NOTE TO CHARLIE FROM BOB ANDREWS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00603A002500020006-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: January 4, 2017
• Document Release Date: July 13, 2005
• Sequence Number: 6
• Content Type: NOTES

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 MaG F1R6Z&%03A002500020006-0
4- -7 "')
Tack Anderson and Les Whitten
A SuperComputer for the SovieLs
Control Data is preparing to sell the
Soviets a $13 million electronic brain,
which could be turned against us to
track U.S. missiles, planes and subma-
rines. It is also capable of decoding
sensitive U.S. intelligence transmis-
sions.
The miracle machine is the Cyber 76,
which will soon be on its way to the
Soviet? Urion unless there is a.. last-.
minute 'i.op order. It not only will be
the largest computer ever delivered
behi:id the Iron Curtain, but it is more
tha:i a decade ahead of the Soviets'
own computer technology. It operates
at l.e:.st 20 times faster than anything
the Soviets produce.
. A top-secret, interagency study
warns ersely that the Soviets can con-
vert the Cyber 76 to military use. Not
only can it be used for tracking and de-
coding, but it could also improve the
production of nuclear warheads, mul:
tiple-headed missiles, aircraft a3
other military hardware.
There is no sure safeguard to pre-
vent this, the study declare. An inteLi-
gence source put it more bluntly. "For
a few bucks," he told u:, "we're willing
to Rive the Soviets the means to de-
stroy us. We're becoming our own exe-
cutioners.
Government officials, citing the
strict secrecy, refused to show us a
copy of the study. But sources with ac-
cess to the original draft have told us
of its warnings. They fear it may be
softened in order to make the com-
puter deal more palatable.--
Control Data executives, in repeated
meetings with U.S. officials, have insis-
ted that the Cyber 76. will be used' by
the Soviets strictly to study the
weather. The company kept. hammer-
ing at Washington to get an export li-
cense. Final Commerce Department
approval of the deal, according to our
sources, was imminent until our in-
quiries caused some hesitation.
The sale of computers to Russia was
pushed- originally- by- ex-Secretary of
State Henry A. Kissinger. Eager to pro-
mote- detente: he overruled military
objections to earlier computer sales-
Now that the Soviets have already re-
ceived lesser computers, they will be
enraged if the Cyber 76 is withheld
from them, say our sources.
One high official source, talking to
us in confidence, related how a mys-
terious Soviet official showed up in the
United States a few years ago. The
Central Intelligence Agency imm.edi-
atley spotted him as a man with a pur-
pose. He had come here, the CIA
warned. to seek strategic U.S. comput-
ers.
The State Department, under Kissin-
ger, persuaded the CIA to soften its
warning and to pass off the visitor as
merely the house guest of Soviet Am-
bassador Anatoli F. Dobrynin.
This helped lead to computer sales
not only to Russia but also to China
and Hungary. In return for these so-
phisticated computers, according to an
International Trade Commission re-
port, the Soviets have offered the U.S.
"horses, asses and mules" at favored
prices. Russia's famous vodka will also
be sold to the United States at a tariff
of $1.25 a gallon, instead of the present
$6-
Frustrated U.S. officials complain
that the Soviets are getting the best of
the deaL They have gained strategic
advances from the computers that
have already been delivered, these of-
ficials assert. But the Cyber 76 would
give them a technological boost that.
no amount of vodka could justify, they
say.
The secret study declares categori-
cally -that -the wonder machine both
could and would be misused by the..
Kremlin for military purposes-Those-
officials who favor the sale contend,
however, that the Soviets will use the
Cyber 76 to increase their participa-
tion in a world. meteorological net-
work. The result, they say, would be
better international weather data,
larger crops and fewer unexpected
natural diasters. -
A spokesman for Control Data as-
surecl our reporter John Schuber that:
the computer can be set up in Moscow ,.
in a way to prevent any misuse. Any
diversion to military use, he said,.could
be detected immediately. Then Con-
trol Data would pull out its technicians
and refuse parts to the Soviets, thus
crippling the electronic monster.
.. But other computer experts told our
reporter Tony Capaccio that Control
Data's arguments are spurious. One
former Control Data executive, refer-
ring to the alleged safeguards, said de-
risively: "That's a joke." Other experts
agreed that the Soviets could train
their own technicians, and eventually
locate parts from other countries. -
Footmote: At the Commerce Depart , :
ment, spokesmen- confirmed that the
secret study disclosed "some pro- -
blems" relating to safeguards against
-the misuse of the Cyber 76. But the
draft report, said the spokesman
.,wasn't final.
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National Intelligence Officers
19 MAY 1977
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~~yy .E~l
' 7 ? War
By John Saar
.on Poi: ra.eSc:1 S:rclcs
SEOI L. May 19-One of-the
..top ranking GS... generals in
South Korea. says that Presi-
dent- Carter's plan to withdraw
U.S.troops. here in the next.
four to five years is a mistake
.that wilt end in war with North
Korea .-
''if we withdraw our ground
forces on the schedule sug-
gested it will lead to war," said*
Mai. Gen. John K. S?n,'laub.
chief of staff in the J.S. Forces
Korea headquarters.
Sin laub, the third-ranking,
U.S. Army general in Korea,
said that he and "many other
senior military people" chal-
lenge the wisdom of Carter's
plan, and predicted that with-
drawal of the war-ready 2d In-
fantry Division in that time
frame would seriously weaken
defenses in the south and en-
courage North Korean Presi.
dent Kim II?sung to attack.
The unusual situation of
servin, generals openly differ-
ing with the President's de-
clared policy arises on the eve
oftalics to implement that poli-
cy.
Habib, under '-.usrc-
Philip C.
tary of state for politics. af-
fairs. and Gen. George B =:?wn,
chairman of the Joint Chicts of
Staff, are to arrive in Seoul
May 2-1 as the President's'spe-
ciat representatives. ,\ .
Some military officers, say-
lag the planned withdrawal
may jeopardize gains made
here over the past 24 years and
pose serious military and credi-
bilit%. problems. are trying to
influence Washington policy
decisions.
"I don't -know anybody who
is not staggered by it," a head-
quarters Army officer said of
the planned withdrawal.
`There's no military or strate-
gic loic for withdrawal. In
fact, there's a very good case
for reinforcing" American
stre.i th in south Korea.
ep QLR79PVdW002500020006-0
5englaub, a World War. II veteran South and North Korea as'a disen- 4
with a distuzguished combat record, gagement.
said he-is deeply concerned that deer A well-connected U.S. ' colonel says -1
lion-makers may be working fro=.out- that South Korean officers who be- -
dated. intelligence that substaa+ially- hove that the United States aban-
underestimates current North Korean.
dotted South Vietnam are askin' strength. '-U.hy are you giving up everything
'The question asked after U.S. set
backs in China and Vietnam was. you've accomplished here? They quote
the military people in the kro?:I ex- the old Korean proverb, `Don't trust
press themselves loudly and c early the Russians. and: Don't b, Iieve the
enough that the decision-^:.kers -americans,'he recounted unhappily.
understood?' We want to make sure." The concern centers around the 14,
he added. "If the decision is made we
d 000-man 2D Division, which has a vital
wilt execute it with
high level of professional enthusiskill."asm an 2 role covering the train southbound in-
The apprehensions voiced by Sin- vasion route to this capital.
glaub are echoed to some decree by The division's firepower. mobility,
many, if not all. U.S. military ders, :ground-surveillance radar and tech-
in South Korea. "No one t:ndcrsttands- nology give it a far higher combat
why they are being pulled; said a value than any single South Korean {
well-informed American: source.' Division. It has more helicopters. and ;
"Carter says the withdrawal w'on't en- TOW missiles to stop North Korea's
danger South Korean security or uv.000 tanks, than the whole South Ko-
set the military balance. Our :: i!itary rean army. Even if Seoul could afford
people say that would be a nitacle.: to buy the advanced weaponry. it
They think it can't be done." would take longer than the scheduled
five years to train the South Koreans
The commander- rin of Ur=tcd? in its use and naintenance, U.S. ofii-
;Nations and U.S. forcesces in South Ko cers here say:
rea, Gen. John W. Vessey, has ex The here
Division is also the contro-
l
i
rect
pressed his misgivings d
y e- versial "tripwire," which doves argue
President Carter and Defense Secre
tary Harold Brown sources here s-''y- - could lead to U.S. embroilment in an-
3 other Asian land }car. and which
Singlaub and Vessey's deputy, Lt.- hawks maintain has successfully det-
Gen. John J. Burns, expressed their erred aggression since 1953.
'er-
i
n
concerns in separate lengthy
i Reinforced American air . power,
views today. which could be flown out a easily as it
Burns said he would prefer the could be flown in, is not seen as an full
ground troops to stay. - - , replacement for the ground comtait-
'?The withdrawal must be managed ment. "Warplanes are like gce5e," said
disastrous change in the a U.S. source. .'They can:honk and fly
to avoid any o
military balance on the Korean Penin- away. Who really believes that if we
'
sole or credibility: ? o? the - A-:e~-'cat. I don't have the resolve to keep troops
commitment.' American Air Fnrce in Korea' that we're going to bring
Units which Carter h:~s, said 'viii stay them back if a war starts?"
in Korea should be.reinforced." added "An intensive intelligence effort.
Burns, who flew:102 combat missions! over the last 12 months has discos-.
as a fighter pilot in the Korean Vt ar. .! ered North Korea to be much, much
Some officers stress the fear that sronger than we thought;' Sir.^laub -
despite all assurances to the contrary, said.''MIy deep concern is that people'
the drawdown will be int.rpr e.ed in making the decisions are basing then .
on information that's two or three
years old."
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