◆ SpookStack

if'Ofi ~ECR"ET key points made in this memorandum are worth repeat- ing -- even though it is not known who read the piece. Among other things, for example, the author of the memorandum stressed "the unique coincidence of favor- able factors" with reference to Guatemala and suggested that it was unlikely that any of these would operate with reference to Project JMATE. It was noted that the Guatemalan leadership was "unusually inept"; that "Communist support for Arbenz came from the local Communist Party, which was immature, badly led, and generally weak"; and, that "we had un- believable luck." 27/ The memorandum also noted that there were a number of circumstances which would not recur during the course of the anti-Castro activity. Specifically pointing out that where Arbenz was a weak leader, Castro was obviously a strong leader; . .. that Castillo Armas was a Guatemalan leader of high \ character and standing, but no one of similar stature had surfaced in Cuba to oppose Castro; and that in Guatemala Arbenz had made no changes in the armed forces of Guatemala, "and when the crisis came, he could not depend on his army_ Castro, on the other hand had eliminated the Batista influence, and filled - 54 -