Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The Near and Middle East, Volume IX, Part 2

787.5/5–1352

No. 1380
Memorandum by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Representatives of the British Chiefs of Staff¹

secret

Washington, 5 May 1952.

Subject:

• Arms Aid to Iraq and Jordan.

1. Reference is made to your memorandum BRY 92 of 2 April 1952, concerning arms aid to Iraq and Jordan. The United States Joint Chiefs of Staff appreciate the information provided with regard to British plans for the development of the armed forces of Iraq and Jordan.

2. With regard to the possibility of United States arms aid to Iraq and Jordan, the British Chiefs of Staff will recognize that higher priority programs and the world-wide demands for modern equipment and military assistance funds have placed severe limits upon military aid programs for countries of the Middle East. Nevertheless, the British Chiefs of Staff can be assured that if requests for military aid are received from the interested countries, they will receive careful consideration in accordance with established United States Government procedures. In this connection it is to be noted that the procedures established by the United States Government for the administration of military aid programs require that proposals such as those contained in your above referenced memorandum be presented to the Department of State through diplomatic channels and, therefore, the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff cannot furnish a definitive reply to the questions raised by the British Chiefs of Staff.

For the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff:

W. G. Lalor
Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Secretary

1. The source text was an enclosure to a letter from the Office of the Secretary of Defense to the Secretary of State, dated May 13, informing the Secretary of State of the exchange of information between the British and U.S. Chiefs of Staff on arms aid to Iraq and Jordan. Also enclosed was a memorandum from the Representative of the British Chiefs of Staff to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, dated April 2, with two annexes on arms aid to Iraq and Jordan and general plans for the development of air and ground forces of Iraq and Jordan. (787.5/5–1352)