Maps for the CIA

Maps

To Director of Central Intelligence
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, DC 20505

It has come to my attention that there was a bit of a boo-boo in Belgrade this past week. Apparently the Central Intelligence Agency had some difficulty locating the Federal Directorate for Supply and Procurement and accidentally bombed the Chinese Embassy.

It seems the problem had to do with having an outdated map. Maps must be getting awfully expensive, because even with the CIA's $40 billion a year budget, you guys apparently couldn't afford a current one. Therefore, enclosed please find one map of Belgrade, Yugoslavia.

I bought it at a local bookstore. (Don't worry about the cost, $1.99, it's on me.) It has a copyright date of 1999, so it should be current.

While I was at the bookstore I also took the liberty of picking up a Frommer's Travel Guide for Yugoslavia for you, should you choose to travel there. What with all the death and destruction the United States and NATO are causing there right now, hotel rates are probably pretty cheap.

Also, might I suggest that in the future you guys double check your maps with the Internet? I managed to find the following addresses in about five minutes of searching:
Federal Directorate of Supply and Procurement
Tresnjin Cvet ST. 5 11000
Belgrade, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Embassy of the People's Republic of China
Tresnjin Cvet ST. 3 11000
Belgrade, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Cliff Pearson
Dallas, Texas

From GLW issue 361