CABLE TO HENRY A. KISSINGER FROM BRENT SCOWCROFT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-507-1-26-9
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: July 27, 2010
• Sequence Number: 26
• Publication Date: May 14, 1974
• Content Type: CABLE

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/08/10: LOC-HAK-507-1-26-9
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02502 1340141
0 1401412 MAY 74 ZFF-1 ZFF-4 ZYk-1
FM THE SITUATION ROOM
TO AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
T 0 P S E C RjE T SENSITIVE EXCLUSIVELY EYES ONLY
DELIVER AT OPENING OF BUSINESS
TDHAK .175
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE INSTRUCTIONS
APPLY
TO: HENRY A. KISSINGER
FROM BRENT SCOWCROFT.
LAST'NOVEMBER IN THE 4,SAG YOU DIRECTED THAT JCS PLAN FOR-AND
CONDUCT SR-71 FLIGHTS OVER NORTH VIETNAM AT TEN-DAY INTERVALS..
THIS WAS DONE, OF COURSE, IN THE CONTEXT OF CONTINUING INFILTRATION
AND THE CONCERN WIDELY FELT THEN THAT THENVA MIGHT BE PLANNING
EARLY MAJOR OFFENSIVE ACTION IN THE SOUTH.. THE. SR-7 FLIGHTS-WERE
VISUALIZED AS.WARNINGS AGAINST A NVA OFFENSIVE.
THE LAST FLIGHT WAS qN MARCH 28. BEFORE THAT A FLIGHT COVERED
LAOS ON MARCH 2. THESE WERE THE ONLY FLIGHTS THIS YEAR. THEJREQUENCY
HAS BEEN LIMITED PRINCIPALLY BY WEATHER CONDITIONS, HOWEVER, NOT
BY INTENT TO HOLD DOWN NUMPERS..DEFENSE NOW PLANS A FLIGHT TOMORROW
IF WEATHER PERMITS.
DEFENSE REQUESTED AND OBTAINED PERMISSION FROM YOU FOR THE
MARCH 28 FLIGHT. I WAS FRANKLY UNAWARE THEY HAD BEEN FLYING UNDER A
BLANKET AUTHORITY WHICH THEY FELT DID NOT REQUIRE APPROVAL FROM YOU
OR EVEN NOTIFICATION.
I QUESTION WHETHER TI-HIS BLANKET AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT FLIGHTS
APPROXIMATELY EVERY TEN DAYS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO STAND..I THINK
IT PREFERABLE THAT DEFENSE, JCS, AND CIA PROPOSE A FLIGHT WHENEVER
THEY BELIEVE CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANT ONE. OTHERWISE THE FLIGHTS CAN
CONTINUE AND WE MAY HEAR APOUT THEM ONLY AFTER THE FACT. THIS
COULD RESULT IN SOME UNSCHEDULED EMBARRASSMENTS. IF YOU CONCURS I
WILL TELL DEFENSE AND CIA TO OBTAIN PRIOR APPROVAL FOR EACH SR-71
FLIGHT.
WARM REGARDS.
321
JCS, OSD reviews
completed.
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SEC FLE
PSN;040502 PAGE 01 Or 01 TOR:134/n1:16Z DTG:140141Z MAY 74
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WH41309
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/08/10: LOC-HAK-507-1-26-9