Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume I, Foundations of Foreign Policy

180. Electronic Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (McFarlane) to Robert Kimmit of the National Security Council Staff¹

Washington, January 7, 1984, 2:02 p.m.

SUBJECT

• A Long Look Ahead

For some time, I have tried unsuccessfully, to orchestrate a long range planning effort. My time frame was the first term; the time for it to happen was in 82 and the first half of 83. Had we had it we could have better focussed our resources (the use of the President’s time, his travel, his meeting with Congressmen etc) to accomplish one or two significant gains. We haven’t done that. Now, in an election year, launching a new initiative is probably infeasible if not unwise. Still, we need to be ready to move out smartly at the commencement of the new term. In addition we will need to give the President our recommendations for an imaginative vision of the future for his use in appealing to the American people this fall. Consequently I would appreciate your talking to Don Fortier about putting together two separate study outlines; the first should be our planning agenda for the spring of ’85. That is, what regional and functional NSSD’s should be launched so as to focus our energies toward the accomplishment of one or two significant things in the second term—is it a new orientation of US policy toward the Pacific Basin; what else?

The second outline should be more visionary. It should sketch in broad terms the problems and opportunities before us as we approach the turn of the century.

What institutional changes are needed for example to assure the peaceful exploitation by all free world countries of the technological revolution that is upon us? What are the unexplored opportunities of space and how can we tackle them? What approach to the developing world might offer greater promise than the approaches we have taken? What institutional changes might hold promise of strengthening the international financial system? There are many other areas for Don’s imagination in concert with imaginative people like Norm Bailey, Harry Rowen et al.

There is no urgent deadline for this but I would like to hear Don’s thoughts within a month or so. Many thanks.²

1. Source: Reagan Library, Donald Fortier Files, Subject File, Policy Planning (Second Term) I: [01/01/1984–06/12/1984]. Secret. Copied to Poindexter, George Van Eron, Fortier, and Lehman. Poindexter forwarded the message to Van Eron on January 7 at 2:03 p.m., writing: “Please print out a hard copy of this one for me.”
2. An unknown hand underlined “like to hear Don’s thoughts within a month or so. Many thanks.”