DCI BRIEFING OF THE FULL SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE - 23 NOVEMBER 1971

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP74B00415R000200020035-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 31, 2005
• Sequence Number: 35
• Publication Date: November 23, 1971
• Content Type: MFR

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TS 202154
Copy /S of 15
23 November 1971
SUBJECT: DCI Briefing of the Full Senate Armed Services
Committee - 23 November 1971
1. The Director briefed the full Senate Armed Services Com-
mittee on 23 November 1971. The meeting lasted from 1010 hours to
1230 hours. A technical sweep of the room, 212 Old Senate Office
Building, was conducted and the room was kept under technical
monitoring throughout. Discussions included SI and TKH material.
No transcript was taken.
2. Present for all or part of the session were:
John Stennis (D., Miss.), Chairman
Stuart Symington (D., Mo.)
Howard W. Cannon (D., Nev.)
Thomas J. McIntyre (D., N.H.)
Harry F. Byrd (I, Va.)
Margaret Chase Smith (R., Me. )
Strom Thurmond (R. , S.C.)
Peter H. Dominick (R., Colo.)
Barry Goldwater (R. , Ariz. )
Richard S. Schweiker (R., Pa.)
William B. Saxbe (R., Ohio)
3. Present from the Committee staff was:
T. Edward Braswell, Chief Counsel and Staff Director
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4. Accompanying the Director were:
Carl Duckett, DDS&T
Bruce Clarke, D/OSR
George Carver, SAVA
OCI
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John M. Maury, Legislative Counsel
5. The Chairman opened the meeting by recalling that the Director
had given a similar world roundup briefing to the Committee early in the
session, and he felt that another such briefing would be useful as the session
drew to an end. He remarked that because of pressing matters on the floor
there might be interruptions, and he would like the Director to cover his
material as quickly as possible.
6. The Director proceeded to cover material from his prepared
text (on file in OLC) dealing with Soviet strategic forces, Chinese military
developments, Sino/Soviet relations, Middle East, India/Pakistan, Vietnam,
Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and (in response to a question) the Chinese
political situation.
7. Following the Directors prepared remarks, the Chairman
commented that he had an understanding with the Director that any member
could, at any time, call on the Director for a private briefing on situations
in various parts of the world.
8. In response to questions from the Chairman, the Director then
commented on the recent demonstrations in Okinawa and the strength and
effectiveness of the South Vietnamese armed forces. The Chairman also
inquired about recent events in Thailand, to which the Director responded
that the same leaders were now in control and no changes in Thai foreign
policy were expected.
10. Senator Cannon asked several questions about the security
situation on Okinawa following its return to Japan, the Chinese military
forces along the Soviet border, and the Chinese nuclear and strategic
missile capabilities.
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11. The Chairman then commented that he would have to leave
for the floor, but before doing so wished to make a statement and had
hoped Senator Symington would be present since he and Symington had
discussed the matter which he wished to comment on. He referred to
the White House announcement regarding the intelligence community and
called attention to the National Security Act of 1947. He noted that the
Director had, in accordance with his responsibilities under this Act,
always "worn two hats"--one as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
and the other as Chairman of the U. S. Intelligence Board, in which capacity
he had coordinated the work of the other U. S. intelligence agencies. He
said the Committee had approved Mr. Helms as the Director--not anyone
else--on the assumption that he would be in full charge of the CIA, subject
only to the authority of the President. At this point Senator Symington
returned to the room and the Chairman repeated his above points, adding
that the Committee planned a full review of the intelligence community.
He said he felt that the new arrangements announced in the White House
release should be spelled out in an Executive Order. He added that he had
not been consulted in advance regarding the "new plan" and that Senator
Smith, the Ranking Minority Member, could speak for herself as to whether
she had been consulted in advance. He added that he wished members of
the Committee had been consulted.
12. The Chairman then asked the Director "to what extent, if any,
does the new plan change your direction of CIA ?" The Director responded
"not at all" adding that he still had the same desk, same responsibilities
and planned to carry on work in the same way. He said he could not
abrogate these responsibilities and that the new arrangements actually
consisted of only two points affecting his work: he had been asked to devote
closer attention to the affairs. of the intelligence community, and he had been
given one specific new duty- -that of preparing a consolidated intelligence
program budget for the community. He added that he had not been consulted
in advance about the new plan, but he had been asked his views on a proposal
that the chief of the intelligence community sit in the White House, separated
from any of the working agencies. He said he strongly opposed this, arguing
that in such a position the chief would "have no troops, " be just another
member of the White House staff, and be unable to argue issues with the
various intelligence agencies on their merits since the agencies would
have all the facts and expertise. Senator Symington commented that he
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was seriously concerned over the new plan and proposed to raise the
matter on the floor this afternoon. He went on to say he would like to
hear more about the European situation at an early briefing, and then
asked some questions about the Arab/Israeli situation,
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21. In closing, Senator Stennis said he had several additional
questions which he would submit in writing. He commented that the
briefing had been extremely valuable and he hoped henceforth that
four such briefings could be arranged for each session.
22. Following the briefing, Senator Dominick said he would like
to be included in the private briefing requested by Senator Tower on the
internal Chinese situation.
23. Follow up action:
a. Obtain and prepare replies to follow up questions from
Chairman Stennis.
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b. Arrange for private briefing of Senators Dominick and
Tower on the internal Chinese situation.
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Distribution:
Copy 1 - Subject
Copy 2 - DCI
Copy 3 - DDCI
Copy 4 - Ex/Dir
Copy 5 - Mr. Colby
Copy 6 - DDI
Copy? -DDS&T
Copy 8 - SAVA
Copy 9 - D/OSR
Copy 10-
Copy 11 -
Copy 12C
Copy 13 - NIPE
Copy 14 -
JOHN M. MAURY
Legislative Counsel
Security T:Oi' SECRET/
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Copy 15 - OLC Chrono
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 TS 262154 Cy 15 of 15 23 Nov 71
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