BATTLE BEING WAGED ON MILITARY POLICY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000402700079-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 26, 2012
• Sequence Number: 79
• Publication Date: January 25, 1981
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/26: CIA-RDP90-00965R000402700079-6
AM CLZ AF?ZL&M
OX DICE
-V - F OF
NEW YORK TIMES
25 JANUARY 1981
BATTLE BEING WAGED
ON MILITARYLPOL1tY
. 'y~?4?~,Dr.~.1~;..M Yom;
Secretary Weinberger's- Slow Start
in Taking Control of Pentagon
Is Seen Fueling Struggle
By RICHARD HALLORAN
tael~lOOYb~lt~wYork7lmM? -
WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 A`many-`
sided tug-of-war over military policy has
broken. out within the Reagan Adminis-
tration; according to officials in the Pen-
tagon, on, Capitol Hill and in the White
House
The conflict; 'the officials 'as
sharpened largely because the new Sec-
refary of Defense, Caspar Wi. Weinber-
ger, and his closest associates have been
slow tatake control.
Struggles such as this are common-
place among newcomers,to power in
Washington, but this one appears to be
the most complex of the new Administra-
tion.
Mr. Weinberger, a forme"r- Federate
budget director, has been 'preoccupied
with advising the new President on the
budget and economic policy, according to
Reagan officials. In addition, they said,
he has been hampered because be ex-
pended much political capital by insisting Frank C. Carlucci, a longtime
associ ateg Deputy Secretary; despite
objections from Influential Reagan- sup=
porters.
v 1[.ag1n SelectlagStat..,;.,
For' those reasons. phis his acknowl-
edged lack of familiarity with military
issues, Mr.. Weinberger has lagged in get,
ting control of the budget process in the
Pentagon: that will determine much' of
military policy for the next year: He has
also fallen behind in naming his team to
take charge of the complicated military.
and civilian bureaucracy in the Penta.
gon, based on standards that Mr. Reagan
set afterihis election when he promised
that hiPAdministration would "hit, the.
r...-j.'i' .'t11. `.~14f!?;
ground hinning.".
'?iladdition, Mr Carlucci. who"was the
Deputy Director of Central -Intelligence
in the Carter Administration, has contin-
ued as acting director of the Central In-
him from his work in the Pentagon.,
The consequent delay, according to the
officials.. has permitted other centers of.''
power an.. military. Issues to emerge.
Among those involved in this struggle are
Senator John G. Tower; Republican of
Texas, thenew; chairman of the Armed
Services Committee; conservatives led
by Senator Jesse Helms, Republican of
North Carolina; Secretary of State Alex-
ander M. Haig Jr., and staff officials of
the National Security Council such as
William R. Van Cleave, as well as other
White House officials.
Mr. Haig, the new Secretaiy-of State,
put his imprint on the Administration's.
foreign policy swiftly despite Democrats'
attacks on.. him attSenate confirmation
hearings.,.. ;5;
Tower's Expanding Influence
,Senator Tower was a surrogate for Mr.
Reagan. on military issues in the. cam-
paign and has continued to advise the
new President., He moved quickly early
this month to give his subcommittees a,
stronger voice in overseeing the. Penta
goln. His own staff has prepared proposed
changes in the current military budget as
well as the next one.
Next week he plans to hold hearings, at
which Mr. Weinberger was scheduled to
testify, on the nation's military posture.
Hh has set Feb. 5 as the informal deadline
for completing those hearings and on
ndminations, for the senior staff in the
Pentagon, and- Feb. 23 for beginning
hearings on the budget. ' - .
The Senator has said he wants to add
$11 billion to $14 billion to the current
military budget, while Mr. Weinberger is
looking for ways to hold the increase to
the $6.3 billion, as proposed by his prede-
cessor, Harold Brown.
? ,Senator Helms vigorously opposed Mr.
Weinberger's confirmation on the Senate
floor. His expressed views parallel may
of those held by Mr. Reagan's still for-
midable "kitchen cabinet" of California
businessmen, who have accused Mr.
Weinberger of being unfaithful to cam-
paign pledges to put heavy muscle into
the military. Mr. Helms has vowed to t
ttl block the confirmation of r, r ucc ,
o has n accused by some conserva-
Move to Oust Chief of Stall
-Senator Helms has also asserted that
he will seek to have President Reagan
dismiss Gen. David C. Jones, as Chair-
man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for hav-
ing supported former President Carter's
military policies. That move seems cer.
tain to set off a bitter fight, unless Mr..
Weinberger sacrifices General Jones.
: Mr. Van Cleave, who will serve under
Richard V. Allen on the staff of the Na-
tional Security Council; had led a transi-
tion team on military policy and planned
to give the new Secretary recommenda-
tions on budget revisions and staffing of
the Pentagon on Jan. 20. .
Mr. Weinberger's abrupt dismissal of
Mr. Van Cleave and his team in Decem-
der took the steam out of that effort. More
important, Mr. Van Cleave had expect
to take a senior position in the Pentagon
from which be could influence military
policy. Administration sources say he
seems certain to try that from the White
House now.
In addition, Mr. Weinberger has had
disputes with other White House officials
over his insistence on naming his choices
for his senior subordinates in the Penta-
gon, rather than Reagan loyalists.
Still, officials, friends and others who
have known Mr. Weinberger since his
earlier incarnations in Washington as Di-
rector of the Office of Management and!
fludget and as Secretary of Health,(
Education and Welfare asserted that his
ability to take control should not be un-i
derestimated. Both he and Mr. Carlucci,!
they said, are "quick studies" who can
master complicated Issues swiftly.
Those who know Mr. Weinberger said
he had demonstrated considerable politi-
cal skill in bureaucratic infighting. Fi-1
nally, everyone agreed Mr. Weinbe
r-~
ger's unquestioned source of power is his
long and close, relationship with Presi-}
dent Reagan, a relationship that so fart
has not been weakened by the struggle
eLdencle...Y,.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/26: CIA-RDP90-00965R000402700079-6