Office of the Historian

71. National Security Decision Memorandum 4 (Revised)1

Washington, September 4, 1969.

TO

  • The Vice President
  • The Secretary of State
  • The Secretary of the Treasury
  • The Secretary of Defense
  • The Secretary of Agriculture
  • The Secretary of Commerce
  • The Administrator of the Agency for International Development
  • The Director of Central Intelligence
  • The Director of U.S. Information Agency
  • The Director of the Bureau of the Budget
  • The Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness

SUBJECT

  • Program Analysis Studies

The President has directed the preparation of a series of program analyses for designated countries and regions. These analyses will develop alternative statements of U.S. interests, objectives, policy options and their associated program and budget implications for consideration and decision by the National Security Council. On the basis of NSC guidance/decisions, five-year country/regional program plans will be developed to be used by all agencies for planning purposes.

The following procedures will be followed in performing and implementing program analysis studies:

1.
The studies will be performed under the supervision of the Program Analysis staff of the National Security Council. This staff should cooperate closely with similar staffs within the various departments and agencies and the Bureau of the Budget.
2.
The countries and regions to be studied and the scope of each study will be designated in National Security Study Memoranda.
3.
The analyses will be performed by Ad Hoc groups composed principally of personnel from agencies directly concerned. Where appropriate a steering committee composed of senior officers in the agencies will provide guidance and focus for the efforts of the Ad Hoc group.
4.
The Ad Hoc groups shall work in close consultation with each agency, with their regional bureaus and country desks, and with the U.S. Mission in the country.
5.
Upon completion, the analyses will be submitted to the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. He will then obtain the comments of the relevant Interdepartmental Group and forward the study along with these comments to the NSC Review Group prior to NSC consultations.
6.
On the basis of NSC guidance and decisions, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs will direct the preparation of a five-year program memorandum to serve as a basis for agency planning in the country or region concerned.
7.
The five-year plans will be reviewed and revised periodically as necessary to keep them up to date.

Henry A. Kissinger
  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 363, Subject Files, National Security Decision Memoranda, Nos. 1–50. Secret. A copy was sent to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. NSDM 4 was first issued on January 20; see Document 13.↩