338. Memorandum From the National Intelligence Officer for Near East and South Asia (Ames) to Director of Central Intelligence Turner and the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (Carlucci)1
SUBJECT
- Iran—Hostages, Options, Etc.
1. Action Requested: None; the following is for your information. [portion marking not declassified]
2. Background: As I begin my third year as NIO/NESA (or end my second) I have forwarded to you a series of papers that looked at areas of concern, principally the Arabian Peninsula and the Arab-Israeli issue. Nothing has taken more of my time during this period, however, than the problem of Iran. It was my baptism and, I fear, will be my cross as long as I have this job. I have saved my comments on Iran until last because I have no quick fix advice and as I review options and scenarios there is an aching feeling of deja vu. I believe it might be useful to outline for you some of my bottom line thinking based on two years’ intimate relationship with both sides of this problem: the analytical and the covert/operational. [portion marking not declassified]
3. The question of options is the one that is and has been the most frustrating. Can anything we do obtain the release of the hostages and save Iran from a chaotic fall into the radical/leftist camp? As an activist by nature, I cannot accept that we just monitor the events and make moves when we see an opening.2 This is the State view and is accompanied by keeping the channels of dialogue open. Although this may have some value in the hostage issue, it does nothing to address the long term political problem. [portion marking not declassified]
4. [9 lines not declassified]
[5 paragraphs (31 lines) not declassified]
- Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, Job 82M00501R: 1980 Subject Files, Box 13, Folder 1. Secret. Sent through Clarke. A note on the transmittal sheet indicates that Turner saw the memorandum and that a meeting on Iran took place on Monday, August 18. No other record of the meeting has been found.↩
- In the left margin beside this paragraph, Turner wrote: “Plan 1.”↩