206. Memorandum From the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Claytor) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)1
SUBJECT
- Jamaica; Covert Action Proposals (S)
(S) BACKGROUND: In November 1979, the SCC considered and rejected several proposals for covert action to sustain the political opposition to the Cuban-oriented Government of Jamaica.2 Under the leadership of Michael Manley, an open and avowed Marxist, the Peoples National Party (PNP) government was showing signs of a possible resort to violence to hold down and deny the right to democratic processes to the opposition Jamaican Labor Party (JLP).3
The proposals for covert aid were rejected in November in large part because it was felt that overt and non-governmental aid to the JLP had every good chance of sustaining it through an election and that the risks inherent in covert support outweighed the small additional benefit that might accrue.
(S) DISCUSSION: Since last November, some analysts have held that the JLP is doing well in making its case that Manley is ruining the economy and free traditions of Jamaica. So well, in fact, that they will probably win an election and put Manley out in favor of JLP leader Edward Seaga. This same analysis holds that Manley will accept defeat and seek to fight another day.
We believe such a view to be unsupported by the evidence. To expect Manley, whose background and profile do not display any tendency to gracious acceptance of defeat, suddenly to hand over power without using the strengths he has cultivated for the past few years strikes us as ingenuous. Indeed, the evidence now shows that Manley is more likely to try to forestall an election by inciting violence and instability which would lead to either a declared or undeclared State of Emergency:
—Item: [less than 1 line not declassified] of PNP youths being sent to Cuba for training in weapons and tactics.
[Page 503]—Item: The bombing, during the week of 20 April, of a JLP office.
—Item: The raid by a number (25–100) of fatigue-clad gunmen on a JLP rally in Kingston which left 5 dead and 10 injured.
—Item: Sensitive reports of increasing Cuban arms inflows.
—Item: Reports of high level PNP planning to instigate violence and derail the upcoming elections.
The U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica has concluded that “we must consider that (Jamaica is) on the brink of political tribal warfare which could threaten the Democratic processes.”
(S) RECOMMENDATIONS: We agree with the Ambassador. We further agree that the U.S. Government should take a number of steps he has recommended.
—Support a call for outside observers.
—Make a joint demarche against violence.
—Explore possibility of a visit by the IAHRC.
—Explore possibility of [less than 1 line not declassified] aid to security forces.
Other overt initiatives which might be explored include a campaign to ensure the elections are held this summer, more overt support to the JLP by U.S. and non-communist labor groups and greater efforts to involve the free world press. It is equally important at this juncture to raise once again the necessity for supplementary covert actions to help prevent a slip into anarchy which could only benefit the Soviet-Cuban interventionists.
We recommend, therefore, that:
—[less than 1 line not declassified] the PNP [less than 1 line not declassified] increasing our knowledge of the intentions and tactics of its leaders and that
—CIA prepare and submit for SCC approval a new Presidential Finding that covert action should be employed to:
—use the propaganda infrastructure to discredit and undermine the Manley Government;
—provide counter-terrorist training to the JLP leadership;
—identify and disrupt the shipment of weapons and other paramilitary support from Cuba.
Further delay may lead to a fait accompli such as we now face in Grenada but one with far more dangerous consequences. Recommend this issue be put on the agenda for the next SCC (I).4
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor, Country, Box 26, Jamaica, 4–6/80. Secret. Copies were sent to Vance and Turner.↩
- Reference is in error. The SCC met on October 23, 1979; the PRC met on November 13, 1979. See Documents 199 and 370.↩
- See Documents 197 and 198.↩
- At the top of the first page, an unidentified NSC Staff member expressed disapproval with the proposal by writing, “Kill it!”↩