S/SNSC Files: Lot 63 D 351: NSC 47 Series

Statement of Policy Proposed by the National Security Council 1

top secret
NSC 47/5

The Arab States and Israel

1. The political and economic stability of the Arab States* and Israel continues to be of critical importance to the security of the United States. The factors which make the area of such importance to the security interests of the United States are primarily:

a.
The geographic position of the area with respect to the Mediterranean, Western Europe, Africa, and European and Asiatic Russia.
b.
Oil resources.
c.
Military bases.
d.
Communications and facilities.

2. It is in the U.S. interest to offset the recently evidenced trend toward neutrality and to maximize the will of the several Arab States and Israel to cooperate with the United States and friendly countries in resisting penetration by the USSR.

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3. Because of U.S. commitments in other areas it is in the U.S. interest that the United Kingdom have primary military responsibility for Israel and the Arab States.2 However, the special United States-Saudi Arabia arrangements now existing should continue.

4. Accordingly, the United States should:

a.
Hold politico-military discussion with the United Kingdom to clarify the respective participation and responsibilities of each country in strengthening the several Arab States and Israel; and
b.
Take steps, correlated with the United Kingdom as far as practicable, to strengthen the several Arab States and Israel to improve their political and economic stability and to increase their will and ability to resist penetration by the USSR.3

5. The United States and the United Kingdom should, on an individual basis, but correlating their actions as far as practicable, and without partiality but consistent with strategic considerations as between Israel and the several Arab States:4

a.
Attempt to resolve local differences in order that the several Arab States and Israel may be able to meet the greater threat of international communism.
b.
Obtain as soon as practicable the right to deploy, base, and, upon the threat of and during general hostilities, to operate, forces in the territories of the various nations of the area.
c.
Develop fighting groups and techniques which are best suited to local capabilities and terrain.
d.
Initiate when possible a limited arms supply program and provide early delivery of token quantities.
e.
Furnish supervisory and technical personnel for the arms supply program.
f.
Make “show-the-flag” visits.
g.
Where feasible and desirable, place orders locally for needed raw materials and equipment.

6. Also, the United States should, without partiality as between Israel and the several Arab States:

a.
Seek legislative action which will permit the development of appropriate arms supply programs.
b.
Undertake and accelerate planned technical and economic assistance.5
c.
Expand and intensify the U.S. psychological effort to attain the objectives set forth in paragraph 2 above.
d.
Make clear, in a manner best calculated to produce the desired effect, the fact that the United States is prepared to assist the several Arab States and Israel to strengthen their capabilities to defend themselves against aggression.

  1. In a covering note dated March 14, 1951, Lay stated, inter alia, that the National Security Council, the Acting Secretary of the Treasury, and the Director of Defense Mobilization “recommend that the President approve the enclosed statement of policy, to supplement but not supersede NSC 47/2 and NSC 65/3.” President Truman subsequently approved the statement of policy in NSC 47/5 on March 17, 1951 and directed its implementation by all appropriate departments and agencies of the United States Government under coordination of the Secretary of State (Memorandum by the Executive Secretary of the National Security Council for the National Security Council, March 22, 1951, S/SNSC Files: Lot 63 D 351: NSC 47 Series).
  2. Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. [Footnote in the source text.]
  3. In NSC 47/4 the words “except Saudi Arabia” appeared at the end of the first sentence of paragraph 3. The Joint Chiefs of Staff on March 13 recommended that the words “except Saudi Arabia” be deleted and that the following sentence be added: “However, the special United States–Saudi Arabia arrangements now existing should continue during the cold-war period.” At the March 14 NSC meeting the Council adopted the JCS recommendation with the omission of the words “during the cold-war period” as recommended by the Secretary of State.
  4. In NSC 47/4 paragraph 4b read as follows: “b. Take steps, in correlation with the United Kingdom to strengthen the several Arab States and Israel to improve their political and economic stability and to increase their will and ability to resist penetration by the USSR.” The Joint Chiefs of Staff on March 13 recommended that the first part of the sentence be amended to read: “Take steps, correlated with the United Kingdom as far as practicable, to strengthen the several Arab States and Israel.” At the March 14 NSC meeting the Council adopted the amendment proposed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
  5. Paragraph 5 in NSC 47/4 began as follows: “The United States and the United Kingdom should, on an individual but correlated basis and without partiality as between Israel and the several Arab States:”. The Joint Chiefs of Staff on March 13 recommended the following revision: “The United States and the United Kingdom should, on an individual basis, but correlating their actions as far as practicable, and without partiality as between Israel and the several Arab States.” At the NSC meeting on March 14 the Council adopted the JCS recommendation after adding the phrase “but consistent with strategic considerations” following the word “partiality” as recommended by the Secretary of State.
  6. In NSC 47/4 paragraph 6b read as follows: “Undertake and accelerate planned technical and economic assistance without partiality as between Israel and the several Arab States.” The Joint Chiefs of Staff on March 13 recommended that the phrase “without partiality as between Israel and the several Arab States” be deleted from paragraph 6b and inserted at the end of the first sentence of paragraph 6 after the words “Also, the United States should”. The National Security Council at its meeting on March 14 adopted the JCS recommendation.