said:

This is going the same way as the Jack the Ripper conspiracies

even after 100 years we still don't know the correct answer

 JFK.  Will be the same 

we will never know the truth 

still more  books to come on who done it 

 

we already do know the truth, it's just that it is rather unpalatable, 1963 was a coup.

[Kwasaki]

12 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

we already do know the truth

Your not an alone American then I guess.

Please tell It has got to have something to do with the Russians. 

[Samui Bodoh]

 

[Jack Mountain]

1 hour ago, Krataiboy said:

The widely-held suspicion that the CIA was involved in the plot to kill Kennedy has absolutely nothing to do, of course, with the Langley boys' objections to certain documents being released.

 

[thaihome]

6 minutes ago, Jack Mountain said:

 

So did Kennedy say it? Possibly. The only attribution we have is an anonymous source from the Kennedy administration by a New York Times reporter three years after Kennedy was assassinated. I’ve found no record that pre-dates 1966. It’s not exactly like he said it in a public speech or even to a reporter directly.

https://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/the-story-behind-that-jfk-quote-about-destroying-the-ci-1793151211

 

Personally, I think both the CIA and FBI are reluctant to have the files released as it will show gross incompetence (and possibly inappropriate) conduct by many people during Oswald's trip to Mexico. 

TH 

[watcharacters]

2 minutes ago, thaihome said:

 

 

 

Personally, I think both the CIA and FBI are reluctant to have the files released as it will show gross incompetence (and possibly inappropriate) conduct by many people during Oswald's trip to Mexico. 

TH 

 

 

 

Did you intentionally leave out the Secret Service?

 

The performance of the SS surrounding JFK and his short life in Dallas that November raises a number of questions.

[impulse]

2 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

What is interesting is that the US elected government can instruct that these documents must all be released after an appropriate time and set a final deadline to do so. Then at the "eleventh" hour the CIA and FBI lobbying the then sitting President who agrees/submits to pressure and doesn't comply.

 

If you adhere to one (of many) line(s) of conspiracy thinking, that's what got JFK shot...  The lobbying didn't work, so they went on to Plan B.  Any sitting president that doesn't take that lesson to heart neglects it at his peril.

 

I'm astounded at the number of YouTube videos of people coming out of the woodwork to confess their involvement, up to pulling the trigger.  Which is, of course, another smoke and mirrors tactic- if 6 people confess to being the actual assassin, you never really know whodunit.

 

Edited October 27, 2017 by impulse

[saminoz]

One of the problems is that covert services are a little like corruption.  Lack of oversight emboldens people and they push the boundaries more and more.  Off topic a little, but just look at how the RTP feel entitled to act!

The American covert services seem particularly prone to this when you take into account Iran-Contra and their alleged double dealing in drugs to fund their more sinister operations.

Historically, when these "highly confidential" materials are finally released after a time, invariably the US Governments of the past have looked worse and worse. 

From the Bay of Tonkin to the other false flag plans to blow American (generic) airliners out of the sky under "false flag" operations (where they carry out a despicable act and blame it on someone they want to target), it is absolutely no wonder that any high visibility event spurs these conspiracy theories.

One thing is for sure though, at least in my mind, since the JFK assassination and subsequent events, the USA has completely lost the moral high ground that they once purported to hold. 

I don't see it getting any better any time soon with the possibility of two pariah Heads of State seemingly intent on pushing each other to the brink of a nuclear encounter.

Edited October 27, 2017 by saminoz

[thaihome]

28 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

 

Did you intentionally leave out the Secret Service?

 

The performance of the SS surrounding JFK and his short life in Dallas that November raises a number of questions.

Are you referring to the "theory " that a SS agent accidently shot JFK with an AR-15 from the following backup car??

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/other/accidental-assassin-jfk-theory-alleges-secret-service-agent-fumbled-gun-f2D11634276

 

 

Here is what I'm referring to

 

Many historians and researchers, including this one, will be most intrigued to see the still-secret files that, according to the Archives index, are related to an event that was the focus of so much of the cover-up by the CIA and FBI – Oswald’s six-day trip to Mexico City just weeks before the assassination. He had apparently gone there to try to obtain a visa to defect to Cuba.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/oct/26/john-f-kjohn-f-kennedy-asssassination-documents-national-archives

 

TH 

[amvet]

How many people have seen all the documents?  I'd guess thousands.  Does anyone really think a thousand people can keep a secret?

[zydeco]

3 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

You can go on and on but it seems no one will ever know. The "public, the people, the electorate" choose who governs but aren't allowed to know what's going on!

If voting really meant anything, they wouldn't allow you to do it.