MORE AID TO NICARAGUAN REBELS BACKED

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000606120091-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 2, 2010
• Sequence Number: 91
• Publication Date: September 21, 1983
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

ISTAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/02 : CIA-RDP90-00552R000606120091-8
ARTICLE APZLkRED NEW YORK TIMES
ON PAGE -3 21 September 1983
More Aid to ,scar an R~beis ace
_ _ _
An Administration official said that 1Administration'a actions in Central
syedalso !Le Newt mtZSm~ the program outlined by Mr. Casey and. America. The chief critic of the Admin.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 - The Rea- Mr. Shultz went beyond the scope of the -
gan AdBe R Bides, Democrat of Dela-
tellli'gence Committee today that it limited to interdicting arms, but was ware. _ d in the ses-
planned to continue covert military aid more broadly stated in general support sioa, the ip tst in the
to the Nicaraguan insurgents until the of the Nicaraguan rebels. "We were al- . P
Sandinista Crovernment-stopped giving ways being questioned," an official sented a formal ft&ug President
military support to the rebels in El Sal. said, "on whether we were going be. Reagan that It would be in the national
valor, according to participants in the yond ourprok am of interdicting arms. ' security interest to continue a pm-
Now we say, 'Yes, we are supporting mihtary WOW= directed against the
mWilllliiam J. Casey, Directorcretaryof Central 'the rebels -until the Nicaraguans step Sandint::sss?
Intelligence, and Se . of State . their subversion in neighboring coca-
George P. Shultz met forseveral bourn Y -,
.behind closed doors with the commit- - it was"a very positive statement,"_
tee, which is headed by Senator Barry the official said, adding that "I wished.
Goldwater, Republican of Arizona. the press would have been able to bear
Senator Goldwater had requested a re-
port on plans for the fiscal year that ho- Son~nas sadCasts Ricaiar2o8ed
gins onOct L
The Administration is obliged-to re- 0 ParocipaWsaid that t'he'cvveit
pert to the intelligence committees of P aid Was to be used, not only w=0 the
both houses on the goals and objectives S inista= stopped supporting insur- !
of any covert activity. The committee -gents in El Salvador, but in Honduras
had declared in May=that it would cut and Costa RicR as weA.
off the aid in the absence of a new re- The Administration official stressed,
port by Sept.-30. that this approach should end the atgi-
Mosst -of the committee -members :t'oW~rwhnetherZhe won{
were reportedly satisfied by the Jim. was violating its pledge by doing more
ited nature of the Nicaraguan pro than Inst Stopping the arms now. -rbe ,
gram. Some bad been concerned be. official also said that there was no
cause Mr. Casey had reportedly sug- thought of the Administration backing
gested before the Congressional recess . the insurgents in .tzying to 'overthrow
last month . that the Administration the Sandinista Government.
might decide to back the Nicaraguan The House earlier this year passed a
"contras," as the insurgents are bill cutting off all covert aid to the
known, with the aim of overthrowing Nicaraguan insurgents for the 1953 fis-
the Managua Government, which is cal year,' but it stood little chance of
supported by Cuba and other Commu- passage by the Senate. In the absence
nist states. of action by both houses to cut off the.
'Very Impressed With Shultz' aid, it continued. Today's committee
"The members were very impressed meeting seemed to clear the way for
~' Senate approval for the 1984 fiscal
with Blintz one participant said. year, which begins Oct. 1. -The House
"They thought' the plan .was much will have to decide whether it wants to
more sensible than in the past. It v a8 to cut off covert aid in' the
looked as if it had some coherence and next fiscal y~
practicality.
Reagan had said The Senate Intelligence Committee
the ddent United n on has Renerally been supportive of the
that President
eStates had no intent ention
of overthrowing the Sandinista Govern-
ment. Administration officials had said
that the $19 million which had been ap-
propriated in the current fiscal year for :
covert aid was only meant to prevent
arms from Nicaragua from going to
the insurgents in El Salvador.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/02 : CIA-RDP90-00552R000606120091-8