Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XVII, Near East, 1961–1962

312. Memorandum From the Department of State Executive Secretary (Brubeck) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)⁰

Washington, June 29, 1962.

SUBJECT

• Transmittal of an FBI Report on the Source of Information of an Article by Mr. Roscoe Drummond Criticizing U.S. Assistance to the UAR

We invite your attention to the enclosed copy of an FBI report¹ confirming that the Israel Embassy was the source of information of an article appearing on June 6, 1962, by Mr. Roscoe Drummond.² This article, which was the subject of my memorandum of June 6,³ suggested that United States assistance to the United Arab Republic was permitting that country to divert its own resources to purchase arms from the Soviet bloc.

The timing of the Israeli Embassy release of this information and the Drummond article coincided with the Senate’s consideration of the Foreign Assistance Act. The article was inserted in the Congressional Record by Senator Keating of New York on June 7 when he introduced the following amendment to the Senate version of the Foreign Assistance Act:

“Section 102 (b) Such section is further amended by inserting after the seventh paragraph the following: ‘it is the sense of Congress … (phrase omitted) that requests for appropriations to carry out programs of assistance under this Act should be accompanied by information with respect to the priorities assigned among the countries receiving assistance for the fiscal year for which appropriations are requested.

It is further the sense of Congress that in the administration of these funds great attention and consideration should be given to those countries which share the view of the United States on the world crisis and which do not as a result of United States assistance, divert their own economic resources to military or propaganda efforts, supported by the Soviet Union or Communist China, and directed against the United States or against other countries receiving aid under this Act.’”

Senator Keating made it clear in his remarks that the United Arab Republic was one of the principal targets of his amendment.

The Department has been made aware by other sources that the Israel Embassy has been active with other newspaper correspondents in propagating the same line as with Mr. Drummond. Some of these sources are of the belief that the Israel Embassy has been in contact with members of the Congress on the subject.

In our view such activity by the Israel Embassy is improper and is creating serious embarrassment for the United States Government. Therefore we propose to speak to Ambassador Harman.⁴

E.S. Little⁵

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 811.0086B/6–2962. Confidential. Drafted by Dickman and Strong on June 25.
1. Attached but not printed.
2. The article was printed in The Washington Post on June 6.
3. Not printed. (Department of State, Central Files, 811.0086/6–662)
4. A July 3 note from Brubeck to Talbot, attached to the source text, reads: “In reply to Mr. Bundy’s query to me, I have advised him that there are factors of timing in any approach to Ambassador Harman as proposed here. I have therefore proposed and he has agreed that there would be no approach either from here or the White House at this time. I have undertaken that we will be back in touch with them before any action is taken.”
5. Little signed for Brubeck above Brubeck’s typed signature.