Actually, Golitsyn was a mid-level operative, not a high-ranking one. Golitsyn stated that Harold Wilson was recruited by the KGB when he had sex with Marcia Falkender. In fact, Vasily Mitrokhin (who was really a high-level operative) admitted that they did indeed try to recruit Wilson, but they actually failed. Even Jim Angleton started to wonder if Golitsyn was really all that kosher after three high-ranking Soviet defectors were turned away on Golitsyn's advice and then were executed as traitors by the Soviets - thus confirming they were genuine defectors. However, Golitsyn was not necessarily a nut. His livelihood and even his life depended on his unique usefulness to the CIA. Like many other defectors he lied to puff up his own importance. But he went too far. Basically, he said, "I am the only defector you can rely on. Anyone who defects after me is being sent by the KGB to discredit me." Doesn't that make people wonder if he was a reliable source? So when Nosenko defected, it became a pissing contest. Many people believed in Golitsyn and thought Nosenko was a fake, and vice versa. Several years
later the CIA declared officially that Nosenko was a genuine defector. In fact, I have heard that there were CIA analyists who felt that Golitsyn was actually a KGB mole.
Thanks for posting that info Jacob.
so ya....inbetween a Madonna article at Pravda and some Gazprom boasting.
a subtle message appears...to NATO...to the U.S..
allong with the usuall....."Nyet!!....do not lecture me on Chechnyu"
"In fact, I have heard that there were CIA analyists who felt that Golitsyn was actually a KGB mole."
This information tells us nothing. Golitsyn claimed there were moles in the CIA. If so, of course these moles would put out this story. Either way, this story had to surface.
You and I disagree on Golitsyn. I can't "make the case" of my argument, because it hinges on a combination of things I have been reading for decades.
All I can really say is this. I have read numerous Suvorov books (GRU defector to Britain), the Pacepa book (head of Romainian KGB, defected to US, and the 2 Golitzen books.
Together, they paint a single coherent picture which I am sure is true.