CIA - SOVIETS PENTAGON, CIA CONPROMISE ON INTELLIGENCE ESTIMATE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000505230003-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 26, 2010
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: February 23, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2010/08/26: CIA-RDP90-00552R000505230003-5
ASSOCIATED PRESS
23 February 1985
1
CIA - SOVIETS
PENTAGON, CIA CONPROMISE ON INTELLIGENCE ESTIMATE
7N AN EFFORT TO CLARIFY CONFLICTING INTELL:GEN;CE
ESTIMATES! THE CIP AND THE PENTAGON HAVE ISSUED A JOINT STRTENiEi.T
THAT SOVIET DEFENSE SPENDING OUTSTRIPPED U.S. OUTLAY- e .,I, THE,,.,
HALF A TRILLION DOLLARS IN RECENT YEARS.
WHILE THE RATE OF GROWTH I N SOVIET DEFENSE SPENDING DID DECLINE
AFTER 19?b! "THE COST OF (SOVIET) DEFENSE ACTIVITIES HAS EXCEEDED
THAT OF THE ::N:TED STATES EY A LARGE MARGINf'' THE TWO AGENC:ES SF::D
IN A STATEMENT RELEASED FRIDAY.
RCCORD-fNG TO A CHART ATTACHED TO THE STATEMENT! THE SO'v:E7 UNION'-
MILITARY COSTS AMOUNTED TO THE EEUIVALENT OF 12.2 TRILLION BETWEEN
.974 AND ~4E3! COMPARED WITH ;'. U.S. DEFENSE SPENDING OF :Fi.6 TRILL:
"kHILE THIS MARGIN HAS NARROWED WITH THE GROWTH IN I.S. DEFENSE
-PENDING! THE SOVIETS STILL OUTSPEND THE U.S. OVERALL AND IN
IMPORTANT SPECIFIC CATEGORIES BY SUBSTANTIAL MARGINS!" THE S ATEN'EN;T
THE CIA STATEMENT WAS RELEAfED AT THE PENTAGON ALONG WITH A NOTATION
FROM THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT SAYING IT "ENDORSES THE ANALYSIS."
IT WAS SEEN AS AN EFFORT TO CLARIFY CIF; TESTIMONY BEFORE A
CONGRESSIONAL SUBCOMMITEE LAST FALL AND TO REFUTE REPORTS OF AN
INTELLIGENCE RIFT BETWEEN THE MILITARY AND CIVILIAN INTELLIGENCE
AGENCIES.
LAST 'ACV. 2=1 A RANKING CL OFFICIAL TESTIFIED IN SECRET BEFORE A
JOINT ECONOMIC SUBCOMMITTEE THAT THE SOVIET UNION'S DEFENSE BUDGET
HAD GROWN BY ONLY ABOUT 2 PERCENT A YEAR SINCE 197b - DOWN: FROM A
RATE OF 4 PERCENT TO 5 PERCENT.
WHEN A SANITIZED VERSION OF THAT TESTIMONY WAS RELEASED THURSDAYS
SEN. kILLIAN PROXMIRE$ D-kIS.f THE PANEL'S RANKING DEMOCRAT! CHARCEZ'
THE FINDINGS UNDERCUT MUCH OF THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION'S
JUSTIFICATION FOR HIGHER U.S. DEFENSE SPENDING.
Continued
Approved For Release 2010/08/26: CIA-RDP90-00552R000505230003-5
 Approved For Release 2010/08/26: CIA-RDP90-00552R000505230003-5
i- NOVEMBER TESTIMONY ! DELIVERED BY ROBERT GATES! THE DEF'eT Y
7
oS .
DIRECTOR FOR INTELLIGENCE! ALSO APPEARED TO CONFLICT WITH LE-_;?A;C~:;.;
FSSER7I0ViS LAST SUMMER THAT 0 V E R R L L SOVIET t;ILITAR-1 SFENDT.+G wAS
-iNCREA=I~NG AT THE RATE OF .i PERCENT TO PERCENT A YEAR OVER THE
.1 Id
PER:OD.
i' HE (NOVEMBER; TESTIMONY WAS NOT ON SOVIET MILITARY
CRF'F~ILITIES! ! THE STRTE!!ENT EEGINS. -ECRUSE THE INFORMFTI )N
RELEASED BY THE COMMITTEE PRESENTS A NARROW' VIEW OF S0'VVIET MILITA
GROWTH! THE C.?' WISHES TO EMPHASIZE THE BROADER CONTEXT OF ITS
TESTIMONY AND 70 CONVEY A MORE BALANCED - THOUGH STILL PARTIAL -
PICTURE OF THE SOVIET MILITRRY BUILD-UP.!!
i HE STRTENENT ALSO APPEARED TO PLAY DOWN DIFFERENCES OVER A
CONTROVERSIAL PENTAGON REPORT LAST SUMMER THAT ASSERTED SOVIET
SPENDING ON MROOR WEAPONS SYSTEMS HAD INCREASED BETWEEN 5 PERCENT AND
21C PERCENT FROM 1952 TO .9 2.
?. HE STR7ENENT WENT ON TO SAY THAT ''CURRENT SOVIET LEVELS OF
SPENDING PRE SO HIGH ... THAT SOVIET FORCES RECEIVED IN THE YEARS
~9? THRO-GH I9$S A TCTPL CF `,+@t! INTER -CONTINE!iTAL BALLISTIC
MISSILES' MORE THAN 70L! SEA-LAUNCHED t!I.':SILES! 30fii; EOKEERS! 5! Ar,ci
FIGHTERS! SOME 4-51600 NEW TANKS AND SUESTANTiRL NUMBERS'' OF SHIPS
AND SUBMARINES.
' DURING THE SAME PERIOD! THE U.S. ADDED TO ITS INVENTORY 135
INTER-CONTINENTAL MISSILES! 390 SEA-LAUNCHED M SS ILES! NO EQJ!",BER=!
FIGHTERS! 5S!000 TRNf,S AND :(! WARSHIPS.''
Approved For Release 2010/08/26: CIA-RDP90-00552R000505230003-5