Office of the Historian

220. Message From the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (McMahon) to Director of Central Intelligence Casey1

Rabat, undated

SUBJECT

  • Msg for DCI
1.
DDCI requests following be passed to DCI as quickly as possible:
2.
During 15 November meeting with King Hassan II,2 DDCI raised question of probable Arab world/Middle Eastern response to an American retaliation for the Beirut bombing3 of the MAU headquarters. [5¼ lines not declassified]
3.
[1 paragraph (3½ lines) not declassified]
4.
The King listed benefits of an “appropriate response” as
A.
Elevating the prestige of the US.
B.
Weakening the Syrians who are a negative influence throughout the region, and
C.
“Improving the balance” in the Iran/Iraq war by weakening the Syrians and Iranians, both of whom are enemies of Iraq.
5.
[1 paragraph (2½ lines) not declassified]
6.
Ambassador Reed, who also attended audience [less than 1 line not declassified] is preparing a similar message to the President.4 [less than 1 line not declassified]

End of message

  1. Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, Job 85M000364R: Box 14, C–379, Morocco. Secret. Attached to a November 15 typewritten note from Casey to McFarlane which reads “Dear Bud, I think the President will be interested in this message from King Hassan.” Reagan initialed the top of the message. Above the subject line Casey wrote “King Hassan (Morocco) thoughts on striking back in Lebanon.”↩
  2. A record of McMahon’s meeting with Hassan is in the Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat, NSC Country File, Africa, Morocco, 12/13/1983–02/03/1984.↩
  3. Reference is to the October 23 bombing of the U.S. Marines barracks and French Army barracks in Beirut that killed 241 Marines and 58 French servicemen. Documentation on the incident is scheduled for publication in Foreign Relations, 1981–1988, vol. XVIII, Part 2, Lebanon, September 1982–March 1984.↩
  4. Reed’s message to Reagan is in telegram 9409 from Rabat, November 15. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, N830011–0302)↩