THE STRATEGIC WEAPONS SPIRAL: SOVIET REACTIONS TO US INITIATIVES?

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP00B00369R000200210006-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 30, 2011
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: August 25, 1983
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/30 :CIA-RDPOOB00369R000200210006-3
Q
Next 1 Page(s) In Document Denied
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/30 :CIA-RDPOOB00369R000200210006-3
 ~ ~ ~ - 25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/30: CIA-RDPOOB00369R000200210006-3 25X1
The Director of Central lntelligencc
Washington, D.C. 20SOS
National Intelligence Council 25X1
SP - 136/83/a
25 August 1983
COPY a
MEMORANDUM FOR: Stephen Bosworth
Chairman, Secretary's Policy Planning Council
FROM: National Intelligence Officer for Strategic Programs
SUBJECT: The Strategic Weapons Spiral: Soviet Reactions
to US Initiatives?
1. The Soviets have been effective in convincing many in the West that
their own strategic force efforts are merely a response to US initiatives,
that it is the United States that leads the "arms race", and that they, being
a peaceloving nation, only reluctantly respond to US provocations. Just
recently, they have advanced a draft treaty to ban antisatellite systems.
They are accompanying this with a public campaign against the US ASAT and
directed energy efforts, in which they will characterize the US as leading in
these efforts, despite the fact that they have a deplo ed ASAT tem and have
been working on directed energy programs for years.
2. Unfortunately, we have not done an effective job of refuting Soviet
claims and turning the tables on them. They have a great advantage over us in
the public affairs yame because of their ability to clamp a selective lid of
secrecy on the military programs they have underway, Also, they devote great
effort to propagandizing. I have attached what I consider to be an important
paper with some unique insights on current and future aspects of this problerrr,
_ ,
~" i
Lawrence K. Gershwin
Attachment:
As stated
TOP CRET
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/30: CIA-RDPOOB00369R000200210006-3
25X1
25X1
 -- ----
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for~Release 2011/12/30: CIA-RDPOOB00369R000200210006-3 25X1
The Director of Central Intelligence
Washington, D.C. 20501
National Intelligence Council
25 August 1983
Copy ~
MEMORANDUM FOR: Paul D. Wolfowitz
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian
and Pacific Affairs
FROM: National Intelligence Officer for Strategic Programs
SUBJECT: The Strategic Weapons Spiral: Soviet Reactions
to US Initiatives?
1. The Soviets have been effective in tonvincing many in the West that
their own strategic force efforts are merely a response to US initiatives,
that it is the United States that leads the "arms race", and that they, being
a peaceloving nation, only reluctantly respond to US provocations. Just
recently, they have advanced a draft treaty to ban antisatellite systems.
They are accompanying this with a public campaign against the US ASAT and
directed energy efforts, in which they will characterize the US as leading in
these efforts, despite the fact that they have a deployed ASAT system and have
been working on directed energy programs for years.
2. Unfortunately, we have not done an effective job of refuting Soviet
claims and turning the tables on them. They have a great advantage over us in
the public affairs game because of their ability to clamp a selective lid of
secrecy on the military programs they have underway. Also, they devote great
effort to propagandizing. I have attached what I consider to be an important
~?a~~-~~-~~-ih some unigue insights on current and future aspects of this problem.
Lawrence K. Gershwin
Attachment:
As stated
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/30: CIA-RDPOOB00369R000200210006-3
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/30: CIA-RDPOOB00369R000200210006-3 25X1
I I I 25X1
The Director of Central Intelligence
Washington, D.C. 20505
National Intelligence Council
- G
25 August 1933
Copy _~-
MEMORANDUM FOR: The Honorable Paul Thayer
Deputy Secretary of Defense
FROM: National Intelligence Officer for Strategic Programs
SUE3JECT: The Strategic Weapons Spiral: Soviet Reactions
to US Initiatives?
1. The Soviets have been effective in convincing many in the West that
their own strategic force efforts are merely a response to US initiatives,
that it is the United States that leads the "arms race", and that they, being
a peaceloving nation, only reluctantly respond to l1S provocations. Just
recently, they have advanced a draft treaty to ban antisatellite systems.
They are accompanying this with a public campaign against the US ASAT and
directed energy efforts, in which they will characterize the US as leading in
these efforts, despite the fact that they have a deployed ASAT system and have
been working on directed energy programs for years.
2. Unfortunately, we have not done an effective job of refuting Soviet
claims and turning the tables on them. They have a great advantage over us in
the public affairs game because of their ability to clamp a selective lid of
secrecy on the military programs they have underway. Also, they devote great
effort to propagandizing. I have attached what I consider to be an important
pique insights on current and future aspects of this problem.
Attachment:
As stated
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/30: CIA-RDPOOB00369R000200210006-3
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/30: CIA-RDPOOBOO369ROOO2OO21OOO6-3 ?5X1
i ur ~~t,rt[ i I
The Director of Central Intelligence
Washington, D.C. 20505
National Intelligence Council 25X1
SP - 136/83/d
25 August 1983
Copy a
MEMORANDUM FOR: Fred C. Ikle
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
FROM: National Intelligence Officer for Strategic Programs
SUBJECT: The Strategic Weapons Spiral: Soviet Reactions
to US Initiatives?
1. The Soviets have been effective in convincing many in the West that
their own strategi c force efforts are merely a response to US initiatives,
that it is the United States that leads the "arms race", and that they, being
a peaceloving nation, only reluctantly respond to US provocations. Just
recently, they have advanced a draft treaty to ban antisatellite systems.
They are accompanying this with a public campaign against the US ASAT and
directed energy efforts, in which they will characterize the US as leading in
these efforts, despite the fact that they have a de system and have
been working on directed energy programs for years.
2. Unfortunately, we have not done an effective job of refuting Soviet
claims and turning the tables on them. They have a great advantage over us in
the public affairs game because of their ability to clamp a selective lid of
secrecy on the military programs they have underway. Also, they devote great
effort to propagandizing. I have attached what I consider to be an important
i
h
a er w
t
some unique insights on current and future aspects of this problem.
Lawrence K. Gershwin
Attachment:
As stated
25X1
25X1
I Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/30: CIA-RDPOOBOO369ROOO2OO21OOO6-3
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/30: CIA-RDPOOB00369R000200210006-3 5X1
The Director of Central Intelligence
Washington, D.C. 20505
National Intelligence Council
SP - 136/83/e
25 August 1983
Copy ~
MEMORANDUM FOR: Andrew W. Marshall
Director of Net Assessment
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy)
FROM: National Intelligence Officer for Strategic Programs
SUBJECT: The Strategic Weapons Spiral: Soviet Reactions
to US Initiatives?
1. The Soviets have been effective in convincing many in the West that
their own strategic force efforts are merely a response to US initiatives,
that it is the United States that leads the "arms race", and that they, being
a peaceloving nation, only reluctantly respond to US provocations. Just
recently, they have advanced a draft treaty to ban antisatellite systems.
They are accompanying this with a public campaign against the US ASAT and
directed energy efforts, in which they will characterize the US as leading in
these efforts, despite the fact that they have a deployed ASAT tvstem and have
been working on directed energy programs for years.
2. Unfortunately, we have not done an effective-moo -o,--r-ems ati ng Soviet
claims and turning the tables on them. They have a great advantage over us in
the public affairs game because of their ability to clamp a selective lid of
secrecy on the military programs they have underway. Also, they devote great
effort to propagandizing. I have attached what I consider to be an important
some unique insights on current and future aspects of this problem.
~