PRG MEETING ON THE PERSIAN GULF, 20 APRIL 1988

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP89G01321R000600540002-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 1, 2012
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: April 20, 1988
• Content Type: MEMO

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Declassified in Part- Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/05/20: CIA-RDP89G01321R000600540002-6
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MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
20 April 1988
SUBJECT: PRG Meeting on the Persian Gulf, 20 April 1988
1. The PRG assembled at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday to discuss developments in
the Persian Gulf and US next moves to meet the continuing Iranian threats.
Admiral Jonathan Howe briefed on recent events and noted particularly the
discovery of more mines, about 12 since the USS Roberts was mined last week.
He focused on options being considered by the JCS to raise the deterrent level
of US forces in the Gulf and to increase their effectiveness, particularly
against Iranian mine and missile threats. He also talked about options for
increasing the effectiveness of the US escort program and modest changes in
the US Rules of Engagement to allow greater assistance to tankers and merchant
shi s attacked by Iran.
2. I briefed the group on Iranian actions in the Gulf, the implications
of Iraq's recapture of the Al Faw peninsula from Iran, and likely Iranian
reactions to that and the confrontation with the US. I noted that Iran had
fired a Scud missile into a neutral zone oilfield near Kuwait, hitting
nothing, and that Iranian arm n hnatc attarkpd a UAE tanker. On the loss of Al
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back across the Shatt al Arab, they may have suffered heavy losses of men and
equipment, and probably are not in a position to counterattack. Iraq's
victory may encourage it to order further attacks against weakened Iranian
forces on the southern front. I pointed out that we believe Iran is more
likely to seek revenge than be cowed by its setbacks in the Persian Gulf and
at Al Faw. For the near term the Iranians may not seek further confrontati7
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CL BY SIGNER
DECL OADR
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/05/20: CIA-RDP89G01321R000600540002-6
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SUBJECT: PRG Meeting on the Persian Gulf, 20 April 1988
In sum, the Iranians have maintained an aggressive posture in the Gulf since
the US escort program was announced nearly a year ago. We have seen nothing
to suggest that they are prepared to change their attitude on that or the war
with Iraq.
cc: DCI
DDCI
The Above Informa
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Acting lepu Pirec or or n e igence
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/05/20: CIA-RDP89G01321R000600540002-6
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