MEETING WITH MR. NORMAN PRECODA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00904A001300010027-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 5, 2005
• Sequence Number: 27
• Publication Date: April 1, 1966
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2005/11/29 : CIA-RDP79R00904A001300010027-0
MEMORANDUM FOR THE DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: Meeting with Mr. Norman Precoda
1 April 1966
1. At your request I arranged a small meeting yesterday
to listen to a briefing by Mr. Preaoda on "an orderly and
systems approach to the national security problem." Present
at the meeting were Sherman Kent, Abbot Smith, Edward Proctor,
2. Mr. Precoda's scheme is still in a formative stage;
he expects to publish it where complete. It represents an attempt
to depict on a chart the degrees of conflict and tension which
exist here and there in the world, and to combine with this a
graphic presentation of the means and instruments which the US
has to deal with various levels of conflict. It is, therefore,
a scheme probably more applicable to the problems of policy-
makers, and especially of force planners, than to those of
intelligence producers. Mr. Precoda's chart would depict in a
rough fashion the ordinary and average trend of affairs in the
world; but we in our estimating business are concerned most
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importantly with trying to foresee what is abnormal and alarming.
Mr. Precoda agreed that his scheme would not be of much help in
this aspect of our business. Nevertheless, his presentation was
interesting and we had an agreeable and, productive conversation
afterwards.
25X1
ABBOT SMITH
Attached is a piece of work on another subject, which
Mr. Precoda asked me to pass on to you, because of your
interest in matters Californian,
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