IN THE GROWING DEBATE OVER EL SALVADOR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000707060045-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 11, 2010
• Sequence Number: 45
• Publication Date: March 1, 1982
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/11: CIA-RDP90-00552R000707060045-4
ARTICLE PP: ABED
ON PAGE
U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
1 March 1982
Can El Salvador be saved from a Communist take-
over by a reasonable infusion of American military
and economic aid? Or is the U.S. sliding inexorably
into a Vietnam quagmire in its efforts to defeat the
Marxist guerrillas in that Central American country?
A national debate is shaping up around that issue as
the 'administration weighs critical decisions on the
future U.S. role in the conflict
. What. follows are comments by key participants in'.
the evolving debate: A defense of administration poli
cy by two cabinet members, and the views of two.
senators and a. congressman following their recent
fact-finding mission to El Salvador.
"We Have to Make Sure We Don't Allow on
The Mainland a Bastion of Communism?
Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, from an inter-!
view on NBC's "The Today Show," February 16:
Q There have been stories that the CIA feels, without U.S. aid,
perhaps combat.troops, our side is going to lose In El Salvador-
A There's been no suggestion of that that I know of.
What the suggestion is, what we have discussed and what
necessarily has to continue to be discussed is the degree. of
assistance that we can provide El Salvador-strengthening them to do the job that they want to. do. So far, we've been
able to do the things requested.
"Ameyacan Tr8oJs Would Have a Very
Dlfflcull Time F19bling l]I Jl Salvai1or,
Representative John P. Murtha, Democrat of Pennsylva-
nia, from a February 17 press conference:
Dang ar of direct intervention.- "I vas in the Marines, as an
intelligence officer, for a year in Vietnam, and that was rug-
ged territory. You realize how difficult it is to fight in the jun-
gles and how the guerrillas can control the situation in the-
jungles. El Salvador is worse. I mean, it's-there's not a level
piece of land in El Salvador, and American troops would have
a very, very difficult time fighting in El Salvador." ? .
Ex'
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/11: CIA-RDP90-00552R000707060045-4