Office of the Historian

265. Memorandum From the Acting Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (Fisher) to Secretary of State Rusk1

Washington, January 27, 1966.

SUBJECT

  • Proposed Sale of U.S. Supersonic Aircraft to Jordan and Israel

In connection with the memorandum to you and the Secretary of Defense on the scale of U.S. supersonic aircraft to Jordan and Israel,2 I am in general in agreement with the views expressed in the AID dissenting memorandum,3 particularly with respect to blackmail by Jordan. I understand that nearly all concerned within the Government are unhappy about the proposed course of action, even those who are supporting it. It is, of course, also unnecessary to point out the charge of inconsistency that could be levelled at the United States in the event of public disclosure of the aircraft sales in the light of the seventh point (regarding regional arms races) in the President’s message to the ENDC.

My preference, and I am sure this view is shared by Bill Foster, would be for the United States to make further effort to hold the line on Near Eastern arms., for I do not believe a convincing case has been made by Israel or Jordan. Should, however, it not prove possible for us to forego the implementation of the recommendations in the memorandum, ACDA strongly supports the recommendation that we make a concurrent approach at the highest level to the Soviet Union, urging that a joint effort be made to halt the spiral in the Near East. I would also urge that, concurrent with approval of the memorandum, you direct the interested agencies and bureaus to develop on an urgent basis a proposed U.S. program of action with respect to arms limitation in the Near East. For various reasons past efforts to develop a program have languished and come to naught. If we must go ahead with the present sale, we should make sure that the time we buy is used to better effect in the future.

Adrian S. Fisher
  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, DEF 12–5 JORDAN. Secret; Limdis.↩
  2. Reference is apparently to a January 17 memorandum from Hare and Hoopes to Rusk and McNamara, enclosing the draft memorandum to the President (Document 262) and recommending that they sign it. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, DEF 12–5 JORDAN)↩
  3. Attached to the January 17 memorandum cited in footnote 2 above, but not printed.↩