LETTER TO ADMIRAL STANSFIELD TURNER FROM CARL MARCY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81M00980R000600020002-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 13, 2004
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: December 12, 1978
• Content Type: LETTER

AMERICAN COMMITTEE ON EAST-WEST' ACCORD
December 12, 1978
Admiral Stansfield Turner
Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, DC 20505
Several members of the American Committee on East-West Accord have
expressed grave concern at leaks which have emanated increasingly from
sources within the Executive Branch. In view of the American Committee's
interest in SALT II, as well as non-strategic trade, I have been asked
to request your comments on such situations as the following:
I. Security-type leaks. A number of magazines, such as Aviation
Week, seem to have access to sources within the Administration and
frequently publish articles which contain sensitive information which
must be of great value to a potential enemy. A survey of articles in
the New York Times since early 1978 indicates many instances in which
such writers as Burt, Middleton, and Weinraub, have been given highly
classified information by "sources within the Administration."
I would appreciate receiving your assessment of the volume of such
leaks, their effect on the national security, and what you as Director
of Central Intelligence have been able to do to stem these leaks.
II. Policy leaks. In addition to the leakage of security infor-
mation, the sources mentioned above have frequently been used by offi-
cials to air policy disputes in the press in such a way as to enlist
support of special interest groups, thereby prejudicing the hope one has
of objective policy decisions.
I would appreciate your comments on leaks of this kind, their effect
of the formulation of policy, and what has been, and can be done, to
bring this growing practice under control..
'
' STEWART H
MOTT
ETH
GALBRAITH
ROBERT O. SCHMIOT
Pr esrderit
CARL MARCY
Secretary-Treasurer & Co-Director
MEYER BERGER
Pre,_ ',I Berger Co. -
Es-Oriicio Member;
.
Chairman. Fund ro-
:~assador;
Execute Vice President
Control Data Corp.
Former Chief of Staft, Senate
Foreign Relations Committee
Prei.. Unit, of Notre Dare
Constirut:onal Cost
4'kE.VO.ALL'':.
-FRED WARNER NEAL
Pre;.. Prop. Mgmt. & Maint.
- - - '??- --- --' -
U'%-C,%
- -`-- ue.. reoeratton ct
Exec. Vice President
CHARLES MORGAN, IR.
l
l
t
American Scienrat;
. ?ep; Co.
Chairman. Intl Relations Faculty
Claremont Grad' ate School
Cenera
Coun,e
Charles Morgan Jr. & Assoc.
JOSEPH FILNER
Pre..
. Nobleme; Intl., Inc-.
JEANNE V. MAT-TISON
CoDirector -
-
KENNETH W. THOMPSON
.r. Communweal rh 7,or. of Intl.
3CE.VNA\
,
Relations. Unir, oe lA
STEPHEN SCHLOSSBERG WILLIAMATTWOOD .. - -? - .. - '" - - "
no.; General course:Approved For-Release,2004/05/21~~nGIA.R 81 MOO98OR000600020002-2' ,President. alT
Q c is-,~/ST,
227 MASSACHUSETTS AVE., N.E., SUITE 300, WASHINGTON; D.C. 20002 [phone]
 Here are examples of types of leaks ("leaks" are not necessarily
"facts") which are of special concern to the American Committee:
A. With respect to the ratification of SALT IT, there is on the
one hand the leak to the effect that the U.S. is on the verge of a
breakthrough weapons development. This tends to frighten the Russians.
On the other hand, a leak to the effect that'the Russians are on the
verge of a breakthrough, or about. to deploy some exotic new weapons,
frightens the-Senate. (See attached editorial from NTY Times, 12/10/78.)
The effect of such leaks--all from the Executive Branch--is to
defeat President Carter's efforts to bring SALT II into effect.
B. With respect to U.S.-Soviet trade, there have been similar
leaks. For example, if one group of persons in the Administration
wants to prevent the export of an item, the leaker seeks support of
special groups by use of the press to peddle the leak, thus discouraging
an objective decision based on facts rather than rumors.
There are, as you know, many, many similar examples.
We know you are concerned with leaks as we are--some of which are
factual, others put out for the consumption of scoop-conscious reporters.
We' know it is impossible to stem all leaks, but it does seem in recent
months- that what has always been a trickle has become a running stream.
I hope your comments on this situation will not be confined to
specific cases as the problem deserves policy attention either by the
Agency or the Congress..
Page Two
Admiral Stansfield Turner
December 12, 1978
Approved For Release 2004/05/21 : CIA-RDP81 M00980R000600020002-2
NY Times editorial, 12/10/78
.cc:- Senator.Inouye
Approved For Release. 2004/05/21 .C1A-:RDPP81M0098OR000600020002=2
 Approved For Release 2004/05/21 : CIA-RDP81 M00980R000600020002-2
Mu~h Ado About Dcath days X111 Ga
Is the United States in rang r of being zapped into
submission by Soviet death rays? That alarning.possi-
bility is b;inr .raised again by sane weapons-watchers
who believe Russia holds a commanding lead in the
development of "directed-energy" weapons. These in-
clude beams of atomic particles, similar to lightning,
or of hif a-energy laser radiation, a form oZ light.
According to one alarming scenario, the Soviets
might perfect a beam weapon that could be mounted on
satellites and used to destroy American missiles
shortly after they were launched. Even more grim are
suggestions that particle beams might be used to ir-
radiate large areas and destroy human life.
Ilappily. there is reason to doubt the imminence of
the threat, perceived chiefly by Maj. Gen. George Kee-
gan n, retired Air Force intelligence chief, and by the
magazine Aviation Weck & Space Technology. The De-
fenso Department and C.I.A. find no evidence that the
Russians are on the verge of a breakthrough or even
engaged In a crash program to develop beam weapons.
Iiic chief advantage of the beams is that, they
would reach their targets almost instantaneously. But
to have any effect, they must make direct hits and so be
far more accurate than nuclear interceptors, Further-
more, laser beams can be blocked by cloudy weather.
After spending $1 billion on lasers over the past decade,
the Defense Department acknowledges that 'it is far
too early to identify a military application for which a
laser weapon system is uniquely suited."
Particle beams are even further from practical ap-.
plication. They could be rpore destructive than lasers.
regardless of weather, but would require enormous
energy and extraordinary accuracy. Moreover, a beam
system designed to'shoot down missiles would prob-
ably be as easy to foil as any other antiballistic missile
system; it could be confused by decoys or jammed or
overwhelmed by thousands of incoming targets.
Given the uncertainties and the vast sums already
spent on lasers with doubtful results, the Administra-
tion's approach to particle beams appears just about
right -- exploring possibilities, while deferring any.
major effort as "very expensive and premature,`'
Approved For Release 2004/05/21 CIA-RDF81 M00~80R0006bd020002 2
 EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT (O/DCI)
Routing Slip
ACTION
INFO
DATE
INITIAL
DCI
2
DDCI
f
3
DD/RM
4
DD/NFA
5
DD/CT
6
DD/A
7
DD/O
8
DD/S&T
9
GC
10,
LC
11
IG
12
Compt
13
D/PA
14
D/EEO
15
D/Pers
16
AO/DCI
17
C/IPS
18
19
20
21
22
SUSPENSE DATE: 22 'December 19-78
Remarks:
P?-aye develop response. If over your
sig laatu 'ey please ceear 4ftt? I)PIC-11 and 5,C11.
tx curve ecre ory_
1~3 ec ~er I IS
pLQyed_ 9r Release 2004/05/21: CIA-RDP81 MO098Q 02-2