COMMENTS ON MEMORANDUM FOR THE NSC PLANNING BOARD, "POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF AFRO-ASIAN MILITARY TAKEOVERS", 2 APRIL 1959

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T00268R000400110006-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 21, 2013
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: April 17, 1959
• Content Type: MEMO

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wr" Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/08/21 : CIA-RDP86T00268R000400110006-2
Office MemoranduI '\
? UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO : SA/DDI Mr. Korner
FROM : ONE/NE K. C. Clark
7=1
DATE: 17 April 1959
svapmv: Comments on Memorandum for the NSC Planning Board, mPolitical
Implications of Afro-Asian Military Takeovers", 2 April 1959
(g6l\P\
?,01CY1. The following observations are designed to help you this afternoon.
We have not had time to polish our comments or assess this paper as thoroughly
as we would like, and if (as I suspect) you don't finalize-the paper this
afternoon, we would like another crack at it.
2. I think there is a lot of good and sophisticated thinking in this
draft, though it is marred by a number of internal inconsistencies, a rather
creaky plan of organization, and EOM problems of definition.
3. General Remarks: Why must this paper be cluttered up with such
elaborate justifications for excluding Latin America. I think it is right
to exclude it; right also to do another, similiar job on Latin America. What
this exercise needs is a brief statement of how and why conditions and trends
in LA differ from those in Africa and Asia. Would not this paper have more
punch if it were started, for example, with paragraph 11, page 8--an excel-
lent paragraph.
L. The paper should face up more clearly to the distinction (or lack
of it) between new military regimes and the governments they have supplanted
or may supplant. Basically, it is not a matter of Afro-Asian states suddenly
becoming enamoured of military authoritarianism because it has peculiar
MYstical attractions. The_fact_to_2281.21x111aa_goyernments in Sudan, Iraq,
Pakistan failed, in one way or_anothsrl_and.the,military was the only thing
around (institution-in-iming) to fill a vacuum. If the7o7eWin?Attlte-CirEidan.,
gindriiiii5ia, Iran, etc. continue to fail to adjust to powerful internal
and external pressures, they too will probably be replaced--most likely by
military regimes. But the successor governments would scarcely be more
authoritarian than the existing ones. In short, authoritarianism remains
the norm, but various inefficient and outmoded authoritarian regimes tend
to get supplanted by more efficient ones. This thought receives implicit
attention at various places in the paper, but it should be explicitly stated
at the outset.
gF FT
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5. Specific Cements: Page 3, B ha: The threat of military invasion
is not in most instances, the root cause of the emergence of military
regimes. They come to power for internal reasons.
6. Page 5, 741.: As a passive observation of what will probably have
to be done, this is okay. As phrased here, however, it is too easily
interpreted as an admonition to foster and encourage military regimes almost
indiscriminately.
7. Page 6s 7b: Of course military regimes do not necessarily threaten
US interests in underdeveloped areas. There are plenty of civilians, in and
out of power, able and willing to do that, and the "goodness" or"badness" of
any given military regime is to be considered on its merits. The criterion
is not whether the government is military, but what its policies and
strength are. (Cf. page 6, paragraph 8, page 9/ paragraphy 12, and page 13,
paragraph 18--all good).
8. Page 91 footnote: Some might categorize Lebanon as a military
regime, but the same reasoning would identify the US and France as military
regimes--both having generals as chief executives. Lebanon is a parliamentary
republic.
9. Page 12, para. 15a: What does this jumble of words mean?
Page 12, para. 15c: Good thought, deserves more prominent billing?
Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/08/21 : CIA-RDP86T00268R000400110006-2