Near East, 1961–1962


151. Memorandum for the Record

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Meetings and Memoranda Series, Staff Memoranda, Robert W. Komer, Vol. II. Secret. Drafted by Komer and distributed to McGeorge Bundy and Kaysen.


152. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Kennedy

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 786A.11/12–2361. Secret. Drafted by Seelye (NEA/NE) on December 20. Talbot proposed that this memorandum be sent to President Kennedy in a December 21 memorandum to Secretary Rusk. Talbot’s memorandum also suggested that Secretary Rusk designate a Department officer to extend the President’s invitation personally to the King, still in the hospital in Boston. As soon as the King was able to leave the hospital, the President should send a plane to bring him to Washington for an interview and a White House luncheon, after which the plane would return the King to Boston. (Ibid., 786A.11/12–2161)


153. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Jordan

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 325.84/12–2561. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Thacher (NEA) and Palmer (IO) on December 24; cleared by Cleveland in substance and by Talbot; and approved by Thacher who initialed for Rusk. Also sent to Beirut, Cairo, and Damascus and repeated to Baghdad, Ankara, Jidda, Tel Aviv, Paris, Khartoum, Rabat, Tunis, Tripoli, London, Taiz, and USUN.


154. Telegram From the Embassy in Iraq to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.86D/12–2861. Secret; Priority. Also sent to Kuwait and Moscow and repeated to Amman, Beirut, Cairo, Damascus, Jidda, Khartoum, London, and Basra.


155. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Talbot) to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (McGhee)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 786D.00/12–2961. Secret. Drafted by Thacher (NEA/NE). A previous memorandum from Thacher to Talbot of December 27 that discussed the situation in Kuwait and U.S. options is ibid., NEA/NE Files: Lot 63 D 33, Kuwait.


156. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Meetings and Memoranda Series, Staff Memoranda, Robert W. Komer, Vol. II. Secret.


157. Memorandum From the Department of State Executive Secretary (Battle) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Country Series, United Arab Republic, 1/62–2/61. Confidential.


158. Telegram From the Embassy in Lebanon to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/1–862. Top Secret; [distribution indicator not declassified].


159. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Kennedy

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.86B/1–1062. Secret. Drafted by Barrow (NEA/NE) and Thacher (NEA/NE) on January 5 and concurred in by Gaud (AID) in draft, Martin (E) in draft, and Rostow (S/P) in substance. Talbot transmitted this memorandum to Secretary Rusk for his signature through McGhee (M) and Johnson (G) who initialed the transmittal memorandum. A handwritten note on the source text by Brubeck, dated January 29, reads: “GWB talked to Pres on weekend re Nasser visit and has NEA proposed memo to Pres re visit. Action rests w/GWB.” A January 3 memorandum from Talbot to McGhee contains an additional rationale for the action plan printed here. (Ibid., NEA/NE Files: Lot 66 D 218, UAR POL UAR-US)


160. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Lebanon

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783.00/1–862. Top Secret; Roger Channel. Drafted by Strong and Hamilton (NEA/NE) on January 9, cleared by Talbot, and approved by Hilsman (INR) who initialed for Rusk. Repeated to London.


161. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Arab Republic to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.86B/1–1162. Secret. Repeated to London, Paris, Damascus, Beirut, Amman, Jidda, and Moscow.


162. Telegram From the Embassy in Lebanon to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/1–1362. Confidential. Also sent to Amman, Baghdad, Cairo, Damascus, Ankara, Jidda, London, Paris, Rome, Tel Aviv, and Tehran.


163. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to President Kennedy

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Country Series, United Arab Republic, 1/62–2/62. Secret. A marginal notation reads: “(Removed from Pres. Week-end reading folder 1/20/62). Komer forwarded this memorandum to Bundy with a memorandum that reads: “Here are my comments, designed to be put on top of State’s ‘action program’ toward UAR [Document 159] (you have ribbon copy) and sent to JFK. I’ve incorporated latest changes State proposes (Bowles visit, etc.). State is sending over new letter to replace draft JFK letter to Nasser (but I suggest not holding up for this). This is a big thing, so I’ve taken the space needed to cover all the things State didn’t. But I’ve not repeated arguments in my 8 December memo [Document 149] you sent forward; did we ever get a reaction to it.” Komer added the following handwritten note: “Talbot tells me that, in light of Badeau’s ‘cordial’ talk with Nasser (Cairo 1074 [Document 161]), he now leans slightly to Spring visit rather than December. So do I, though let’s reserve final judgment (if JFK willing) till we see how Bowles visit goes.”


165. Telegram From the Embassy in Lebanon to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.83A/1–1662. Confidential; Noforn. Repeated to Amman, Damascus, Cairo, Baghdad, London, Paris, Rome, Ankara, Tel Aviv, and Jidda.


166. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 325.84/1–1762. Confidential; Limited Distribution; Noforn. Drafted by Crawford on January 24.


167. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 601.0084/1–1862. Confidential. Drafted by Hamilton on January 22. The source text is labeled “Part I of IV.” Other portions of the conversation were recorded in separate memoranda of conversation not filed with the source text. A briefing memorandum prepared by Strong for Talbot is ibid., 601.0084A/1–1762.


168. Report of the Chairman of the Iran Task Force (Talbot)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.88/1–1862. Secret. Drafted by Miklos on January 13 and retyped in S/S-RO on January 15; approved by Talbot. The report was written in response to NSAM No. 67. (Ibid., NSAM Files: Lot 72 D 316, NSAM 67) The report was transmitted to Bundy at the National Security Council under cover of a memorandum from Battle that reads: “In response to your memorandum of August 7, 1961 regarding the implementation of U.S. policy in Iran as set forth in the Iranian Task Force’s report of May 15, 1961, there is attached a report by the Chairman of the Task Force, Assistant Secretary Talbot, which covers the activities and progress made by the cooperative efforts of the U.S. and Iranian Governments in the intervening period. The report concludes that the appropriate branches of the present Administration have been given sufficient authority to carry out U.S. policy in Iran and that no further action by the NSC seems to be required at this time.” Regarding the May 15 report, see footnote 2, Document 49.


170. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kaysen)

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Country Series, Iran, 1/19/62–2/28/62. Secret.


171. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Kennedy

Source: Kennedy Library, President’s Office Files, Countries, United Arab Republic—Security 1962. Confidential. The copy of the letter to Nasser in Department of State, Central Files, 123-Bowles, Chester, indicates that Thacher drafted the memorandum and bears a typed notation that the memorandum was approved by the White House on January 23.


172. Letter From the Ambassador to Iran (Holmes) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 788.5/1–2262. Secret. A 1-page enclosure containing a tabulation of statistics relating to the U.S. military assistance program for Iran is not printed.


173. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to President Kennedy

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Country Series, United Arab Republic, Nasser Visit. Secret.


174. Circular Airgram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Kuwait and the Embassy in the United Kingdom

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 786D.00/1–2662. Secret. Drafted by Seelye (NEA/NE) and Thacher on January 25; cleared by Williams (AID/NE), Root (AFN), and Rewinkel (BNA); and approved by Strong who initialed for Ball. Repeated to Dhahran, Cairo, Amman, Damascus, Beirut, Khartoum, Paris, Rome, Rabat, Tunis, Tripoli, Benghazi, Baghdad, and Jidda.


175. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Arab Republic

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 123-Bowles, Chester. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Thacher (NEA/NE) and Lewis (SR) on January 23; cleared by Barrow (NE), Veliotes (S/S), and Smith (White House); and approved by Talbot who initialed for Ball.


176. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Arab Republic

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 123-Bowles, Chester. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Thacher and Lewis on January 24; cleared by Veliotes, Barrow, Strong, and Smith at the White House; and approved by Talbot who initialed for Ball.


178. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Arab Republic

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 411.86B41/1–2762. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Barrow and Strong on January 26; cleared in substance by Gabbert, Jones, and Williams, and by Veliotes, Lewis, and Smith (White House); and approved by Talbot who initialed for Ball.


179. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Country Series, United Arab Republic, Nasser Visit. Secret.


180. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Lebanon

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.83A/1–3062. Secret; Niact. Drafted by Hamilton; cleared by Strong, Manfull, and Smith (White House); and approved by Talbot. Manfull initialed for Ball. Repeated to Paris and London.