REAGAN BACKS ACTION PLAN FOR CENTRAL AMERICA POLITICAL, PARAMILITARY STEPS INCLUDED

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84B00049R001202830016-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 18, 2006
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: February 14, 1982
• Content Type: OPEN

STAT Approved For Release 2006/05/25 : CIA-RDP84B00049R001202830016-4
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r1,.1 . C__'-E7 I II NJ T~~
011 PAGE ` : 14 February 1982
some sources to be training as many
as 1,000 men for this purpose.
As.. reportedly contemplated' by
tlie'CIA, on-Americans would be
or the most part in imple-
mentation of its plan, but the pos-
sible`-use of American personnel to
undertake unilateral paramilitary ac
tion against some unspecified "spe-
cial Cuban targets" also was envis-
Tt could not be learned whether.
th IA ro has been approved
'-implemented. Reliable sources,
however, said that U.S.-backed ac-
tivities aimed at Nicaragua have
been' started along the Honduran-
Nnciraguan border within the last
three months.
sThese U.S. activities, according to
one report, have been limited initial-
ly to advising and supporting a force
made up largely of anti-Sandinista
exiles in Honduras in a position to
XT. e The
un
re
h
Political, Paramilitary Steps Incl~ided'
By Don Oberdorfer and Patrick E. Tyler
Washington Post S%&If Writers , . ;
President Reagan has authorized a brow
program of U.S. planning and action in war-1
torn Central America, including the encourage-
ment of political and paramilitary operations
by other governments against the Cuban pres-
ence in Nicaragua, informed sources said yes-
terday.
The administration program, adopted after
top-level discussions in the National. Security
Council, includes a range of economic, political
and propaganda elements in addition to pro-.
moting action by friendly foreign governments
designed to disrupt. Cuban-Nicaraguan supply
lines of arms to guerrilla forces in El Salvador.
- It is not known at this point what action, if
any, has been taken by other governments, or
what direct support, if any, the United States
has provided.
A White House spokesman said last night
that he was unable to comment on the reports.
Administration officials have charged that
the rebel forces in .El Salvador :are. directed
from bases in Nicaragua with the assistance-ott
Cuban advisers, and that training bas and;
supply facilities in Nicaragua provide aes plat-
form for the Salvadoran insurgency.
Since a three-month U.S. effort to reach s
negotiated accommodation with . the Nib
caraguan regime became deadlocked at the a id
of last October, U.S. officials increasingly have;
viewed Nicaragua as a menace to U.S. interests.
on the scale of "another Cuba."
As part of the effort to counteract secret;
Cuban-Nicaraguan insurgency support acti -:
ities, which have been publicly denied by Ma
nagua, the CIA is reported to have ro a1
secret $19 million lan to build a broad olit'I
i opposition to the Sandinista rule in Nic
araggaan to create action teams" or pars t.
military, political operations and intelligence-
gathering in Nicaragua and elsewhere..
One friendly foreign government that might1
be involved is Argentina, whose ruling military?
junta long has been opposed to leftist activitiest
in the hemisphere , and which is reporrted., br
g
e caragu .
-harass t
activities are reported to have been i
stepped up in recent weeks to match I
.military action by goer-
rias'in nearby El Salvador.
Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Mi-I
gue1 D'Escoto, in an interview withi
United Press International Feb. 5,1
aged that the United States was%
arming an exile army of 6,000 men
in 20 training camps along the bor
der in collusion with Honduras, Gua
ia'a and Argentina.
c ki~ S" A,~ c~tl 0,111 n~_.,
Argentina has denied military in-
volvement in Central America, and i
last week withdrew its ambassador
,'rojn ~Vianague U.S. spokesmen have
to comment on reports of I
American support for covert actions
in the area, citing a longstanding
rule against confirming or denying
such activities. .
Reagan, who is reported to have
approved many of the elements of
the overall approach to Central
America in mid-November, is spend-
ing time this weekend drafting a i
speech to announce the- long-'I
promised Caribbean Basin plan of
economic support for friendly na-
tions.
The speech, which is expected to
be delivered within 10 days, will be
the high-water mark of Reagan's I
public involvement in the adminis-
tration's concern about development
in the area.
lowed Secretary. of State Alexander
M. Haig Jr. and other officials to l
take a high profile of concern, con-
demnation and warnings, but Rea-
gan has had-much less to say.
The president is unlikely to pro-vide details in the forthcoming.':
speech of the military aspects of the
plans to counter Cuban and Ni-I
caraguan influence. It was learned,
however, that the Defense Depart-
ment has been authorized to draw
up contingency plans to deal with
"unacceptable military action" . by
Cuba in the future.
One part of the planning is to ad- E
dress the possible use of U.S. forces
to deter the possible introduction of
Cuban military forces into Central
America.
Another aspect is planning for ex-
ertion of "direct pressure" against
Cuba, in the form of such actions as
a naval quarantine to block Cuban i
domestic petroleum supplies, and re-
taliatory air actions against Cuban
. forces and installations. . . . ...
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There is no indication of approval Because of the easily stirred fears Congresa was notified in mid-
for such activities, as distinct from ! in this country of "another Vietnam" December of plans to train Salvador-
the authorization to do the contin and the demands of other regions, an forces at U.S. bases. Since then
gency planning. The Pentagon is re- administration attention as well as the training has started at Fort
ported to be strongly opposed to di- public focus on the area has come in Bragg, N.C., for 1,000 Salvadoran
rect U.S. military action in' the recurrent waves: an initial burst in troops, the latest contingent of
Caribbean under current circum- February and March last year, a re- which arrived last Friday. Another
stances, on grounds that the costs newa of intense interest last Sep- 400 Salvadoran officer-cadets are
and risks would be excessive in view I tember-November, and a third wave being trained at-Fort Benning, Ga.
of America's global military respon- of discussion centering on Capitol U.S. military advisers in El Salvador
sibilities. Hill in the past several weeks. are continuing the training of forces
The Reagan administration came .'Among the actions that have hewn ~, there that began early last year.
to power determined to take a approved by Reagan are at least 10 ? Increased U.S. intelligence ac-
stronger stand against Cuban activ- programs or planning efforts cover- tivity in tf the region.
ity in the hemisphere, and was ing a broad spectrum, according to CIA station s oughout Central
quickly confronted with a test of its the sources. America are reported ve been intentions in El Salvador, where an In addition to encouragement of increaed in strength in recen
. unsuccessful "final offensive" bb political and paramilitary activity by weeks, and aerial and other surveil-
rebel forces had been staged in the foreign governments and contingen- lance active ies stepped up.
last days of the Carter administra- cy planning against Cuba, the au- ? 1 ain nance of trade and credit
tion. thorized programs include: to the private sector in Nicaragua as
A year ago this week, Haig, the ?
per-
newly installed secretary of state Additional economic support, long as the government there per-
estimated to total $250 million to mits it to operate effectively. This
propelled El Salvador to the top of $300 million, for Central American; has continued.
the public and diplomatic agenda by ! and Caribbean countries. ' ? Improvement of the U.S. mil-
declaring that the United States will Th' h I th f -;UV- +-A
t
n
ure m e art an e
ary 1
not remain passive in the face of 18 is t e core of the long-!
promised Caribbean Basin plan, thei monstrate U.S. concern and willing-,
" auivwuilr, dt mum nas been poss-1 frca3 w a~~ u Let=caxily. i beat auca-
phisticated communist activity
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vac an
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ere
n Central of political and bureaucratic diffi- wand communications network, mil-
America, and by threatening to "go . itary exercises and increased intel-
+- ! ..{ culties within the, administration:;
tn tho an.trrn" hi
s
F
C
th
f
h
fuarfy before
orces Caribbean
orn-
is month. A- W.1J.
e end o
t
focus of sharp concern, administra- ? Additional military assistance to mend" was established by the Pen-
tion officials recognize that large-_ El Salvador and Honduras from a; tagon Dec. 1 at Key West to stream-1
scale action against it would risk special emergency fund available toj _ line the military structure by placing
conflict with the. Soviet Union as I !
n.. the president. responsibility for' the area in the
well o t,?+ A- t
o
haw-- uufurr, 6t1c Wt16 Cumunat re-' ocfa?
Cuban forces, which recently were cess over the Christmas-New Year The Washington Post reported
ordered to a higher state of readi- holidays. Lawmakers were notifiedi yesterday that the Pentagon is ac- {
N
Ai
th
Sal
guwfaua attack on L' 1
e -
a~aa
Uwwvu au arty
vador s of
concern here shifted to Nicaragua, principal military airport, that $55 West as part of an expansion of the
where the fall of Anastasio Somoza million in additional military assist-, Caribbean Command's activity, es-
in July, 1979, brought the Sandinis- ante is being allocated to El Sal-, pecially in the intelligence-gathering
tas to Repoowethat Nicaragua has been vador from this fund. No word has field. Additional U.S. military exer-
been given about corresponding aid tikes in the area reportedly are being
the support base for the Salvadoran Honduras, prepared.
guerrilla movement, "the platform," ? a U.S. ? An increased public information
as administration officials called it, training for Salvadoran mil- ; ,
generated ro itary forces in this country and in El program to build national supportp proposals to take action. Salvador. for administration efforts in Central
Alarm bells were also set off here
by a large military buildup in Nic- America. s t
aragua, supported by a growing The administration has given a '
high profile to its information and
number of Soviet and Cuban advis-
ers and increasingly powerful Soviet I objections regarding Cuban and Ni-
weaponry. caraguan activity.
Spore 1,800 to 2,000 Cuban advis- Perhaps the greatest single outcry.
of concern came last Nov. 22, when
ers are reported to be in Nicaragua, three top administration officials--
administration sources have said in
recent days, along with about 50 So- Haig, Secretary of Defense Caspar
W. Weinberger and' presidential
viet personnel counselor Edwin Meese III-appear-
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 Approved For Release 2006/05/25 : CIA-RDP84B00049R001202830016-4
ed almost simultaneously on compet-
ing television interview programs
with expressions of concern about
Central America.
As part of this effort, the State
Department last Dec. 14 published a
lengthy report on Cuba's "support
for violence" throughout Latin
America.
? Tightened economic sanctions
against Cuba.
Efforts along this line were an-
nounced publicly by Assistant Sec-
retary of State Thomas 0. Endeis on
Dec. 14, when testifying on the State
Department report that was released
the same day. ,'
Though Central America-;. lies
much closer to U.S. shores than any
other area of conflict, it has received
the full attention of Washington
only rarely in recent decades.
These episodes, however, have
tended to be intense: the Cuban mis-
sile crisis, the Dominican Republic
intervention, the struggle for power
in Nicaragua, and--now-in El-Sal-
vador being among the. most .prom-
inent examples.,_ --: --------- -
In addition to the civil war in El
Salvador, a rising tide of battle now
is reported in Guatemala Adminis-
tration officials also are concerned at
reports that disparate .. insurgent
groups from Honduras, where little
insurgent activity has been reported
in the past, currently are meeting in
Havana to unify their movements.
U.S. specialists on the region have I
expressed doubt that many years of
neglect can be reversed by another
period of intense but temporary in- !
terest on the part of Washington.
In addition, there is much dispute
among specialists about the admin-
istration's prescriptions for dealing
with the region's woes, especially the
emphasis on outside interference
and military problems, rather than,
longstanding social, political and
economic difficulties.
Many citizens of the United
States, including policy makers,
members of Congress and journal-
ists, have only the barest knowledge
of this area so close at hand.
The ability to remain construe
tively engaged in Central America
over a long period of time, especially
in the economic and political areas,
is yet to. be demonstrated,: in the
view of -those who know the region
best.
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