168. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to Secretary of State Vance, Secretary of Defense Brown, Director of Central Intelligence Turner, and the Director of the International Communication Agency (Reinhardt)1
SUBJECT
- Presidential Commission on Foreign Language and International Studies
As you may know, James Perkins is heading a Presidential Commission on Foreign Language and International Studies. Its mission is to study the state of international education in the U.S. and to report its findings to the President.2
The Commission is under-funded, and is in search of $100,000 to fund a landmark study on our national needs in this area.
We have not had a major assessment of our knowledge base concerning foreign languages and international studies in several decades. There is a general consensus both in and out of government that we are suffering an erosion in the manpower and institutional basis for understanding foreign areas.
I recommend, out of national security considerations, that your agency contact Jim Perkins to encourage him to undertake such a national assessment. In addition, I recommend that you tag $25,000 [Page 493] for his Commission. If DOD, State, CIA, and ICA each contribute $25,000, we will be able to have the needed study.3
I know that the work of this Commission is of concern to the President. The work of the Commission grows out of the Helsinki Accords, by the way, in which the U.S. pledged itself to enhance our understanding of foreign cultures.
- Source: Carter Library, White House Central Files, Subject File, Federal Government, International Communication Agency, Executive, Box FG–218, FG 298 1/1/79–5/31/80. No classification marking. Executive Order 12054, which the President issued on April 21, 1978, established the President’s Commission on Foreign Language and International Studies. For the text, see Public Papers: Carter, 1978, Book I, pp. 766–767.↩
- The Commission submitted its final report to the President on October 15, 1979. The final report is entitled Strength Through Wisdom: A Critique of U.S. Capability, A Report to the President From the President’s Commission on Foreign Language and International Studies, November 1979. (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1979) See also Robert Reinhold, “Panel Urges Stress on Foreign Tongues: Carter Unit Proposes Programs—‛Ignorance’ on Languages Is Viewed as Harming U.S.,” The New York Times, November 8, 1979, p. B7.↩
- In a March 26 memorandum to Brzezinski, Turner indicated that he endorsed the establishment of the Commission, adding that the Central Intelligence Agency had engaged in discussions with Perkins and the Commission members regarding CIA “interests and needs” relating to international education. Turner continued, “With respect to the funding problem you mentioned, the $25,000 contribution requested from CIA is a very modest amount indeed and, as such, would be no problem. I am more concerned, however, that in our enthusiasm to support this effort—by providing even a small amount of CIA funding—we might be making the Commission’s task more difficult. While I feel confident that CIA has a legitimate interest in such an assessment, others in the academic community, the media, or the general public might question the basis for CIA funding a study involving US educational institutions. There is in fact some question about CIA’s legal authority to transfer funds to a Commission such as this.” He suggested that in light of these concerns, Reinhardt would agree “that it is preferable to avoid the use of CIA funds for this purpose.” (Carter Library, White House Central Files, Subject File, Federal Government, International Communication Agency, Executive, Box FG–218, FG 298 1/1/79–5/31/80)↩