STRATEGIC WARNING STAFF ALERT LIST

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01495R001300140003-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2005
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: August 13, 1975
• Content Type: MF

Approved Focelease 2005/09/29: CIA-RDP80B01496ROO130014
13 August 1975
MEMORANDUM FOR: The Director
SUBJECT Strategic Warning Staff Alert List
1. In response to your expressed interest in
the Strategic Warning Staff Alert List, and how it
is being used, the National Intelligence Officers
concerned have revieded the questions posed in the
17 July Alert List.
2. Their general comments may be summarized as
follows:
Several acknowledged that they had no current
appreciation of Intelligence Community
reactions to the Alert List and, thus, drew
on experiences in their previous assignments
for their comments. It was noted that in
the past the Community and the unified
commands responded promptly to similar issuances
from the Watch Committee.
There was a feeling that the Alert List has
potentially more utility to field commands
and collectors than to Washington analysts,
since the latter should be able to determine
for themselves what are the key questions.
There are doubts that-the Alert List is re-
garded as an action document for the
Intelligence Community. Special collection
actions would normally be proposed by current
intelligence analysts (or by indications
and warning centers) directly to collecting
agencies as developments dictate. This means
they would rarely result from circulation of
an Alert List.
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 Approved For Release 200a:tCIA-RDP80B014001300140003-3
} cs l It, . C + nisi military activity is
'~ t Bh*$t priority, task of the entire
It"l I rencea a;;paratus . The subjects
e
h
......
,. as a
^tart i.tst ar
tt:. tn- most cases are being followed in
"""40 detail, by current intelligence elements
c)t "vexa1 agencies.
3. 1'14' t`dllo,+tng comments deal more specifically
(and to some extent more critically) with the questions
contained in the 17 July Alert List:
The Soviet/EE questions which relate to
Warsaw Pact exercise activity and TU-95
reconnaissance, are standard and would eared
answered regardless of v;hether they appeared
in an Alert List.
-- Some of thew (11i( -siions themselves seem beyond
the charter ui' an Alert List, or are out of
focus.
The question of ()KEAN-75 is beyond current
intelligenco. flv,aluations of such, a large-
scale exorclm c:,jnnot be usefully made in
the near ter-;r, ;tad interim replies stimulated
by this (t' rct-ti t: I ern could be pernicious if
mistakenly ro}yir(led as conclusive.
The question C'oticcrning Soviet advance notice
of Arab or 1;. ra o l i intentions to renew
hostil i t lo4 weer l dl be more relevant if directed
to our po rc.(.o 1 v 1 sn a Soviet reactions than to
whet er tilt"pr`;iv i ~.ts get warning -- since the
Soviets h~tvra t`.lio .same problems as we do in
obtaining Stich warning.
The ques t lean on Korea exhorts analysts and
collectors t,0 ho alert to possible aggressive
action Cre)ut tiro, North. What they should
be told to ? 1 uu()lc for are the indicators and
uq estion-i wh 1 Y?tt mi.ght be tip-o fs to such
action.
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SEMI
 SECRET
Approved FoUelease 2005/09/29 : CIA-RDP80B0149iR001300140003-3
4. I have no specific recommendations at this
time. The National Intelligence Officers will,
however, give attention oashwellAlert
as some
and may produce
recommendations, in the future.
25X1
Deputy for National Intelligence Officers
cc: DDCI
D/DCI/IC
DDI
Executive Registry
Approved For Release 200510
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