Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XII, Afghanistan

289. Memorandum From Acting Director of Central Intelligence Carlucci to Secretary of State Muskie and the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)¹

Washington, June 16, 1980

SUBJECT

• VoA Broadcast of CIA Activities

1. The Voice of America recently broadcast a summary of a Philadelphia Inquirer article alleging clandestine CIA support to the Afghan Freedom Fighters. A copy of the broadcast is attached.²

2. U.S. Government support of the Afghan Freedom Fighters is an extremely sensitive subject. Our Saudi and Pakistani partners have made it clear that their continued participation is contingent upon the program being kept secret. Periodic leaks in the U.S. press about the Afghan covert action program invariably produce questions from the Paks and Saudis. In response, we can only explain the role of the press in U.S. society.

3. Broadcast of these allegations over official U.S. Government facilities elevates the problem to a new plane. Despite our denials, the Pakistanis and Saudis will probably conclude that U.S. policy is to surface the Afghan support program. It should be understood that any further broadcasting over U.S. Government facilities about CIA activities in Afghanistan can result in the termination of the program.

4. Such official broadcasts also increase the risk that Afghan terrorists could strike at U.S. Government officials abroad.

Frank C. Carlucci
Acting Director

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, For President or Brzezinski Only File, Box 88, PA—Very Sensitive: 7–9/80. Secret; Sensitive; [handling restriction not declassified]. In the upper right corner, Brzezinski wrote to Aaron, June 17: “DA hold a meeting on this with Carlucci & Reinhardt . ZB.”
2. For the series of articles by Richard Ben Cramer published in the Philadelphia Inquirer, see footnote 4, Document 283. The text of the broadcast was not attached; it noted that the CIA “has been secretly supplying modest amounts of foreign manufactured arms to Afghan rebels;” that the arms were of German, Belgian, and Israeli origin, and were funneled through Pakistan; and that the Carter administration rejected plans to supply the Afghan rebels with more sophisticated weaponry due to the possibility that the supply could be traced back to U.S. sources. (Correspondent Report 2–8909, June 9; Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, For President or Brzezinski Only File, Box 88, PA—Very Sensitive: 7–9/80)