206. Letter From the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International
Security Affairs (Sprague) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State for
Political Affairs (Murphy)1
Washington, March 28,
1957.
Dear Mr. Murphy: In anticipation of the military
planning talks that should follow as a result of the approval of the
Joint Resolution on the Middle East and the subsequent announcement by
the United States that we are prepared to assist independent nations in
their defense against Soviet aggression, the Department of Defense has
prepared a tentative plan for the conduct of these talks. We consider
that the military planning talks should be conducted by two groups: (a)
Preliminary Planning Group; and (b) Detailed Military Planning
Group.
The Preliminary Military Planning Group should visit the capitals of the
Middle Eastern countries of the Baghdad Pact as soon as practicable
after the results of the Richards Mission have been
determined. The group would also visit other countries which Ambassador
Richards has visited, if, after consultation
with him, it appears that military benefits would result. This group
should be mainly concerned with the area-wide aspects inherent in a
defense of the Middle East.
Detailed military planning will need to be undertaken after the return of
the Preliminary Military Planning Group. We visualize that these talks
would not begin until the guidance from the
Richards Mission and from the Preliminary
Military Planning Group has been incorporated into appropriate terms of
reference. The objectives to be achieved by these planning talks are
outlined in the attachment.
The Department of Defense considers that the preliminary talks should be
conducted by a group of not more than four high-ranking military
officers. The composition of the detailed planning group, and the locale
for this second group of talks can be determined at an appropriate
time.
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Knowledge of this plan for military planning talks would be helpful to
Ambassador Richards during his current exploratory
talks with the Middle Eastern countries. It is therefore requested that
the information contained in the letter, and the attachment hereto, be
forwarded to Ambassador Richards.
Sincerely yours,
Appendix
OBJECTIVES OF THE MILITARY TALKS2
- 1.
- The objectives of the Preliminary Military Planning Group
should be:
- a.
- To explain to the Governments of Middle East
countries, as appropriate, the military aspects of the
Joint Resolution and the readiness of the United States
to assist independent nations to increase their defense
against Soviet aggression, direct or indirect.
- b.
- To obtain the endorsement and adoption by these
countries of the United States defense concepts.
- c.
- To assess the magnitude of the problem of an area-wide
defense of the Middle East.
- d.
- To persuade these countries to be realistic in their
planning by:
- (1)
- Taking into full account the magnitude of the
contribution the United States can make.
- (2)
- Removing political obstacles which prevent the
stationing of forces of one Middle East country in
another country of the Middle East.
- (3)
- Prestocking and preparing defense positions in
one country for use by another country whose
forces are to be deployed therein.
- e.
- To direct the attitudes of these Middle East
Governments toward the military aspects of the Joint
Resolution and to exploit their willingness to cooperate
in working out the planning details in order to derive
mutually the benefits of the Resolution. One of the
desired results of the preliminary planning talks is the
determination of a suitable framework for an effective
common defense plan for the Middle East.
- f.
- If appropriate, to inform these Middle East
Governments of the follow-up plans for conducting
military planning talks.
- 2.
- The objectives of detailed military planning cannot be
finalized now, but our general thinking is that they should be:
[Page 477]
- a.
- To conduct under appropriate terms of reference,
detailed planning with the military officials of these
Middle East Governments, with the view to obtaining
realistic military objectives and programs in their
countries in consideration of the possible military
contribution of the United States.
- b.
- To determine the availability of the facilities
necessary for the support of U.S. forces which may be
operating in or through the Middle East in the event of
general or limited war.
- c.
- To report to the Joint Chiefs of Staff the findings
and the progress of the planning and to recommend
appropriate measures area-wide and country-by-country,
to accomplish the purposes of the Joint
Resolution.
- 3.
- The scope and pattern of the U.S. military effort, both in
terms of U.S. forces and of military aid, which, in the best
interests of the United States, should be provided in each
country must conform to and be in direct support of the U.S.
concepts for defense of Middle East area under conditions of
general war and conditions short of general war.
