207. Memorandum of Discussion at the 423d Meeting of the National Security Council0
[Here follow a paragraph listing the participants at the meeting and agenda items 1 and 2.]
3. The Situation in Iraq (NSC 5820/1; NSC Actions Nos. 2068, 2074, 2078 and 2100; SNIE 36.2–4–59; NSC Action No. 2133)1
Mr. Gray said the next item was an oral report by the Secretary of State on the situation in Iraq,2 to be made on behalf of the Inter-Agency Group on Iraq. Mr. Gray recalled that the Council on October 1 had agreed that the Interdepartmental Group would continue to keep the situation in Iraq under scrutiny and would reappraise the situation following the forthcoming CENTO Meeting. Secretary Herter said the Inter-Agency Group met on October 16 and will meet again at any time events require a reappraisal of the situation. Meanwhile Iraq is being watched with anxiety. Unrest in that country may lead to further attempts on the life of Qasim. Moreover, Secretary Herter was quite disturbed by the dispute between Iran and Iraq over the Shatt-el-Arab boundaries and navigation. The Iranians were quite willing to discuss this dispute and the Iraqis professed to be willing to do so, but never quite got around to sending negotiators to a meeting. This dispute could some day be explosive. Turning again to the internal situation in Iraq, Secretary Herter said it was difficult to know whether the Communists were gaining or losing influence. However, he was quite disturbed about the possibility of demonstrations and disorders at the time Qasim leaves the hospital. Mr. Dulles said that according to some reports Qasim was more seriously wounded than was first reported. Secretary Herter remarked that on the other hand Ambassador Jernegan had visited Qasim in the hospital and had reported that he seemed to be in good health. Mr. Dulles then reported that [6–½ lines of source text not declassified].
[Page 493]The National Security Council:3
Noted an oral report by the Secretary of State on the results of the reappraisal of the situation in Iraq following the recent CENTO meeting, undertaken in accordance with NSC Action No. 2133–b by the Interdepartmental Group established pursuant to NSC Action No. 2068–b; and comments by the Director of Central Intelligence related thereto.
[Here follows agenda item 4.]
- Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret; Eyes Only. Drafted by Boggs on November 5.↩
- See footnotes 1–3 and 8, Document 204.↩
- Based on a memorandum from Hart to Herter, November 4. (Department of State, S/P–NSC Files: Lot 62 D 1, Iraq, The Situation, NSC Action No. 2068)↩
- The following paragraph constitutes NSC Action No. 2146, approved by the President on November 10. (Ibid., S/S–NSC (Miscellaneous) Files: Lot D 66 D 95, Records of Action by the National Security Council)↩