CONGRESS/SALVADORAN AID

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01070R000201320006-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 19, 2008
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: August 8, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2008/09/19: CIA-RDP88-01070R000201320006-6
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8 August' 1984
CONGRESS/ BROKAW: In this country, the White house now has started
SALVADORAN AID a summer offensive, a big push for military aid for El
Salvador. The immediate issue is more than $100 million
in emergency assistance. Today the Senate defeated
attempts for the Democrats to cut that. At the same time,
the administration was making its arguments with pictures.
Bernard Kalb was at the State Department tonight.
KALB: The briefing was seen as a calculated effort by the
administration to put pressure on Congress to approve the
controversial military aid packages for El Salvador. The
U.S. ambassador to that country, Thomas Pickering, said
secret intelligence was declassified only last night, and
the top U.S. military man for Central America, General
Paul Gorman, said again that Soviet-blocked countries,
plus Nicaragua, Cuba, and Vietnam, were behind the flow of
arms to the guerrillas. This videotape was shown. It was
said to have been shot recently by a U.S. plane. Its
objective: to prove military hardware was sent to the
rebels. VOICE\OF\U.S.'\GOVERN'MENT\NARRATOR: When the
boats landed on the beach, they were met by personnel
noted on the screen as hot spots. Of particular note, a
crate was apparently off-loaded from one of the boats onto
the shore.
KALB: Gorman then had this warning about El Salvador.
GORMAN (Southern Command): The Democratic government of
President Duarte inaugurated in June of this year cannot
long endure without U.S. assistance. A guerrilla
offensive is imminent.
KALB: If Congress did not come through with the money,
would Congress be blamed for any El Salvador collapse?
GORMAN: The propcsals that we presently have before
Congress, in my view, would permit the government of El
Salvador, within two years, to obtain effective control
over 80-90 percent of its territory and people.
KALB: Gorman said the guerrillas have indicated that
their offensive could come this month, and he emphasized
that emergency aid.should be sent to El Salvador before
the summer is out. Bernard Kalb, NBC News, the State
Department.
Approved For Release 2008/09/19: CIA-RDP88-01070R000201320006-6