Middle East Region and the Gulf


1. Memorandum From William Quandt and Gary Sick of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East, Chron File, Box 130, Quandt: 2/1–2/77. Secret. Sent for information. Brackets are in the original.


2. Action Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs (Gelb) and the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Atherton) to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Habib)

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Bureau of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, Program Files for Oman, 1974–1989; UAE, 1989; Political Relations, 1969–1989, Lot 91D491, Box 6, Def–15—MidEastfor 1977. Confidential. Drafted by Twinam and John E. Burgess (PM/ISO) on March 1; cleared by William Lewis (AF/I) and in substance by Granville S. Austin (S/P). Also cleared by Peter Lande (NEAPAB), Charles Naas (NEA/IRN), Albert Thibault (NEA/INS), Richard Hobbs (NEA/RA), and Sober. Burgess initialed the memorandum for Gelb.


3. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Bahrain

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770094–0476. Secret; Niact Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Twinam; cleared by Sober, Janka, George Churchill (PM/ISO), Richard Hobbs (NEA/RA), Peter Lande (NEAPAB), Charles Naas (NEA/IRN), William Lewis (AF/I), and Leo Reddy (S/S); approved by Atherton. Sent for information Immediate to Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dhahran, Jidda, Karachi, Kuwait, Islamabad, Muscat, Nairobi, Port Louis, Tehran, Victoria, the Department of Defense, JCS, CNO, CINCEUR, CINCUSNAVEUR, COMIDEASTFOR, CINCPAC, and CINCPACFLT.


4. Telegram From the Embassy in Bahrain to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770098–0182. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Sent for information to Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dhahran, Jidda, Karachi, Islamabad, Muscat, Nairobi, Port Louis, Tehran, Victoria, and Kuwait.


5. Action Memorandum From the Acting Director of the Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs (Bartholomew) and the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Atherton) to Secretary of State Vance

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Bureau of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, Program Files for Oman, 1974–1989; UAE, 1989; Political Relations, 1969–1989, Lot 91D491, Box 6, Def–15—MidEastfor 1977. Secret. Sent through Habib. Drafted by George Churchill (PM/ISO) and Twinam on April 28; cleared in DOD/ISA/FMRA and by James Rohwer (L/PM), William Lewis (AF/I), and Robert Flaten (H). Churchill initialed for all clearing officials. A handwritten notation in the upper right-hand margin of the first page reads: “Approved by P—‘not necessary to go to S’ 5/4/77.”


6. Paper Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 50, Middle East: 4–6/77. Secret; [handling restriction not declassified]. Prepared with contributions from the Center for Policy Support and the Offices of Economic Research, Regional and Political Analysis, and Strategic Research, Directorate of Intelligence.


7. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Arab Emirates

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770334–0882. Secret. Drafted by David M. Winn (NEA/ARP); cleared by Douglas Keene (PM/SAS) and in DOD/ISA; approved by Twinam. Sent for information to Manama, Doha, Jidda, Kuwait, and Muscat.


8. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Arab Emirates to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780067–0602. Secret; Exdis. Sent for information to Doha, Jidda, Kuwait, Manama, Muscat, Tehran, and USCINCEUR.


9. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Jones) to Secretary of Defense Brown

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Defense/Security, Ermarth, Box 4, Middle East/Persian Gulf: 9–12/78. Secret.


10. Memorandum From the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Dayan) to President Carter

Source: Carter Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 71, PRC 079, 11/30/78, Pakistan. Secret. Carter wrote “Charles” and initialed “J” in the upper right-hand corner of the memorandum. Copies were sent to Vance, Brown, and Brzezinski.


11. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Jones) to Secretary of Defense Brown

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files, FRC 330–82–0205, Box 16. Secret. Brown initialed the memorandum on January 12. A January 12 note to Brown from his assistant, Rear Admiral Thor Hanson, reads: “This has some bearing on your luncheon item on your ME trip.” (Ibid.)


12. Action Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Saunders) to Secretary of State Vance

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P890025–2682. Confidential. Drafted by A. Peter Burleigh and David Winn (NEA/ARP). Sent through Newsom, who initialed the memorandum. Tarnoff initialed the memorandum in the upper right-hand corner.


13. Letter From President Carter to Omani Sultan Qaboos

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East, Subject File, Box 73, Oman: 1–4/79. No classification marking. Brzezinski sent the letter to Carter under a January 18 memorandum that indicated Vance had approved an earlier version of the letter (see Document 12) and requested that Carter sign the letter. A handwritten note on Brzezinski’s covering memorandum states that Carter signed the letter on January 18.


14. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Jones) to Secretary of Defense Brown

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Defense/Security, Ermarth, Box 4, Middle East/Persian Gulf: 1–3/79. Secret. Brown initialed the memorandum on January 23. Attached but not printed is a January 23 covering memorandum from Hanson forwarding the memorandum to Brzezinski. The covering memorandum also notes that Brown had sent a copy of the policy paper to Carter.


15. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense Brown to
President Carter

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East, Trips/Visits File, Box 112, 2/9–19/79 Brown Visit to the Middle East: 1/79–2/10/79. Secret; Sensitive.


16. Memorandum From Gary Sick of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)

Source: Carter Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 73, PRC 090, 2/1/79, Secretary Brown’s Trip to Middle East. Secret. Sent for information. A stamped notation on the memorandum reads: “ZB has seen.”


17. Minutes of a Policy Review Committee Meeting

Source: Carter Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 73, PRC 090, 2/1/79, Secretary Brown’s Trip to Middle East. Secret. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. Sick sent the minutes to Brzezinski under a February 7 covering memorandum; Brzezinski subsequently approved the minutes.


18. Telegram From the Department of State to Multiple Diplomatic Posts

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790060–0555. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Drafted by Twinam; cleared by George Muller (T), Saunders, J. Brian Atwood (H), Robert M. Maxim (HA), Kreisberg, O’Donohue, Carol C. Moor (INR/DDC/OIL), Quandt, McGiffert, and Richard Castrodale (S/S–O); approved by Newsom. Sent Priority to Abu Dhabi, Doha, Jidda, Kuwait, Manama, and Muscat. Sent for information Priority to Amman, USINT Baghdad, Bonn, Cairo, London, Moscow, Paris, Sana, and Tokyo.


19. Letter From President Carter to Secretary of Defense Brown

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East, Trips/Visits File, Box 112, 2/9–19/79 Brown Visit to the Middle East: 1/79–2/10/79. Secret. Carter’s letter is the final version of Brown’s draft instructions; see footnote 2, Document 15. An undated note from Vance to Carter suggesting additional revisions to Brown’s instructions is in the Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East, Trips/Visits File, Box 112, 2/9–19/79 Brown Visit to the Middle East: 1/79–2/10/79.


20. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense Brown to
President Carter

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files, FRC 330–82–0205, Middle East (Feb 1–23) 1979. Secret; Sensitive. In the upper-right corner of the memorandum Carter wrote: “Good report J.” Brzezinski returned the report to Brown under a February 21 memorandum, commenting: “I thought you would want to see his [Carter’s] comment.” (Ibid.) Brown’s memorandum is also printed in Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, vol. IX, Arab-Israeli Dispute, August 1978–December 1980, Document 178.


21. Action Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs (Gelb), the Acting Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Kreisberg), and the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Saunders) to Secretary of State Vance

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Official Working Papers of S/P Director Anthony Lake, 1977–January 1981, Lot 82D298, Box 5, S/P Lake Papers— 4/16–30/79. Secret. Sent through Newsom. Drafted by O’Donohue and Kreisberg on April 17. O’Donohue initialed for Gelb. Tarnoff also initialed the memorandum. In the upper right-hand corner of the memorandum, an unknown hand wrote: “Paul said PM will do—he has spoken with Dan already. 4/20.”


22. Memorandum From Gary Sick, William Quandt, and Fritz Ermarth of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Defense/Security, Ermarth, Box 5, Middle East Security Planning: 5–6/19/79. Secret. Sent for information. A stamped notation on the memorandum reads: “ZB has seen.”


23. Minutes of a Special Coordination Committee Meeting

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Defense/Security, Ermarth, Box 5, Middle East Security Planning: 5–6/19/79. Secret. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. The Summary of Conclusions of this meeting is printed as Document 192.


24. Memorandum From Gary Sick and Fritz Ermarth of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)

Source: Carter Library, Donated Historical Material, Papers of Walter F. Mondale, Policy Review Committee (PRC)/Special Coordinating Committee (SCC) Meeting, Box 98, PRC Meeting on Persian Gulf/Middle East Security Issues, 6/21/1979. Secret. Sent for information.


25. Memorandum From Fritz Ermarth of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)

Source: Carter Library, Brzezinski Donated Material, Subject File, Box 25, Meetings—PRC 112: 6/21/79. Secret. Sent for information.


26. Minutes of Policy Review Committee Meetings

Source: Carter Library, RAC SAFE39C–17–55–4–7, C03341983. Top Secret. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room.


27. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense Brown to
President Carter

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Defense/Security, Ermarth, Box 3, [Indian Ocean]: 2–8/79. Secret. Bartholomew sent a copy of Brown’s memorandum to Vance under a July 19 briefing memorandum, noting that Vance, Brown and Brzezinski planned to discuss it at their scheduled July 20 luncheon. Bartholomew noted: “This memo accurately reflects the PRC decisions and we agree with its overall thrust. However, we need an early State/DOD assessment of the diplomatic implications and military support requirements essential to some of Harold’s recommendations (e.g., MIDEASTFOR increases, land-based tactical air deployments, and marine air-ground task force). The results of that assessment should be reflected in Harold’s memo before it goes forward.” (Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Cyrus R. Vance, Secretary of State—1977–1980, Lot 84D241, Box 1, Vance/Brown/Brzezinski Lunches, 7–9/79) Vance and Brown did set forth plans for implementing the increased presence outlined in Brown’s memorandum; see Document 30.


28. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense Brown to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, General Odom File, Box 28, Middle East Command Post: 7/79–3/80. Secret.


29. Memorandum From Gary Sick of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East, Subject File, Box 68, Middle East: Security: 7–8/79. Secret. Outside the System. Sent for information. A stamped notation on the memorandum reads: “ZB has seen.”


30. Memorandum From Secretary of State Vance and Secretary of Defense Brown to President Carter

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files, FRC 330–82–0205, Box 15, Middle East. Secret. The memorandum is on Department of State stationery.