Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume XLIV, Part 1, National Security Policy, 1985–1988

170. Memorandum From John Douglass of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Acting Assistant for National Security Affairs (Keel)¹

Washington, December 15, 1986

SUBJECT

• Your Talking Points for the December 16, 1986 NSC Meeting on ICBM Modernization

Enclosed at Tab I is a talking paper² for your use at Tuesday’s NSC meeting on ICBM Modernization. The meeting memo is a Tab II³ and the agenda is at Tab III.⁴

Your remarks should introduce the subject for the President, inform everyone that the meeting is a decision meeting, and briefly outline the context of the decisions. At the bottom of the talking paper are the issues of whether or not we ask for the second 50 Peacekeepers in FY 88 or FY 89 and the Iceland context issue. I did not put these into your opening remarks because I felt you might want to make these points at an appropriate time in the briefing.

You should also be aware that General Welch believes strongly that we should have as low-key an announcement as possible. He came by this view based on his meetings with Nunn and Aspin. There are no talking points on this issue because I’m confident that your judgment is better than mine on this. I agree with the low-key approach, but would disagree if there was a move to try and sit on the announcement for any length of time. That would ensure a leak and generate the appearance we are hiding our decision for some reason. Legally we must announce by 30 December 1986 or wait 90 days. Based on that I believe the 19th is the best date for an appropriate low-key announcement.

At the end of the meeting you have five minutes to sum up the results. The only point I would recommend that you make in your summary which may not arise naturally from the discussion is the need for discipline after the President has made his decision. We cannot afford to have elements of OSD up on the Hill lobbying against the SICBM or mobile missiles in general. Our consensus on this will be very fragile.

Bob Linhard, Bill Cockell and Ron Sable concur.

RECOMMENDATION

That you use the talking points at Tab I for Tuesday’s meeting.⁵

1. Source: National Security Council, National Security Council Institutional Files, Box SR–094, NSDD 252. Secret. Sent for action. A stamped notation indicates Keel saw the memorandum.
2. Attached but not printed are talking points prepared in the National Security Council.
3. Printed as Document 171.
4. Attached but not printed is a meeting agenda prepared in the National Security Council.
5. Keel approved the recommendation.