On the last page, another note in the colonel's hand:
Tree of Smoke-(pillar of smoke, pillar of fire) the "guiding light" of a sincere goal for the function of intelligence-restoring intelligence-gathering as the main function of intelligence operations, rather than to provide rationalizations for policy. Because if we don't the next step is for career-minded power-mad cynical jaded bureaucrats to use intelligence to influence policy. The final step is to create fictions and serve them to our policy-makers in order to control the direction of government. ALSO-"Tree of Smoke"-note similarity to mushroom cloud. HAH!
Then the typewriter again, Voss:
One might hypothesize a step beyond the final one. Consider the possibility that a coterie or insulated group might elect to create fictions independent of the leadership's intuition of its own needs. And might serve these fictions to the enemy in order to influence choices.
Imagine that, the CIA being used to provide rationalizations for policy. Sounds vaguely familiar. Power-mad cynical jaded bureaucrats using intelligence to influence polilcy; again, fancy that. To control the direction of the government! Portents of the present situation.
How long, has this been going on?
