BRIEFING SENATOR DICK CLARK (D.-IOWA) ON THE SOVIET STRATEGIC POSTURE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84R01033R000100240009-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 16, 2004
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: January 14, 1977
• Content Type: MFR

Approved FoO Ieas 112 T1 jA-RDP84R0106000100240009-8
14 January 1977
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Briefing Senator Dick Clark (D.-Iowa) on the
Soviet Strategic Posture
met with 'Lt- ; ana i
in his o ice on the afternoon of
11 January at his request to discuss our views on the Soviet
posture. At our request, no staff members were present.
2. Affable as always, Senator Clark began by stating
that he really was quite concerned by the welter of press
leaks surrounding NIE 11-3/8-76 and as ve him
some feeling of the actual situation. began
by ticking-off each of the major Soviet weapons programs
now under way.
3. The Senator periodically interrupted with
questions--good ones--such as the ability of the Soviet
economic base to continue supporting increased defense
expenditures. We responded to that question noting that
present Soviet defense expenditures were roughly 12 percent
of GNP and that, so long as Soviet GNP kept growing, there
was no reason that this rate could not be maintained or
even increased slightly provided Soviet leadership was
willing to make the sacrifice. The Senator asked about
the judgments in 11-3/8 and we gave them as well as the
alternative position expressed by other members of the
Community. We also did something of a tutorial job in
explaining to the Senator how an estimate comes to be.
4. The Senator asked about the B-Team Report and
we explained to him the history and philosophy behind it.
At this point, the Senator stated that it was his feeling,
and one he had expressed many times, that CIA's objectivity
was the greatest intelligence asset this government had.
While he did not agree with covert action programs and
many of the other things done in years gone by, he said,
he did feel quite strongly about the Agency's value when
it came to producing unbiased intelligence.
Approved For ReleeRaa &&&11 i LCEA-RDP84RO1'0
 Approved FO elease 2004/12/22: CIA-RDP84RO10 8000100240009-8
CONFIDENTIAL
25X1
SUBJECT: Briefing Senator Dick Clark
5. The Senator was meeting with President-elect
Carter the next day and said that he felt the briefing
would be very useful in that connection.
Distribution:
DDI
NIO-Mr. Stoertz
OLC
D/OSR
AD/CPS
OSR
Briefing tile
Approved For Rele IA-RDP84R01033R000400240009-8
 ed For Release 2004/12/22: CIA-RDP
DATE
TRAISMITTAL SLIP 14 Jan 77
NIO - Mr. Stoertz
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