SENATE UNIT ORDERS PROBE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000700380056-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 8, 2004
• Sequence Number: 56
• Content Type: NSPR

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WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-Sen.
John' Stennis (D., Miss.) an.
nounced Friday that the Senate
,Armed Services Preparedness
subcommittee would investigate
reports he, had received a new,
and powerful Russian military
buildup in Cuba.
Stennis' announcement, which
cast doubt on President Ken-
?ncdy's statement Thursday that
there is no evidence of any
,offensive preparations in Cuba
since the October crisis, came
shortly after a mysterious closed
door meeting of the Senate For-
eign Relations subcommittee on
Latin America.
pareaness suncommiuee, urn not.
mention the controversy over
whether the Bay of Pigs invasion
force was promised, and then re-
fused, American air support. But
it was expected that this would
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be one of the subjects of the in-
quiry, which he said would in-
clude Cuba's military strength.
the kind of weapons in Cuba, and
the military threat posed by the
Cuban situation.
The Senate has pennding a
resolution by Sen. Barry Gold-
water (R., Ariz.), calling for an
inquiry by the Senate Armed
Services Committee into the de-
Senators at the meeting gave',.._ - ....
conflicting reports of what they'-had learned of the reported;
buildup from Secretary of State
Dean Rusk and John A.I cCone, .
director of the Centel T` Intelli-
gence Agency.
Stennis, chairman of the Pre-
nial by Attpiitiey General Robet'?
F. eKnnedy, repeated Thursdar
by President Kennedy, that
air support was promised
Cuban invaders.
The controvery over the air,
support arises from the fact that
neither the President nor the At-
torney- General ever denied un-
til this week that It had been;,
promised, although the public
had been led to believe for 21,;
months that it had been.
The closed door meeting wad
called with considerable fanfare,
by Sen. Wayne Morse (D.,
chairman of the subcommittee onl'u
Latin America, before the Rresir?
dent had denied knowledge of a.=
new buildup. {:?
. Morse invited Rusk to brief the
subcommittee. When McConet
heard about the. Invitation he
came along.
Son. George Aiken (R., Vt.).-r`
emerged from the meeting and'
said Russia had built an "enorm
ously strong" military and poll k.'
tical base in Cuba that was
"much stronger" than it was six
months ago. s WILL SEEK OAS All)
That was before the October Air. Kennedy plans to ask the
crisis that ended with an an- Organization of American States
nouncemcnt by the Administra. to focus world attention on the
Lion that Russia had removal its presence of the Soviet troops in
missiles a n d other offensive Cuba, it was disclosed.
weapons from the island. Officials said the move would
Sen. Hubert H u ni p h r e y'be made within the next two,or
(Minn.), Senate Democratic whip three weeks.
and a Kennedy Administration They said It was apparent- that
spokesman, came from the meet.`the Russians Intended to keep
log and said that he had heard 6000 troops, organized in infantry
nothing about any significant combat units, in Cuba for an In.
buildup. definite time. Also, they said,
SYMINGTON DISTURBED About 10,000 other Sor'et person-.
1 will be there for a .ongperlod
Sen. Stuart Symington (D., time, installing radar and
Mo.) said he was disturbed by: communications gear with which
= the Russian military complex inito operate Cuba's complex of
Cuba and that the buildup wasrnow Soviet antiaircraft missiles.'
continuing. The U. S. move in the OAS, idc
Morse refused to tell what ficiala said, would he aimed at
Rusk and McCone had said. rallying the OAS nations in a
The mystery of whether there "psychological" campaign. This
Is a new buildup recalled that is a nice way of saying that the
Sen.,Kenneth Keating (R., N. Y.) 1irogram calls for the OAS as.
]had warned of.the buildup that lions to join in a propaganda
lbrought the October crisis-and ampaillzl, pointing a relentless
?1told the Senate the Administra-.finger at the Soviet presence in
'tion know about it-several days ICuba and shouting, -Imperial.
Ihefore Mr. Kennedy said he had,tts'"
found out about it.
Approved For Release 2004/12/15 CIA-RDP75-00149R000700380056-6