144. Transcript of Telephone Conversation Between Secretary of Defense Schlesinger and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Moorer)1
CJCS—I know that you are aware of part of this but I just wanted to tell you that we have a Spot Report2 coming out which states that it’s beginning to appear that the Soviets are about to commence a massive airlift to the Middle East with 15 flights of AN–12s and they can carry about 22 tons each, into Syria and it appears that they have another 20 which are AN–22s which can carry up to around 40 tons or so into Cairo and they’ll be overflying Libya which means they are trying to avoid the combat area to get in there. I think they have already sent in enough planes before the present hostilities to lift out all the civilians, so I am trying to get De Poix to find out for sure. I would think they are carrying supplies.
Def—Okay, you are just watching the collapse of U.S. foreign policy, Tom.
CJCS—It’s just disastrous and we are getting painted right into a corner.
Def—Right, okay.