457. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter1
SUBJECT
- Military Assistance to El Salvador: Friday Morning Breakfast (C)
Attached at Tab A is a cable which Christopher plans to discuss with you at the Friday breakfast.2 It represents a combined recommendation of State, DOD and NSC, that we deploy to El Salvador the advance helicopter MTT and the headquarters MTT once the transfer of a few key military officers (e.g., Carranza) is confirmed, as we expect on January 1. Next, as Duarte follows up his promise to expedite the investigation of the nuns, we shall sign the FY 81 FMS agreement and send the first few helicopters. (S)
The principal motivating force for taking these steps is Duarte’s conversation with our chargé on December 30 (Tab B).3 Duarte explains that the military are taking the kinds of steps to reorganize themselves which we have urged, but they are doing it “in their fashion.” He said that we would be making a serious mistake (and exposing the Christian Democrats at the same time) if we continue to withhold military aid in the light of the anticipated offensive of the Left and of our diminishing credibility with the military. Duarte makes a very strong, and to my mind persuasive, case for providing the military assistance and supporting him and his party, and I believe that, at the minimum, we ought to proceed with the cable at Tab A and consider several additional steps that might be useful to the PDC. (S)
[Page 1174]Harold Brown has sent you a memorandum (Tab C)4 which has been overtaken by these new developments. Essentially, he recommends that we take the steps which we are taking.5 (C)
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor Files, Country Files, Box 22, El Salvador: 1/1–6/81. Secret. Sent for information. Brzezinski handwrote the date on the memorandum.↩
- Attached at Tab A but not printed is a draft telegram instructing Dion to inform Duarte that the out-of-country IMET training, advance helicopter MTT, and MTT to “deal with guerrilla warfare at headquarters (but not individual MTTs at each field brigade command)” would commence in response. The Department sent the final version as telegram 1000 to San Salvador, January 2. (Ibid.)↩
- Tab B, not attached, was telegram 9059 from San Salvador, December 30, in which the Embassy reported on Duarte’s views about the “JRG’s progress over the last three weeks.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P880136–1937) An unsigned memorandum dated January 2 entitled “Situation Room Checklist” noted that Dion “asserts that he did not recommend an immediate full renewal of military aid that would reverse Ambassador White’s position of allowing a month hiatus to see if promised Salvadoran steps were taken. Dion said his recommendation was limited to an immediate renewal of IMET only” and asked that White’s views be sought before a military aid decision was taken. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor Files, Country Files, Box 22, El Salvador: 1/1–6/81)↩
- Attached at Tab C but not printed is Brown’s December 30 memorandum to Carter entitled “Security Assistance to El Salvador.”↩
- Carter wrote at the bottom of the page: “Proposal approved at breakfast,” and an unknown hand wrote: “1/02/81.” At the January 2 foreign affairs breakfast, attended by Carter, Mondale, Christopher, Claytor, Brzezinski, and Cutler, the principals discussed El Salvador. In Brzezinski’s January 2 memorandum for the record, he noted: “MTT for helicopters and MTT for HQ to go ahead, as per cable which the President approved. Christopher to ask Webster for assessment of what Duarte could do immediately on the investigation of the killing of the nuns, and if we [are] satisfied the President [is] prepared to consider affirmatively the transfer of helicopters. The matter should be put to the President for decision by Wednesday of next week.” (Carter Library, Vertical File, El Salvador)↩