342. Memorandum of Discussion at the 305th Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, November 30, 19561
[Here follow a list of participants and the first part of the agenda item entitled “Significant World Developments Affecting U.S. Security,” which contained a briefing by Allen Dulles.]
Mr. Dulles described the drift to the left in Syria as continuing and, indeed, becoming bolder. The leftists have arrested five conservative members of the Syrian parliament, and are in general not hesitating to use force in order to intimidate the opposition. After citing the delivery figures of Soviet matériel to Syria, Mr. Dulles indicated that Kuwatly had asked for still more on the occasion of his recent visit to Moscow. In addition to the Soviet matériel, there was hard intelligence to indicate the presence in Syria of a considerable number of technical personnel. Since November 1, however, there was no real evidence that heavy Soviet military equipment had been delivered to Syria from the USSR, despite so many rumors to the contrary. In any case, these rumors have seriously alarmed Turkey. Turkey might well intervene in Syria if it came to the conclusion that its own national security was endangered. Such intervention was unlikely unless the situation in Syria became really chaotic. Mr. Dulles said he also doubted the imminence of an Israeli attack on Syria, despite the speed and ease with which such an attack could be mounted if a decision to make the attack were made. He indicated that he was watching this situation very closely.
Mr. Dulles stated that the Iraqis were also in a position to intervene in Syria, but said he was inclined to think that Nuri’s [Page 607] position was too shaky at the present time to permit any open Iraqi intervention in Syria.
[Here follow the remainder of Dulles’ briefing and discussion of the remaining agenda items.]
- Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret. Drafted by Gleason.↩