NOTES ON CONVERSATION WITH RUSS BLANDFORD OF THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE STAFF

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00967A001000040007-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 7, 2005
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: November 29, 1966
• Content Type: NOTES

Approved For Release 2005/06/09 : CIA-RDP79R00967A00100
29 November 1966
NOTES On Conversation with Russ Blandford of the House Armed Services
Committee Staff
1. The relevant facts lying behind this conversation seem to have
been the following:
a. In February 1966 Mr. McNamara briefed the House Armed
Services Committee on the Soviet ABM.
b. On November 10, 1966, Mr. McNamara said in a press con-
ference that he believed there was considerable evidence the Soviets
were deploying an ABM system.
2. Mr. Blandford seemed to think that in his testimony of February
the Secretary had cast a good deal of doubt on whether the Soviets
were indeed deploying such a system. The main question that he wanted
to ask was whether there had been any evidence between February and
November which would have caused the Secretary to "change his mind" and
make the more definite and public pronouncement which he made.
25X1
4+. With reference to Mr. McNamara's February testimony, Mr. Blandford
read to us from it. At his first reading we thought -- and said -- that
the testimony was entirely in line with the current estimate, i.e., an
estimate the Soviets were deploying an ABM system around Moscow. Later
in the conversation Mr. Blandford read again from the testimony and this
time what he read seemed to convey an impression by Mr. McNamara that
the estimate was extremely "provisional". The upshot is that we are in
some doubt as to exactly what Mr. McNamara did say in February.
rt,
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