Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXIV, Middle East Region and Arabian Peninsula, 1969–1972; Jordan, September 1970

167. Letter From the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Rush) to Secretary of State Rogers¹

Washington, December 5, 1972.

Dear Bill:

We appreciated receiving your letter of 28 November regarding King Faisal’s request that the U.S. Government undertake to support the modernization of the Saudi Arabian National Guard.² Your assessment of the political importance of acceding to the King’s request has been helpful to me in reaching a decision on the subject.

Given the nature of the project, we are likely to be involved in it— and with American military and civilian personnel in country—for an undetermined number of years. Also, as you know, the political ramifications of modernizing the Guard are complex, involving as they do factions within the Royal Family and even touching upon rivalries as regards the succession to the throne.³

I agree with you that it is important to safeguard U.S. interests in Saudi Arabia, especially as the fuel supply problem looms ever larger for the U.S. Accordingly, I have approved a recommendation that the U.S. Government agree to support modernization of the Saudi Arabian National Guard.

I have taken this decision, however, far more on political than on military grounds in view of the high priority King Faisal attaches to the project and the political importance which you have emphasized of acceding to his wishes.

This will permit Ambassador Thacher to convey a favorable response to King Faisal and to undertake preliminary consultations leading to a government-to-government understanding. We visualize U.S. support as including the following:

a. Sale of hardware through the FMS program;

b. Military/DoD civilian advisors to oversee contract personnel in the performance of their contractual responsibilities;

c. All costs to be borne by the Saudi Arabian Government.⁴

Subsequent to acceptance by King Faisal of the general principles involved concerning selection of a contracting firm and in the U.S. sup-port of this program, I envisage that we would enter into a Memorandum of Understanding which would delineate responsibilities and scope of the work to be done.

I understand that our two staffs will work out the details of any additional guidance required at this time by Ambassador Thacher.

Sincerely,

Kenneth Rush

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, DEF 6–4 SAUD. Secret.
2. See footnote 3, Document 165.
3. Telegram 2862 from Jidda, September 4, expanded on this issue. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, DEF 6–4 SAUD)
4. As reported in telegram 4266 from Jidda, December 27, Thacher passed on to Faisal the basis on which the United States would undertake a government-to-government contract for modernization of the National Guard. (Ibid.)