TEMPEST OVER A 'THINK PIECE'

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91-00561R000100070014-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 9, 2012
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: October 10, 1979
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/09: CIA-RDP91-00561 R000100070014-9
STAT
A~RsI..LE APPE ~
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
0;N P1GE~ 10 October 1979
T_v `?y
Tempest over a `think piece'-.-..
Somewhere in Washington' there's a .... thinking going on right now in paranoid.i
public official who needs to have his Kremlin- corridors is likely to be along !
head examined, go to jail, or both. He is the lines of a preemptive nuclear attack i
the character who leaked a secret Pen- on China, which the Soviets have serf- i
tagon staff . study suggesting that the 'ously considered in the past.
U.S. might give China extensive mili- The disclosure of information as sensi-
tary assistance for use in a war against tive. as that contained in the. study pre-
the Soviet Union. The 'study, which was sumably would result in the dismissal or !
obtained by the- Newyork Times, dis. indictment of the 'responsible official.
cussed the possibility. of forming a virtu. But we wno't hold our breath waiting I
at military alliance wth 'the Chinese, ..for that to happen. The leak obviously
including joint :military exercises and was authorized at. a high level. of gov-
the construction of modern armsfacto- ernment, probably in. the White House. ; j
rise. `;,1 y,,The 'only. apparent motive-for such an
Making common .mditary-cause with action is the administration's.' desire to,
the world's largest- communist:' country ?fler its ,muscles over the- Soviet troops
is certainly- a'hair=raising - thought But Cuba: Having' created a phantom: Cu-
it's not really the Pentagon study that i&"-'.ban`crisis,-the administration would evi-
disturbing. It's the leak.? g : t7.?;,.;' ? : dently wl1ke to
create: a.. phantom- war
We can im a d'tbe necessity of ' threat t6`resolve it. The'-Idea- presum
Pentagon: planning for- every contingen- bly would be to leak the study, sending
cy, and we believe Pentagon spokesman the Kremlin. pulse rate too- 120- a minute,
Tom-Ross-when he says that the-study and'..then soleciniy'.declare- it only= a
was merely.a "think piece" that presag- "-!'think piece". The Russians would be
es no change is our policy against giv- nicely^ rattled, =,maybe- ? even- rattled'
n]g arms to China. ' _.,>t?: F r y enough to withdraw the troops.
Pentagon archives probably' contain . But what if.-Mr. Brezhnev's heart
plans for all-sorts of unlikely eventuall 'doesn't stop pounding?' What if he and
ties, from : invading* Mexico ;to..mining:_ his.- colleagues don't believe the official
the Panama.CanaL Butsuch plans are explanations or- don't, credit= unofficial.
supposed to - be held -in the strictest motives? What if the: episode- convinces
secrecy. A reasonably friendly. country. " them that,their fear, of fears, war from
like Mexico would'-become decidedly un- both east and west,. is on - its - way to
friendly on learning that we had a de- .. being realized? > : ~, :.:':-:?
tailed scenario for. refighting the Mexi- - The initial Soviet reaction was indeed
can War. An unfriendly country like the. . disbelief of official U.S. denials. Pravda
Soviet Union could become downright"-;,angrily charged: that "The provocateurs,
dangeroux, .:= I F' ;. f. ` t. c? in the guise of,researchers, do-not con-
The Russians'. fear- of the Chinese is - sider_ it. necessary to hide- their plans:'
so deeply felt as to. be almost psychotic. >. ` The newspaper noted that - Secretary. of
In such circumstances.the disclosure. of State Cyrus Vance said the study did
plans contemplating a NATO-China two- not reflect a policy change,. but it added,'
front war of annihilation-.is a provoca- "If that.i so, then the question arises:-
lion that could have -frightening :cone-?V Why. did-.the Pentagon strategists elabo-,
quence& Saying that. it's. nothing but: a.;;;:rate` such recommendations??
"think piece"" _is not. likely -to assuage: J --It: is; that-kind of dark; brooding doubt'
Russians .;-->they- can't., think` straight- that.sets-Soviet minds to pondering the
about China and two-front wars even if nuclear, button.. -And : that- is something
i' I 4`-Cif Y9dh:
Pentagon,, planners -can.: The kind: of. ..:we d rather not think about:
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/09: CIA-RDP91-00561 R000100070014-9