PLAN TO COORDINATE U.S. AID TO REBELS SAID UNDER REVIEW

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000201080039-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 9, 2012
• Sequence Number: 39
• Publication Date: July 27, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/09: CIA-RDP9O-00965ROO0201080039-2
nTTLE APPEARft PHIL.-1DELPHI . INQUIRfP
G4 PAGE 27 July 1985
Pkn to (Wrdmate
U.S. aid to rebels
said under review
Alfonso Chardy
Jqcarer WnNngtee er.w
WASHINGTON - Reagan adminis.
tration officials are debating the pa?o-
sibility of opening a "freedom fight-
ers bureau" to coordinate U.S.
support for anticommunist insur-
gents around the world - including
the Nicaraguan contras, administra-
tion sources say.
If President Reagan approves such
a plan, the United States could con-
ceivably end up funding or endors-
ing the activities of about 325,000
guerrillas in seven Marxist-ruled
countries - Afghanistan, Angola,
Cambodia, Ethiopia, Laos, Mozam-
bique and Nicaragua.
And if the United States tunas
them all, the cost could run as high
as $1 billion a year, according to
congressional computer projections
based on current funding for Afghan
and Cambodian rebels.
Administration sources said the -
project received impetus from a
June 2 summit of pro-U.S. rebels in
Jamba, Angola, and recent congres-
sional votes renewing aid to the con-
tras, lifting a ban on aid to Angolan
rebels and approving additional
funding for the Cambodians.
Nevertheless, sources said, cre-
ation of a coordinating agency is a
long way away. First, Congress must
complete action on restoring aid for
the contras, a process that began last
week in a House-Senate conference
committee.
There is also a lack of consensus
within the administration about the
need for such an agency, sources
said, and disagreements over
whether to back all anticommunist
rebels. Debate has also arisen over
whether to put the coordinating of-
fice in the CIA, the Pentagon, the
State Vepartm2nt or the National Se-
curl.
ministration moderates argue,
said sources, that supporting rightist
rebels everywhere Would equate the
United States with the Soviet Union.
which supports many leftist move-
ments. Such support would further
exacerbate tensions with Moscow,
moderates were reported to contend,
drain the U.S. Treasury and dilute
support for the Nicaraguans.
But those supporting the idea ar-
gue that the United States should put
its money where its mouth is. They
note that although Reagan espouses
the anti-Soviet fighters' cause, the
administration has given little or no
money to any rebels except the Af-
ghans, Cambodians and Nicaraguans.
In Mozambique, they point out, the
State Department even supports the
Marxist regime.
They also say the United States
should counter Soviet support for
insurgencies because the rebels are
a part of a worldwide war between
the superpowers.
"This is not an undeclared war,"
said director William in
a May 1 speech In New York, re er-
ring to Moscow's support or e
insurgencies. --in 1951, ruse ev ...
told us that communism would win
not through nuclear war, which
could y e world, or conven-
nonal war, which could uic ead
to nuclear war, out through wars of
national liberation in Africa Asia
and Latin America."
e debate may result in creation
of a "freedom fighters bureau" if
only because the White House will
need to coordinate the work of all
agencies that may be providing vari-
ous forms of support to rebel groups
over the next few years, sources said.
Spokesmen for the White House,
the State Department and the Penta-
gon said they were not aware of
plans for a freedom fighters office.
But CIA spokeswoman Patti Volz in-
dicated the spya enc knew about it.
"As to whether the administration
is planning to set up a freedom fight-
ers bureau," she said. "it's not up to
the CIA to comment. If the indeed,
intend to do such a ing It would be
up to the White ouse to comment
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/09: CIA-RDP9O-00965ROO0201080039-2