105. Memorandum From Director of Central Intelligence Turner to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)1
SUBJECT
- Recommendations for United States Assistance to Egypt
During the visit to Washington in mid-September [less than 1 line not declassified] I asked him how he thought the United States Government could be helpful to Egypt. He has made the following two suggestions for the support of the military sector, which would have the highly beneficial effect of ensuring the continued support of the Egyptian military during the peace process:
A. The United States could aid in the retraining of Egyptian enlisted personnel who will be released from the military in the upcoming reduction of forces. U.S. assistance in providing training in the skills that would enable military enlisted men to phase into civilian life would be very beneficial.
B. A commodity support program would be helpful to the Egyptian military who complain that their low salaries make it difficult for them to buy supplies in their PX systems. The U.S. Defense Attache in Cairo has arranged for a U.S. Air Force Exchange specialist to examine the Egyptian PX system. As further assistance, a commodity support program would place basic consumer goods produced outside Egypt into the PX system. An initial input could start a self-generating system that might eventually support itself financially.