MISSILE DEFENSE IS URGED BY NIXON

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP70B00338R000300100113-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 12, 2006
• Sequence Number: 113
• Publication Date: September 15, 1967
• Content Type: NSPR

But, he said, even if this Soviet Reported Gaining U.S Missile Controversy
proved true there would still sredai to The New York Times The Johnson Administratior
has opposed full-scale deploy-
fist China, which already l statute for Strategic Studies merit of antiballistic missiles,
as
h a system
e
Says U.S. Should Counter
intercontinental ballistic mis-
sales.
"Even if the antimissile mis-
Former Vice Presidet 'Rich-
ard M. Nixon said today that
the United States should "gc
ahead at all costs" to build ail
antimissile system to countei
what he called the growing So?
viet missile strength and a pos-
sible threat from Communist
China.
Mr. Nixon said in an inter-
view with The Associated Press
that the Soviet Union was rap-
idly closing the missile gap.
He said some intelligence'
sources It. ad told him that the
Russians were already ahead
in explosive power.
The Soviet Union, Mr. Nixon
said, has pushed, ahead with
construction of an antimissile)
system, although the United'
States, he contended, still
maintained a 2-to-1 lead in the
number of operational missiles.
Mr. Nixon recalled that Pres-
ident Kennedy had successfully
used allegations of a missile
gap against him in their race
for the Presidency. The for-
mer Republican nominee com-
mented:
"This 1960 issue can now be
turned on the Administration:
it's a deadly .boomerang."
"We can't risk the Soviet
Union gaining parity or superi-
ority," he added, "since parity
would be the same as superior-
ity for they'd have the advan-
tage of striking first:'
Wants Constant Lead
Mr. Nixon, "a leading con-
tender for the 1968 Republican
nomination, said, "We must
never be I n a position where
we, who are for peace, are not
ahead of the Soviet. Union,
whose only goal is victory."
"I wouldn't want to see an-
other Cuba or Middle East
crisis with the Soviet Union
superior," he said. "Therefore,
the United States must go
ahead at all costs to build an
antimissile m fissile system until
there is a satisfactory agree-
ment."
Mr. Nixon noted that many
experts argue that a United
States antimissile system and a
Soviet stem would merely he
an e xpensi ?e way of balancing
each other out.
aed For Release 2006/01/30 : CIA-RDP70B00338R000300100113-9
i{pDer cent effective against a
Highly sonhjsticn lerl ni,'i ,-
was way ahead of the Soviet
Union in missiles, but that the
Russians were closing the gap.
The institute reported that
the number of Soviet land-
based intercontinental ballistic
arguing that su
would cost too much, escalate
the arms race and be inef-
fective. It has been seeking
agreement with the Soviet
Union not to deploy antibal-
listic missiles. But the Admin
istration has also set aside
funds to begin building a
limited "screen" of missiles if
these talks fail-
1 ,
powet~" he said, "the _conser.- : missiles increased by about 50
sus d%' the experts is that itl per cent within the last year
would be effective against a, to 460 and that the number
less-deveioped oi,e." deployed would rise to about
550 by mid-1968. It said that
the United States had 1,054
Minuteman and Titan I.C.B.M's.
In fleet ballistic missiles, the
Russian progress was reported
slower. The United States, with
about 650 Polaris missiles, was
said to hold. a 5-to-1 lead.
The institute, with head-
quarters here, issues a report
called . "The. Military Balance"
every year. It provides a run-
down of the military strength
of all nations.
In discussing Soviet and
United States missile strength,
the institute noted that the
Soviet intercontinental missiles
had on the average "more de-
structive" warheads than their
American counterparts.
"However," it continued,
"the operation of a smaller
warhead often indicates
greater potential accuracy in
delivery, and the United States
has up till now, shown greater
evidence of successful testing
and firing of ballistic missiles."
The survey said that the
deployment of a limited
ballistic defense system around
Moscow had increased protec-
tion of Soviet land-based
I.C.B.M.'s.
It added that the new Soviet
defense system now being in-
stalled along the eastern Baltic
coast -- the so-called Tallin
Line - might be primarily an
extension of radar coverage.
In discussing other areas, the
Institute said that there has
been a "probable reduction in
the combat effectiveness" of
the 'Chinese armed forces be-
cause of the domestic upheaval.
It said that Communist
regular and irregular forces in
South Vietnam totaled about
295,000 in July. including 55,-
000 North Vietnamese regular
troops. United-States forces lost
more than 2,400 aircraft in five
years in Vietnam military oper-
ations, the institue said.
An accurate estimate of
military casualties in the Arab-
Israeli was was impossible to
get, the institute said.
Approved For Release 2006/01/30 : CIA-RDP70B00338R000300100113-9