Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Near East Region; Iraq; Iran; Arabian Peninsula, Volume XII

216. Memorandum From Evan M. Wilson of the Policy Planning Staff to the Director (Smith)⁰

Washington, March 18, 1960.

SUBJECT

• Iraq

At today’s meeting of the Iraqi Action Group,¹Lewis Jones gave a summary of the present situation in Iraq and of present policy which I think worth reporting to you.

Jones said that among relatively favorable developments recently had been (1) the licensing of political parties and the split in the Communist Party; (2) the development of relative internal stability including certain changes in government personnel; (3) favorable economic developments including better treatment of US contractors and evidence that the Soviet economic offensive is not going well; (4) favorable developments in the cultural field including the Iraqi request for American professors, the granting of access to our USIS premises and Iraqi interest in negotiating a cultural agreement with us; and (5) continuing good relations with Turkey together with an improvement in relations with Iran.

Among unfavorable factors, Jones listed (1) the possibility that there could be a coup at any time; (2) the fact that Qassim is becoming more of an enigma and more withdrawn; (3) the continued activities of Colonel Mahdawi and his Peoples’ Court; (4) the presence of Communists in several government departments and the continued political activity of the Communists; and (5) the fact that Iraq is isolated from its Middle Eastern neighbors with the exception of Iran and Turkey.

Jones said that he was convinced our present policy, which he described as being “friendship and non-involvement,” has been sound. He thought that we should continue to be receptive to any Iraqi requests for aid, resume a modest USIS program and a cultural program, train Iraqi military officers in this country if requested, look into the possibilities of trade promotion, encourage American contractors to remain in Iraq, and give aid under PL 480² if famine conditions should occur as is possible. He pointed out that programs along the foregoing lines were not aimed specifically at Qassim, but would probably be welcomed by any likely successor regime.

The representatives of other agencies present, including CIA, Defense and USIA, indicated their general agreement with the analysis offered by Lewis Jones. It was agreed that a report would be submitted by the Secretary to the NSC, along the lines of the attached draft, with the changes noted. It was the consensus of the Group that this report simply be circulated to the members of the NSC for their information and should not be formally presented to the NSC.

I am inclined to agree with Jones that our present policy toward Iraq is sound.

0. Source: Department of State, S/P–NSC Files: Lot 62 D 1, Iraq, The Situation, NSC Action No. 2068. Secret.
1. Committee of the Interagency Group on Iraq.
2. 68 Stat. 454.