SALT VERIFICATION FEARS BEGIN TO EASE IN SENATE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01315R000400360043-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 8, 2004
• Sequence Number: 43
• Publication Date: July 30, 1979
• Content Type: MAGAZINE

Approved For Release 2005/01/12: CIA-RDP88-01315R000
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AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY
30 July 1.979
ears
?
t.J.
By ~'i'on K. Marsh Senate committees of complaints by either
side to the Standing Consultative Com-
mi,i on th~ U S Snvicr. group established
r,h r tun-T ,'ir^onti in the third weer- of Strate,i Arms Limitation Treat} ~,
tn_ S net ind c { cs *rowing belief that adequate verification is poi.s 1. t.nder SLT I to deal with questions of
r '-`v is shifun_ to demands that defense `pending be increased as a condition compliant.:. It newts twice a year.
p.?., of the tr `.y? "The Presidenr's budget through 1984 Othcr clarifications may come from
C}.,^os:ion e er eci during Ii rin s shows the Carter administration is not Sen. John W. Warner (R.-Va.), who noted
n ,t Senate Armed S wiees Com- ready to compete with the Soviet Union in during hearings before the Senate For4!go
e_, Where Son. Sam Nunn (1).-G...) the military arena," Sen. Nunn said. Relations Committee that the Soviets do
recognize U. S. listening posts in
said his support for the treaty depends Sen. Barry Goldwater (R.-Ariz.) not
upon as }et undetected vigorous support changed his opinion of last March when he foreign nations as a national technical
fo defense spending by the Carter
~crninistration. Joint Chiefs of Staff
chair man Gen. David C. Jones said infla-
tEon has reduced the Fiscal 1979 and
proposed Fiscal 1980 Defense budget
increases to well below the 3'b promised
by President Jimmy Carter to the North
At' :Wile Treaty Organization.
The next clay, former NATO command-
er Gen. Alexander M. 1-laig. Jr., told the
Armed Services Committee he agreed
with Sen. Nunn- He urged that ratifica-
tion of SALT 2 "be held in abeyance"
until serious flaws are corrected.
"Like Sen. Nunn, I am not satisfied
that the necessary commitments have been
made, not only with respect to our strate-
gic needs." Gen. Haig said. "But I am also
concerned that the Administration's bud-
gets for the past two years and the Presi-
dent's defense budget projections through
Fiscal 1984 are inadequate to meet our
canventional needs, to say nothing of our
already proffered commitments to
NATO."
Asked by Sen. Howard W. Cannon (D.-
Nev.) for specific flaws, Gen. Haig cited
the hard target kill imbalance established
in the treaty, the U. S. dep,-ndence on
air-breathing strategic capa`,! v which
means a "12-hr. time seg,.renw.re" before
reaching Soviet targets. and general
lack of consensus on U. S. ? I ;y which
not only hampered SALT new+.rrtions but
also has been a problem for 15 %cars. Haig
said he sees within the Carter Administra-
tion "flirtations toward a mutual assured
destruction policy and a minimum deter-
en
Sen. Nunn called for a 4-5% real
increase in the defense budget as his price
for support of SALT 2, but said he
doubted the Carter Administration will
take corrective action on inflation to make
that possible.
announced last week that he finds the means of ,erihcation.
treaty verifiable, but he still intends to Outgoing U. S. ambassador to the
vote against it. Sen. Goldwater told AVIA- Soviet Union Malcolm Toon, like Sen.
'rloN 'WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY his Goldwater, has overcome earlier doubts
determination that the treaty is adequate- about verification to announce his support
ly verifiable is based partly on his knowl- for the treaty before the Senate Foreign
edge of electronics. Relations Committee.
Sen. Goldwater has reviewed a 14- Sen. Glenn now agrees with the Joint
volume Senate Intelligence Committee Chiefs' testimony (AW&ST July 16, p. 25)
study of verification, as has Sen. Joseph R. that SALT 2 is a "modest but useful" step ?
Biden, Jr. (D.-Del.). Sen. Biden has deter- forward in the SALT process. fie has said
mined in recent days the treaty is verifi- he will support the treaty if questions of
able. Sen. J. James Exon (D.-Neb.) has verification can be resolved.
also announced his belief that the treaty is Sen. William S. Cohen (R. Me.) joined
verifiable. in a call by Sen. Henry M. Jackson (D--
The Senate Intelligence Committee Wash.) for memos and cable traffic
report is described by one observer as between the negotiators and the Joint
presenting information on both sides of the Chiefs of Staff, which would reveal mill-
issue that could be taken either way. Sen. tary advice given on the treaty.
John Glenn (D.-Ohio), who is considered Among other recommendations, the
the key senator on the verification issue, Joint Chiefs of Staff called for lower ceil-
also has read the secret report and has not ings on total weapons and multiple
reached a conclusion. Sen. Glenn is warhead launchers, and inclusion of the
considering the attachment of three "re- Soviet Tupolev Tu-22M Backfire bomber
servations" to the treaty that would: in the totals.
to Require announcement by both the Defense Secretary Harold Brown con-
U. S. and Soviet Union of all missile tests tinued to press the argument that U. S.
prior to flight, including those inside land-based missiles will become vulnerable
national territory not now covered by the to a Soviet first-strike during 1982-86 with
treaty. or without SALT 2, but SALT 2 will
n Seek voluntary agreement not to make that unstable period more predict-
encrypt missile telemetry. Failing that, the able since it establishes limits. Gen. Jones
U. S. might encrypt whatever information said the U. S. does not fear a period when
the Soviets encrypt. the Soviets could launch an actual strike
Y Require notification of appropriate "out of the blue," but rather, a period
when the Soviet confidence for political
adventurism is increased.
. Brown said failure to count mothballed
Boeing B-52 bombers in the weapons total
would have allowed the Soviets to stock-'
pile uncounted bombers. The U. S. would
have to destroy several of 37 B-52 hulks
now in storage, while the Soviets would
destroy 250 missiles and bombers built.
since 1965.
Approved For Release 2005/01/12 : CIA-RDP88-01315R000400360043-5