Office of the Historian

99. Letter From the Director of the Office of North African Affairs, Bureau of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Bishop) to the Chargé d’Affaires in Libya (Eagleton)1

Washington, March 9, 1979
Dear Bill:

Morrie was jumped by Senator Stone on the 747 issue last Friday.2 The White House was in a panic Saturday,3 afraid the decision to sell the aircraft would be misinterpreted as the product of Billy’s influence. For several days it appeared the White House would force cancellation of the export license. The return of sanity, or perhaps the departure for Cairo of the demented, has lifted this threat, hopefully permanently.

Qadhafi’s support for Amin is having the obvious consequences for Libya’s public image here. It has prompted numerous press and Congressional inquiries. The state of our current knowledge is sufficiently imperfect that we can honestly reply that we have few details. But the Libyans have done themselves substantial damage, creating further opposition to their normalization campaign. When we are in the bubble at Tripoli remind me to tell you an interesting story about their lost TU–22.

Newsom was astonished to learn we continue to deliver Chinooks to Libya (the Moroccans have been calling attention to these deliveries when complaining about our initial refusal to permit the Italians to ship Chinooks to Rabat). He called personally and was quite concerned. I told him our lawyers say we could not withdraw our permission (we looked into this when we learned the Libyans are training Palestinian pilots on the choppers). On further reflection, Newsom appeared ready to accept my conclusion that it is a complex world and mentioned in bemused fashion that he probably approved the sale when he had my job. We are asking the Historical Office to refresh our memory on the details of deliberations at the time.4

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I continue to scout the bushes for a Blucker replacement. Sean Donnelly, who was an outstanding economic officer when I knew him at Dakar, nibbled for a while. But I doubt he will bite.

Kawan at the Embassy here told me a few nights ago that Muntasir’s family has returned to Tripoli with the exception of a brother. The latter is living with Muntasir, who is receiving out-patient treatment but reportedly far from well.

See you in Tripoli if the Middle East does not blow apart again.

Warm regards,

James K. Bishop5
Director
Office of North African Affairs
  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East, Subject File, Box 61, Libya: Carter (Billy): 9–10/80. Secret; Official/Informal.↩
  2. March 2. In testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Draper informed the committee that the Department of State had approved the sale to Libya of three Boeing 747 aircraft, in addition to the two 727s. (“State Department Approves Sale of Three 747’s to Libya,” New York Times, March 3, 1979, p. 5)↩
  3. March 3↩
  4. The undated paper entitled “Considerations Concerning U.S. Approval of the Sale to Libya of Helicopters Manufactured Under U.S. License by the Italian Firm Agusta-Bell, 1972–1973,” is in the Department of State, Office of the Historian, Research Projects File, Lot 16D82, 1206—Helicopter Sale to Libya.↩
  5. Bishop signed “Jim” above his typed signature.↩