CABLE TO HENRY A. KISSINGER FROM BRENT SCOWCROFT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-550-1-63-0
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: April 27, 2010
• Sequence Number: 63
• Publication Date: October 10, 1974
• Content Type: CABLE

No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/04/27: LOC-HAK-550-1-63-0
T 0 P S E C` E T SENTIVE EXCLUSIVE EYES vfdLY CONTAINS CODE
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ON-FILE NSC RELEASE INSTRUCTIONS
APPLY
TOHAK 12
PA:" rO ADA'1S/:3Ri,:'1iR FOR THE ;SEC-" ::'ARY
0 101t)331 OCT 74
OCTOSEP 10, 1974
T03 HENRY A. KI'SSINGER
FROM r F3:'EIT SCOWCROFT
'gVEA A 'WI'THrSC1&"LESINGER WAS SURPR',ISINGLY UNLVL.N'UL'. DIS-
CUJS ION DPENED ON CONGRESSIONAL P~)LII ICS. SC {LESIt GER MADE A GREAT
$HK OF HIS CLOSE CONTACTS ON THE HILL, FAMILIARITY WITH DIFFERENT
CONGRESSIONAL RACES, AND HIS DISCUSSIONS WITH THE AFL/CIO IN SUPPORT
OF "GOOD CANDIDATES," IT SEEMED TO MF. PATENTLY AN EFFORT TO
DEMONSTRATE TO THE PRESIDENT THAT HE OPERATED VERY EFFECTIVELY
O THE WILL.
I(3CUSSSION THEN !' URNEL) TO MATTER OF BASE CLOSINGS. SCHLESINGER
IE!` T i O'J* D SEVERAL TOUGH ONE: HE HOPES TO CLOSE AFTER THE ELECTIONS,
1UCH A5 FRANvF'URT ARSENAL IN PHILADELPHIA, FORT DIX AND FORTMONR'OE.
THE PRESIDENT GENERALLY CONCURRED IN THE REQUIREMENT FOR LASE
CLOSINGS, AS LONG AS IT WAS NOT 31MPLY A MANEUVER TO PUNISH SOME
PEOPLE AN`) HELP OTHERS OUT aY SNIFTING c ASES FATHER THAN CLOSING
T IEM.
T~1E PRESIDENT THEN RA1SRJ THE MATTER OF INChEASING TANK
PRODUCTION, SCHLESINGER SAIL) ME ROPED TO GO TO 1200 A YEAR 3UT
THAT THE REAL PROBLEM WAS THAT THERE WAS NO EXCESS FOUNDRY CAPACITY
LEFT, DUE TO E' V IRONMENTAL RESTRICT IONS. THE PPESI )ENT URGED
INCHEASEO Pr+)DUCTION.
. TpHE PRESIDENT ASXEI7 SCHLESINGER WHERE HE WOULD TAKE A it BILLION
CUT I! OUTLAYS IF HE HAD TO SWALLOW ONE. HIS ANSWER WAS THAT HE
'WOULD CUT CIVIL SERVICE, BUT THAT THE 014LY WAY TO GET QUICK
EFFECT WOULD SE TO CUT O&M COSTS. IN THAT CASE HE WOULD PERHAPS
HAVE TO CUT OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT, IN THE MEDITERRANEAN, FOR
EXA''"PLE. THE PRESIOIENT POINTED OUT THAT A CUT WOULD GIVE HIM
A 0OOL EXCUSE TO CLOSE OBSOLETE BASE FACILITIES, BUT JIM RESPONDED
THAT 4E REALLY NEEDED NO EXCUSE. HE THAN WENT ON TO PAINT OUT
TH T DEFENSE SPENDING WAS STPLI. DECLINING AS A PERCENTAGE OF GNP
AND THAT IT COULD NOT CONTINUE TO DO SO IF WE IN FACT WISHED
TO REMAIN -SECOND TO NONE". HE SAID THAT INFLATION HAS COST
ENSE S9 BILLION AND THAT WE ARE NOW FACING II.LNEASED PROCURE-
COSH'S FROM PROGRAMS INITIATED IN PRIOR YEARS.
'THE PRESIDENT ASXEU IF DJFENSL COULD NOT HELP IN GETTING
CENGPE-SSIQNAL APPROVAL FOR PRODUCTION FROM PE'TROLEIP. RESERVES.
~(l u.T Cf 71 Off' 1 N D T s iC U5S I r'9Ne~. ' A 1. C O' ~ 'L U I V k: ,
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/04/27 : LOC-HAK-550-1-63-0
 .) j wj !ENT TftA3 'il T4AT U J 7 'i~ 0()MMANi P1 AN iJAq RVINA R 4:V ISKll
;xt0 L1L,) g No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/04/27 : LOC-HAK-550-1-63-0
S1JC 1 HI+M'': " AS CLOSING THE SOUTHERN CO'`11MAND HEADQUARTERS, WHICH
HE " VPV kOULD BE GIVEN TO BUNKER AS A "10ODIE" FOR HIS NEGOTIATIONS
o'IT -i PA" A: A, AND THE ALASKAN CO'IMANDD HEADQUARTERS.
T+-!E PRESIDENT ASKED WHO SCHLESINGER '4 ANTED AS ARMY -VICE CHIEF.
JI" RESPONDED THAT KIRWIN HAS BEEN NOMINATED BL1 HE THOUGHT HIM
IAYBE A LITTLE OLD. HE 'WANTED THE ARMY TO GET SOME YOUTH INTO
.
ITS T N! EE AND FOUR STAR RANKS
DISCUSSION THEN TURNED BRIEFLY TO VIETNAM. SCHLESINGER
SAID ME THOUGHT WE WOULD NEED TWO TO THREE HUNDRED MILLION
DOLLARS MORE IN MILITARY AID AN 1) HE SAI) MCFALL HAD TOLD HIM
HE THOtU3HT HE COULD GET IT THROUGH FHE HOUSE::
THE PRE;- IDENT SAID HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT PORTUGAL (THIS
OUVIOUSLY STIMULAT D BY YOUR REPORT OF YOUR CORTINA TALK).
JIM SAID HE HAD TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THE SUBJECT AND HAD RAISED
THE POSSI3ILITY OF TAKING THE AZORES *IN TRUST" IF PORTUGAL
WENT COMMUNIST. THE PRESIDENT OBSERVED THAT SUCH A MOVE
WOULD RAISE ENORMOUS FUROR IN THE UrN. SCHLESINGER DID NOT
THINK 30, COMMENTING THAT THE LITTLE COUNTRIES CRITICIZED
US ONLY WHEN THEY THINK THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH IT. IF WE
ACT TOUGH, HE THOUGHT THAT INEY WOULD NOT BE TOO MUCH
TROUBLE.
. T 4E PRESIDENT THEN SAID HE HAD TO LEAVE UNLESS JIM HAD
ANYTHING ELSE TO RAISE, SCHLESINGER RESPONDED THAT HE HAD
BROUGHT A BOOK WITH HIM TO DISCUSS SALT. THE NOOK WAS ON
MISSILE CHARACTERISTICS AND SCHLESINGER SAID HIS OBJECTIVE
WAS TO POINT OUT THAT MIRV'S WERE NOT HOMOGENOUS ENTITIES,
THAT THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MIRVED SS"9
AN"-' A MIRVED SS- 19p FOR EXAMPLE. THE PRESIDENT SI GESTED
DEFERR19G A SALTSXON UNTIL FRIDAY, OCTO3ER 18.
THE LAST SUBJECT RAISED WA PERSONNEL. JIM MENTIONED
THAT HE HAD SOME WEAK PEOPLE, AND SINGLED OUT 'IDDENDORF.
HE A1.3'0' 3AI:i ITL,JCA. *A MARGINAL ii.!i rAA,T CALLAWAY VAS
4151, OF T lE CIVIL DEFENSE PCT .:- '}#E' ESIDEN'T MENTIONED THAT
CIVIL DEFENSE HAD CHANGED CHARACTER AND HAD MOVED MORE IN THE
DIRECT ON OF DISASTER RELIEF. JIM RESPONDED THAT HE WAS HAVING
PLANNING DONE ON EVACUATION AND THAT THE SOVIET UNION HAD A
VERY FORMIDA3LE CAPABITITY IN CIVIL uEFENSE, AS DID THE CHINESE.
SCHLESIN.GER THEN ASKED FOR FIVE Ml t'UJTES ALONE WITH THE
PRESIDENT, HE TOLD ME AFTERWARDS THAT IT WAS TO DISCUSS A
SENSITIVE PERSONNEL ISSUE.
WARM REGARDS.