17 OCTOBER MEETING AD HOC WATCH COMMITTEE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80M01082A000200020007-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2004
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: October 18, 1974
• Content Type: MF

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IC 7 4-2092
18 October 1974
SUBJECT: 17 October Meeting of Ad Hoc
Watch Committee
1. At the beginning of this meeting I indicated that, in spite
of the broad-ranging discussion at the 30 September meeting, the
Lohman proposal was the only specific plan available to the com-
mitteae. I proposed that the meeting be devoted to a more detailed
review of the provisions of the Lehman paper with the object of
identifying areas of consensus and disagreement. I then asked
for members' reaction to this way of proceeding.
2. In response, the DIA representative circulated the
attached letter from General Tighe to the DCI; and the State, NSA,
and Air Force representatives circulated brief, informal papers
which addressed primarily the question of the warning mechanism's
scope and responsibilities.
3. After reviewing these materials, I said I thought the
committee was confronted with three broad issues: (a) the mission
of the revised warning mechanisms (b) its subordination (whether
under USIB or delegated to DIA as proposed by General Graham);
and (c) the specifics of organization, composition, location. and
product. I suggested that there was little point in addressing
points (b) and (c) until (a) had been resolved and proposed that
the meeting address that issue first. This was agreed to and.
after two hours of discussion, produced the following apparent
consensus:
'The warning mechanism should be responsible
for the earliest possible warning of military action by
Soviet/ Warsaw Pact, Peoples' Republic of China, or
North Korean forces directed against the US, iti allies.
or one another. It should also be responsible for warning
of action by these forces in developing crisis situations,
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in any area, which could lead to conflict with US forces. "
(I use "apparent" above, because after the meeting the
State representative indicated that he still thought the
statement too narrow and restrictive. )
4. It was agreed that the foregoing statement would be
cleared informally with the members' principals.
5. The next meeting is on 23 October and, assuming no
backsliding on point (a) above, will move on to points (b) and (c).
6. Although the matter was not discussed in detail at the
17 October meeting, it was evident that there was little. if any,
support for General Graham's proposal to have the strategic
warning responsibility delegated to DIA. CIA (Lehman), NSA,
and State are clearly strongly opposed to it.
7. 1 recommend that we and Lehman meet with Mr. Colby
early next week to brief him on the outcome of the 17 October
committee meeting and to try to get him to take a position against
delegating the warning function to ILIA. (The other proposals of
the Tighe letter seem to me negotiable.) Lehman recommends
that Carver and Proctor or Walsh also attend the meeting.
8. Attached is a proposed draft of a DCI reply to General
Tighe's letter. I suggest it be held, for possible revision,
until after we have met with Mr. Colby.
w
Attachments (2)
Distribution:
O Addressee
- IC/Registry
1 PhD Chrono
1 - PRD Subject
1 - JHL Chrono
mjs
Chairman
Ad Hoc Watch Committee
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EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT
Routing Slip
D/DCI/IC
Compt
Mr. Lehman
SUSPENSE
Dar.
For review and continent to DCI.
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THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
DRAFT
I have reviewed with care your, and General Graham's,
thoughtful proposals on the strategic warning problem contained
in your letter of 16 October and have passed the letter to the
Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee that is deliberating on the
issues involved. I am informed that the Committee has made
good progress in reaching a consensus on the scope and respon-
sibilities of a revised strategic warning mechanism and is about
to address the specific issues of composition, location, and
procedures. Your proposals will clearly be a useful contribution
to the resolution of these issues.
On the question of the subordination of the revised warning
function, I do not believe it would be appropriate for me to
delegate it as you suggest. As a matter of principle, I believe
it is too onerous a responsibility to permit delegation. As a
matter of practice, I believe there is too great an incidence
of political and other non-military indicators in strategic warning
to justify assigning primary responsibility for it to a military
intelligence organization. For both these reasons, I favor the
maintenance of some form of USIB mechanism responsible
directly to me.
Sincerely,
W. E. Colby
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SkTl
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