CIA Remains Mum on Mandated Gulf War Declassification Review

A provision of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 requiring the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency to “conduct a classification review of the records of the Agency that are relevant to the known or potential health effects suffered by veterans of Operation Desert Storm,” has not yet been fully implemented.

It is unclear whether or if CIA officials have begun work on the review.

The language of the Act is as follows.

SEC. 341. REVIEW OF RECORDS RELATING TO POTENTIAL HEALTH RISKS AMONG DESERT STORM VETERANS.

(a) REVIEW.—The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
shall conduct a classification review of the records of the Agency
that are relevant to the known or potential health effects suffered
by veterans of Operation Desert Storm as described in the
November 2008, report by the Department of Veterans Affairs
Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses.

(b) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Director of the Central Intelligence
Agency shall submit to Congress the results of the classification
review conducted under subsection (a), including the total number
of records of the Agency that are relevant.

(c) FORM.—The report required under subsection (b) shall be
submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.

--Anthony Hardie