NATO IS TOLD SOVIET IN DISARRAY POSES A BIGGER PERIL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00806R000200710049-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 5, 2010
• Sequence Number: 49
• Publication Date: May 13, 1981
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/05: CIA-RDP90-00806R000200710049-8
01/_%1
ARTICLE APPEARED NEW YORK TINS
ON PAGE 13 MAY 1981
jVA, TO? k : T'olcl ,S viet in Disarray Pose a B fir Peril
By DREW MIDDLETON
Sped WTt*H.wYorkTlm..
BRUSSELS, May 12-Secretaryof De-
fense Caspar W. Weinberger told the Do-
fense Planning Committee of the-Atiantir
alliance today that internal failures in the.
Soviet Union might lead?it into miliary..
adventurism. ;-- ')';s
American defense.$ffcials who. de+
clined to be identified quoted Mr. Weirs
berger as having said--*--. :,u.
rope are supported by a ItSbtet''forcathat
has been expanded by..the deltve~ry of a'
thousand-newlr planes in each of the last
eight years. The Soviet-Navy was said to
have eight new classes of submarines and
four new classes of surface combatants;
inclvdbWaircraR carriers andcraisers.
The Amen can qualitativelesdinweap.
ons Mr. Weinberger said. has been. over-
taken by the Soviet forces in tanks, ar-
mored fighting vehicles and missiles.
A report from NATO's Military Com.
mittee. which is- made up of the allies'
chiefs of staff,: said the restructuring of
the Soviet Army made it evident that the
alliance faced the threat-of a-high nun:
berof brigadesize units "capable of inde.
Pendent. and rapid operation." Military'.
sources put the war strength of the bri..:
gades at about3,000 men.
Adm: Robert H_Falls of Ca=da;chMr.
man of the Military Coflnn ttee, noted at
a news- conference that, while?the Soviet
and sizesome uwas Cban** the nits to provide grey er
fire. power, the total o cpmet rady
divisions was inng'- He -ascribed. .
this to the shipment of new arms to divi-
sions that are usually manned.at a third
ofwarstrength
M Y committei fel t., re--
viewing Soviet weapons.
no'.ed the_deployment of $5.20
missiles, whim have a-range that-cove s
Europe from Scotland-:to. Gibralar.. The
report said the SS-2O's' bad been' "de.
ployed.aster than the oldirSSr4 and SS,6 -
h vebeenphased .. ...., ..
` NAT O'a? miIitaiy ?leadees'e8resd that
the alliance should not become Involved
in Southwest Asia:- through? a. multina-
tional force, but that- individual govern_
meats should conclude.agteements with
the United Sates to provide assistance,
=Admiral Falls said:. &;+,r:.p
He said the United States.
;Sf P~8 8P a~ emssacha`s~righ
tts?
ri e ' abys" and ce ~to speed th6 ~ movement of
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/05: CIA-RDP90-00806R000200710049-8