CIA, Chile and the Murder of Hormon

[Michael Hoover]

Jeffrey St. Clair:
> Document Implies U.S. Role in Chile
> By George Gedda
> Associated Press Writer
> Friday, Oct. 8, 1999; 1:50 p.m. EDT
> U.S. intelligence may have played an "unfortunate part" in
> the death of  an American journalist at the hands of Chilean security
> forces in the days following a 1973 military coup in Chile, according to
> a declassified State Department document released today.
> The document released today relates to the killing of freelance
> journalist Charles Horman. He was apprehended at his home about a week
> after the Sept. 11, 1973, coup and transported to a stadium where
> suspected leftists were harbored in the chaotic aftermath of the coup
> that landed Pinochet in power.
> Horman was the subject of a 1982 movie, "Missing," which suggested
> American complicity in his death and drew vigorous objections from State
> Department officials, including Nathaniel Davis, U.S. ambassaodr to
> Chile at the time of the coup.

Thomas Hauser, in his 1978 book _The Execution of Charles Horman_(from
which the Costa-Gavras film was adpated, I believe), points out that
US never held post-coup Chilean gov't responsible for Horman's death.
Hauser, whose account points to US foreknowledge of and likely ordering 
of the execution even as he goes to great lengths to avoid stating that 
as a conclusion, nonetheless quotes Horman's father Ed in the penultimate
chapter:

'I have spent four years of my life investigating the death of my son.
Reluctantly, I have reached the conclusion that the government that 
the government of Chile is being shielded from blame for a very
simple reason.  If the finger of guilt is pointed at them, they will
point it right back at Washington.  Our own Embassy was responsible
for Charles's death.  His life was sacrificed to cover up American
actions in Chile.'

...'unfortunate part' my ass, about as unfortunate as US role in
destablizing Popular Unity government, planning for and assisting
in coup, murdering Allende and thousands of other Chileans, detaining 
and torturing people in National Stadium in Santiago, supporting 
Pinochet and military dictatorship...  Michael Hoover