Insults & Bribes. By far the most dramatic was the bizarre
account of a bungled American CIA exploit in Singapore. Late in
1960, according to Lee, a U.S. agent had flown into Singapore and
tried to bribe his way into the city's Special Branch intelligence
net. He was taped and filmed in the act, tossed quietly into jail.
Lee then offered to free the agent in return for US$33 million in
U.S. economic aid for his nation. The U.S. refused, said Lee with
superb aplomb, and instead "insulted" him with a counteroffer of
US$3,300,000 for Lee personally and his People's Action
Party.
With the Kennedy Administration about to take over, Lee decided to
abide the insult long enough to test the new President's response.
It was straightforward and unequivocal: no under-the-table money at
all, economic assistance only on its meritsand only if it was
clearly not a quid pro quo for the spy's release. Secretary of
State Rusk sent Lee an apology, and Lee let the agent go without
fanfare.
From Time : http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,834270-1,00.html
