304. Editorial Note
Under an August 17, 1979, memorandum, Deputy Director for Central Intelligence Frank Carlucci sent Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Zbigniew Brzezinski a July 30 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) paper entitled “Cuban Covert Action in Central America and the Caribbean.” Carlucci commented: “As we were wrestling with our own CA program on Nicaragua, I asked our people to explore the extent of Cuba’s CA program. I think you will find the result interesting.” (National Security Council, Carter Administration Intelligence Files, Box I026, Nicaragua Revolution 1 July 1979–22 Oct. 1979)
National Security Council Staff member Paul Henze sent the CIA paper to Brzezinski under an August 21 memorandum. Henze noted: [Page 737] “We have just received from CIA a crisp, fact-filled paper on how the Cubans master-minded and supported the Sandinista take-over in Nicaragua, starting in the summer of 1978. Fidel Castro obviously took a close personal interest in the operation. It was a masterpiece of successful covert action. This paper is worth your reading in its entirety. It is also worth the President’s reading in its entirety. I recommend you hold it to give to him at an opportune time.” The paper noted that “over the past year Cuba has carefully orchestrated an extensive and complicated covert action operation designed to bring down the Somoza government and put the FSLN in power.” (Ibid.)
Notations in an unknown hand on Henze’s memorandum indicate that a copy of it was sent to Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs David Aaron. On a copy of the memorandum Aaron received and returned to Henze, he, in reference to Henze’s suggestion that President Jimmy Carter receive a copy of the CIA paper, wrote: “I will, please prepare a note to CIA suggesting that they inform the House and Senate Intel committees. DA.” Henze forwarded a copy of the memorandum to Carlucci from Aaron under an August 22 note. (Ibid.)
On another copy of Henze’s August 21 memorandum to Brzezinski, a handwritten notation suggests that Brzezinski hand-carried a copy of the July 30 CIA paper to Carter on September 4. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 56, Nicaragua: 7/79–9/79)