NOTE TO CHARLIE FROM DCI

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01554R003300210026-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 6, 2004
• Sequence Number: 26
• Publication Date: October 15, 1979
• Content Type: MF

Approv,For Release 2005/01/13 : CIA-RDP80.1554R003300210026-9
TAPE 8
Siee A, 5
1/3 - 5
1/2
NOTE FOR:
Charlie
Let's make the social engagements calendar "social and trips" so
that everything my wife is involved in shows up on it unless the trips
are really classified.
Approved For Release 2005/01/13 : CIA-RDP80BO1554R003300210026-9
 r ti
pproved For Rel ,qW8fj/GjM CIA-RDP80B01554R0033 10026-9
26 JULY 1979
ices Committee, Senator Nunn read a ` However, it was seen on Capitol Hill as
statement saying that without a commit-4 complicating :.tie treaty debate as well as
1l President Carter s political problems.
meat to begin and "to sustain" a greater A member of the Senate's Democratic
MllNN TIES PACT VOTE
0 ARMS BUDGET RISE
Key Senator Wants a Firm Pledge
on Spending From President
By CHARLES MOHR
Spedel to The Now York rlrfM
WASHINGTON, July 25 - Senator Sam
Nunn, an influential figure among South-
ern Democrats, threatened today to vote
against. the-arms treaty with the Soviet
Union unless President Carter made a
firm commitment to increase military
spending substantially.
In parliamentary terms, the Georgia
Senator's announcement was perhaps the
most dramatic development since three
committees of the Senate began formal.
consideration. of the treaty two and one-
half weeks ago.
"All Sam is asking," said a Senatestaff
member; "is that Carter alienate the lib-.
eral wing of the Democratic Party witty-
an election year coming up."
Senator Gary Hart, Democrat of Colo-
rado, expressed the hope that the debate
over the ratification of the arms treaty
would not turn into a hearing on a defense
budget authorization.. But, increasingly,
that seems to be what has been happen.
ing, several Senate sources remarked.
During ahearing by the Armed Serv-
military effort, "I could not, in good con-
science, support ratification of the SALT
II treaty.".
the rate of inflation,. that could mean an
increase of $7 billion to $9 billion in the
The statement called for an increase in
military spending of 4 to 5 percent in real
terms, with inflation discounted, for at
least the next five years. Depending on
first year alone, a member of~5enator
leadership said, "There is no question,
that Nunn is influential and some com- ,
" The Sen.
have to be made
.
mitment may
ate leader thought, however, that Senator,i
Nunn seemed to be asking a lot.
At least four Senators have complained
about President Carter's decision to de-
velop the MX mobile missile and have in-
dicated that they may vote against the
arms treaty in protest. They are George
Nunn's staff said. McGovern of South Dakota, William
Proxmire of Wisconsin and Adlai E.
Ina brief interview, Senator Nunn later Stevenson of Illinois, Democrats, and
said that he was "absolutely firm"' in his Marko. Hatfield, an Oregon Republican.
decision. He said the proposed annual! They and other liberals may beupset if
rate of increase was not ."a lyre line."' the Presidentt tn' to satisfy Senator
but he added that he could not seriously Nunn's demands, which call for spending
consider any increase that was much i far beyond the $12 billion over five years
smaller. He also said he thought any contemplated by the Government.
pledge on increased spending should be 1 Senator Hart's statement said the
made by the President on television. treaty ratification process should not be a
In his statement, Senator Nunn ex. substitute for the Constitutional process
pressed the hope that the Senate would be by which decisions are made on weapon
requirements. And Senator John C. Cul-
able the to examine the military vote on for the ver, Democrat of Iowa, said it "puzzles
the fiscal year 1981 before the he w ulr me" how, at a time of tax-reduction
in-
( arefe to pre But of the he-said 1981 budget rathee movements, anyone could wish to in-
a
the crease an already large deficit with more
than n have aave e the the Senate te d delay its vote on rather
than military spending..; ? -
treaty until after the budget is formally Unlike some critics of the treaty, Sena
submitted in January. tor Nunn did not find fault with its provi-
Senator Nunn also made-clear that he
wanted Increases not merely in strategic meats for it..-He-'said he embraced the
nuclear weapons but in overall military 1! view of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, some of
spending. His own area of expertise. Is in whom testified again today, that the)
conventional weapons.. { treaty was a "modest but useful" step if
di
His announcement, while not unexpect-
ed,. was more specific than some in the
Senate had expected. , , .._...
ng.
accompanied by more spen
Senator Nunn saidthat inflation had re-
duced the rate of Increase in military.
spending to less than I percent and that
the Government had "succumbed" tea
tranquilizing effect that the Joint Chiefs
had warned might result from rata cn?
lion of the treaty..
Saying that it was "abundantly clear
that the Carter Administration is not yeti
prepared to compete effectively with the
Soviet Union in the military arena," Mr.
Nunn added that without such effort "the
SALT II treaty will become nothing more
than an instrument for registering
emerging Soviet military superiori
Approved For Release 2005/01/13 : CIA-RDP80B01554R003300210026-9