Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Near East Region; Iran; Iraq, Volume XII

439. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Iraq¹

Washington, November 24, 1956—5:43 p.m.

898. FYI Only—Department giving urgent consideration to measures which might be taken strengthen US support member nations Baghdad Pact. Meanwhile, we are seeking ways to be responsive requests individual member countries. In this context, we would appreciate your comments on whether following possibilities now under study here would be helpful in Iraq:

1) Supply to Iraq of mobile radar training teams with equipment. Cost of teams would be charged against MDAP; equipment would be on loan.

2) Possible increase in number of Iraqi pilots to be trained in US; program of 15 already approved.

3) USAF fighter aircraft in Turkey. To what extent would stationing of such aircraft meet Iraqi desires? US Government does not believe fighter aircraft should be moved into Iraq at this time² because move would be described by opponents of US as contrary to UN resolutions and would thus threaten UN peace efforts.

US also conscious possibility strong Soviet reaction any movement US aircraft into area.

4) Alternatively, USAF fighter interceptor trainers with instructors might be sent into Iraq although antagonists of US would also oppose on the same grounds as the interceptors.

Foregoing Air Force assistance to Iraq would be on assumption UK would be informed in accordance with policies originally laid down in Memorandum of Understanding. We appreciate political difficulties may make UK assistance impractical at this time, but we would hope our measures would be temporary and basic aircraft supply relationship between Iraq and UK would ultimately be restored. End FYI Only.

Ankara, Moscow and USRO requested comment on foregoing in light Deptel 1154 to Ankara (for info) sent Paris 1948, Moscow 630.³

Hoover

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 780.5/11–2456. Secret; Noforn. Drafted by Newsom and approved by Murphy. Also sent to Ankara, Moscow, and Paris; repeated to Tehran, Karachi, London, and Paris (to be passed to Ridgway Knight for General Lauris Norstad).

2. The subject of placing U.S. jet fighters in Iraq was discussed at a conference among Eisenhower, Hoover, Goodpaster, and MacArthur on November 23. A memorandum of this conference by Goodpaster reads as follows:

   “Mr. Hoover said that Defense wants to put some U.S. jet fighter units into Iraq, and he thought this had not been agreed in last night’s meeting. The President said he had felt that there might be some U.S. jet-trained officers in the MAAG, and that we might furnish some interceptors, as an offset to Syrian aircraft of Russian origin. He had felt the action might be acceptable if it were done as a training enterprise. After further discussion, there was tentative agreement that it might be possible to help Iraq indirectly by re-equipping a Turkish squadron with the latest type interceptors.” (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File)

   For text of the first part of this memorandum, see vol. XVI, p. 1178.

3. Telegram 1154, November 21, requested comments from the Embassies in London, Paris, Moscow, and Athens on several possible lines of action, including providing Turkey with increased radar and more advanced aircraft; establishing U.S. radar units in Turkey and U.S. Air Force and pilots at a base such as Adana; and developing further redeployment of NATO forces to strengthen defenses in that area. The Department also noted, among other things, that it was considering the nature of a reply concerning a political guarantee for Iran as proposed in a Turkish memorandum of November 14. (Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/11–1456)