SENATE COALITION SEEKS TO BLOCK NEW MISSILE NET

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP70B00338R000200210009-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 28, 2003
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: June 14, 1968
• Content Type: NSPR

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Approved For Release 2003/11/19 : CIA-RDP70B00338R000200210009-4
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Seiatlitt New Missile Not
By JOHN 1#.TINNEY
$p a to', he Nt Yank TSmCs
WASINGTON, June 13-A
bipartisan coalition opened a
campaign in the Senate today
to-reverse the Administration's
deeision to deploy a $5 billion
missile defense system.
$enatgr John Sherman
Cooper, Republican of 'Ken-
tucky, contended in a speech
that the system, would not en-
hance the nation's security,
Cooper Speech Opens Drive
to Reverse Administration
on a Defensive System
"`thick" system against the So-
viet Union.
While the group has not had
any contact with the White
House, there is a suspicion
in Senate circles that the Ad
ministration will not strongly
would accelerate the atomic In recent years.
from essential domestic pro-
grams.
Senator Cooper is a leader
of a bipartisan Senate group
that has for several weeks been
carefully but quietly organiz-
ing to challenge the Adminis-
tration's decision of last fall
to build a "thin" anti-ballistic
missile system, known as Sen-
tinel, to provide a defense
against the Chinese nu-
cle~r missile threat.
n preparation for the forth-
la clash with the military
spokesmen in the Senate, the
coalition has. , been .,going
through a cram course,,,.pn nu-
cles . strategy with briefings
from defense officials, and pri-
vate scientists, including Dr.
Jerome A. Wiesner, science ad-
viser to President Kennedy. Dr.
Wiesner is an outspoken op-
ponent of the Johnson Adp inis-
tration'sdeeision to deploy the
Sentinel system.
The objective of the coalition
is to postpone for at least one
year a start in the deployment
of the., Sentinel system, which,
accordi;og to the Administrative
schedule, would go into opera-
tion in the early 1970's.
To achieve this objective, the
abut $600-million for furthe
research and development on oppose a Congressional movi
the system. to delay deployment of thi
On the basis of preliminary system.
soundings, the coalition believes In part, the Administration';
It has a good chance of suc- decision to deploy the Sentine
ceedin* in what is probably the system was politically ma
most concentrated attack on tivated, 'intended to head of
d
i
A
m
nistration defense policy
In addition to the Adminis-
tration, the coalition is chal-
lenging the Senate "establish-
ment," which is well represent-
ed, on the Senate Appropria.
tions and Armed Services com-
mittees, But the coalition has
derived some political' strength
by drawing some members of
the --estaoushment" in the fold.
Teaming up with Senator
Cooper, a respected spokesman
on the Republican side, will be
Senator Philip A. Hart of Mich-
igan, a leader of Senate Demo-
cratic liberals.
Support of Mansfield
Senator Mike Mansfield of
Montana, the Democratic lead-
er, will also support the coali-
tion, and there is a possibility
that Senator Stuart Symington
,
Democrat of Missouri, a senior
member of the Armed Services
Committee, will join as a leader
in the campaign.
in the showdown votes in
the next few weeks, the coali-
jority by appealing to various
factions in the Senate-those
opposed to the missile deploy-
ment on principle, those who
wish to find some way to
economize and those who are
:en becaa,,; t think the
J
an emerging Republican charge
that the Administration wad
permitting a "missile gap" t4
develop.
But as a political threat, the
"missile gap" issue seems tc
have evaporated, partly because
of President Johnson's with
drawal as a candidate and
partly because Communist
China has not moved as rapid-
ly as had been predicted by
the Defense Department in de-
veloping intercontinental mis-
siles capable of striking at the
United States.
In addition, it is believed in
Senate circles that the Admin-
istration, in light of. agreement
on a nonproliferation treaty
,
might welcome a Congressional
initiative to delay deployment
of the Sentinel system.
In his speech yesterday be-
fore the United Nations Gen-
eral Assembly, President John-
son emphasized his hope that
the nonproliferation treaty
would lead to other arms con-
trol steps, such as a limitation
by the United States and the!
Soviet Union on. strategic de-
fensive as well as offensive nu-
clear weapons systems.
Today, Senator Cooper con-
tended that a decision to pro-
ceed with the Sentinel system
would only make "more dif-
ficult" any arms control agree-
n3 %tZi4 the Soviet Union.
Approved For Release 2003/11/19 : CIA-RDP70B00338R000200210009-4