SECRET ARMS SALES TO ALLIES ARE EFFECTIVE TOOL, CIA OFFICIAL SAYS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000807310002-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 11, 2012
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: November 26, 1986
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/01/11 : CIA-RDP90-00965R000807310002-4
ASSOCIATED PRESS
26 November 1986
SECRET ARMS SALES TO ALLIES ARE EFFECTIVE TOOL, CIA OFFICIAL SAYS
S By WILLIAM M. WELCH
WASHINGTON D.C.
The United States should be able to sell arms to its friends more quickly and
"without hanging out all their dirty linen for the world to see," the No. 2
official at the CIA says.
,- Robert M. Gates, deputy director of central intelligence, did not mention the
Reagan administration's secret military weapons deal to Iran, the disclosure of
which touched off an uproar and triggered the resignation of the national
security adviser on Tuesday and the firing of his deputy.
In a speech in San Francisco, however, Gates said expedited and discreet
military sales was one of several steps the United States should take to oppose
the Soviet Union's support of terrorism and its strategic offensive in the Third
World.
"We need to change our approach to foreign military sales so that the United
States can provide arms more quickly to our friends in need _ provide them the
tools to do the job and to do so without hanging out all their dirty linen for
the world to see,"Gates said. "It does not serve any rational purpose to
humiliate those whom we would help."Gates said the United States should continue
to use covert action "to create problems for hostile governments and to provide
discreet help to friendly organizations and governments. Indeed, at times it may
be the only means we have to help them."In a second San Francisco address, he
said the Soviet Union is laying the foundation for developing a rapidly
deployable nationwide anti-ballistic missile system.
He said the CIA estimates that over the past 10 years the Soviets have
spent nearly $150 billion on strategic defense, almost 15 times what the United
States has spent.
Gates made his remarks in speeches to the Commonwealth Club of California and
the World Affairs Council of Northern California. Copies were made available in
Washington by the CIA.
He has held the No. 2 job at the Central Intelligence Agency since
April. He previously was deputy director for intelligence.
He said that throughout the Third World the Soviet Union has played a
"pervasively destructive role," directly and through its client states. He said
that over the past 10 years the Soviets have incited violence and disorder and
sponsored subversion of neutral or pro-Western governments in dozens of
countries, including El Salvador, Honduras, the Caribbean, South korea and
Pakistan.
Afghanistan, he said, underscores both "the full measure of Soviet ambitions
in the Third World," and also new difficulties the Soviets face. More than
100,000 Soviet troops are in Afghanistan.
"A new phenomenon that Soviets have faced in recent years is that they find
themselves on the defensive, supporting high cost, long-term efforts to maintain
in power repressive regimes they have installed or co-opted in Afghanistan,
Angola, Ethiopia, Cambodia, Mozambique, South Yemen and Nicaragua," he said.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/01/11 : CIA-RDP90-00965R000807310002-4
 Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/01/11 : CIA-RDP90-00965R000807310002-4
He said an "umbrella of Soviet support" allows large-scale terrorist
operations.
"Let there be no mistake or ambiguity about it: the Soviet Union supports
terrorism," he said. "Nearly every terrorist group in the Middle East has links
to the U.S.S.R. or one of its clients."Gates offered his remarks about Soviet
strategic defense as an argument for continued research and development of the
"Star Wars" nuclear defense system proposed by Reagan.
He said the Soviets have upgraded the operational ballistic missile defense
system installed around Moscow to the limits allowed by the 1972 Anti-Ballistic
Missile Treaty.
In addition, he said, the Soviets are taking steps that would permit
widespread deployment of anti-ballistic missiles, and have pursued advanced
technologies for strategic defense, such as laser, particle beam, kinetic energy
and microwave technology.
"Taken together, all of the Soviet Union's ABM and ABM-related activities are
more significant and more ominous than any one considered individually," Gates
said. "Cumulatively, they suggest that the U.S.S.R. may be preparing an ABM
defense of its national territory."
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/01/11 : CIA-RDP90-00965R000807310002-4