44. Editorial Note
On March 30, 1979, the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs, Zbigniew Brzezinski, informed Secretary of State Cyrus Vance that he had sent memoranda to the International Communication Agency (ICA) and the CIA relaying how President Jimmy Carter wanted to respond to Soviet allegations that the United States was meddling in Afghan affairs. (See Document 43.) Brzezinski’s memorandum to Director of Central Intelligence Stansfield Turner, March 30, transmitted Carter’s request to strongly rebuke the Soviet allegation of U.S. involvement in overthrowing the Afghan Government. Brzezinski went on: “All information available to us in recent days has tended to indicate quite the contrary: that the Soviet Union is preparing to intervene in Afghanistan to prop up an unpopular leftist regime and is, in fact, already doing most of the things it is accusing the United States and other countries of doing or preparing to do.” Brzezinski requested a status report by April 6 in response to Carter’s directive. (Central Intelligence Agency, NIC Files, Job 82T00466R, Box 2, Folder 2)
Turner’s response to Brzezinski, April 9, outlined the steps taken by the CIA to counter Soviet allegations: on March 31, the CIA tasked all field stations “to make specific effort to expose the nature and extent of the Soviet role in Afghanistan, and to characterize this interference as a growing threat to regional stability.” Turner noted: “this tasking expanded on an earlier requirement sent to the field on 17 February to ‘intensify covert action efforts directed at exposing Soviet machinations in Iran and Afghanistan.’” As of April 6, Turner reported, the CIA’s messaging had been delivered to 46 governments, and articles “have been placed in the media of 17 countries” with more media placement forthcoming. Finally, Turner noted that the CIA was preparing “a series of black propaganda operations designed to support the tribal revolt in Afghanistan, to encourage uncommitted Afghans to back the dissidents, and to stimulate foreign support for the dissidents,” in coordination with the Department of State. (National Security Council, Carter Administration Intelligence Files, Box I–047, Afghanistan: 8 May 1978–7 Dec 1978)
Brzezinski sent a nearly identical memorandum, March 30, to the ICA. (National Security Council, Carter Administration Intelligence Files, Box I–047, Afghanistan: 15 Feb 1979–22 Aug 1979) In a log book of policy decisions by country, the National Security Council noted: “ICA reports that it is continuing to provide extensive coverage of Soviet activities in and accusations about Afghanistan especially with the Voice of America and the wireless file.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, Unfiled Files, Box 146, Policies . . . Relating to the National Security, vol. III: [Countries: Afghanistan—France]: 1979)
[Page 124]In a memorandum to Carter, April 11, Brzezinski informed him of the CIA and ICA responses and also noted that the Department of State “has taken steps to notify the Iranians, Indians, Saudis, and Pakistanis through diplomatic channels of Soviet plans to support and possibly participate in a major effort against the Afghan tribal and religious rebels and will continue bilateral dialogues on the Afghan problem.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Agency File, Box 2, Central Intelligence Agency: 4/78–4/79)