RESPONDING TO EUROPEANS' NUCLEAR FEARS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000100150148-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 29, 2012
• Sequence Number: 148
• Publication Date: January 29, 1982
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sl Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/29: CIA-RDP90-00965R000100150148-5
10T.E APP.EA E
OIi
THE WASHINGTON POST
29 January 1982
tespon d*n the means of other European coon: In fact, however, the scenario for
tj tries, so their people are demanding ."Ivy League '82" envisions a world3i
j; that their governments do something
To EL~rOpea Y1S~ -" 't~~de crisis, in which "active consid-
to halt the nuclear arms race. . -`- eration of selective nuclear release is
r Meanwhile, the Pentagon has de- -.under way when a strategic nuclear_
~+
1 7~L~Clec~L? Fears cided to keep a low profile on its strike is made on the United States"
nuclear command exercise, "Ivy by Soviet missiles..
League '82," scheduled for March 1.., The command exercise culminates'
The Reagan administration's woe= According - to a secret Pentagon in a simulated nuclear exchange be-
ries over our European allies' "pac- briefing paper, "conduct of a world- tween the. two superpowers. So--at
ifism" in the ?facgeof.Soviet aggres wide nuclear command postexercise least in this paper exercise, the Penh
sion are 'matbhed by the allies' con- could show strength of purpose." But tagon hasn't abandoned. Europe. The,
cern over the =J eagan administration. the generals have decided that this alternative of a worldwide holocaust
The Furdgeans are nervous about spring's exercise will be "secret and may be of small comfort to our al
what they consider America's tradi- . sensitive." lies, however.
tional amateurism in foreign affairs The spring war game "could be
perceived by some as making prep-
generally. In addition, the allies. are
arations for the actual use of nuclear
upset by. President. Reagan's failure. weapons and thus acting' inconsis-
to formulate a comprehensive--Mid-- tently with.: our position that such
die East policy, and his administra-4-._ exist for the purpose of deterrence,"
tion's apparent hostility to interna-'._ the briefing document acknowledges.
tional organizations. "i - It adds that the exercise "could be
One issue on which the` Reagan - < exploited by certain elements in Eu-
administration is showing increased rope to increase fears that we are
sensitivity to European concerns is planning for the conduct of a nuclear
nuclear arms negotiations with the- conflict limited to the continent."
Soviet Union. Just as more and more This fear-intensified by Presi-
Americans object to nuclear power?1- dent: Reagan's injudicious remark
plants in their backyard, so;,Euro-.., foreseeing just such a possibility-is
peans are frightened by the' 55,000 not entirely groundless, sources told
NATO nuclear weapons in, their my associate Ron McRae. Since the
midst and an equally awesome ar Warsaw Pact nations have far great-
serial in the Soviet bloc, er ground forces than NATO, U.S.
planners do envision "selective re
A measure of this 'concern is the leases" of tactical nukes against So-
Swiss,, program requiring a - fully viet armor invading Western Eu-
equipped fallout shelter for every rope. They hope the limited use of
home and public building. Such'. nuclear weapons would not lead to a
wholesale precautions , are' beyond; wholesale exchange of missiles.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/29: CIA-RDP90-00965R000100150148-5