Office of the Historian

171. Memorandum From the President’s Acting Assistant for National Security Affairs (Keel) to President Reagan1

Washington, December 15, 1986

MEETING WITH THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

I. PURPOSE

To review final recommendations from the Air Force and the Department of Defense on ICBM Modernization.

II. BACKGROUND

Our plan is to announce your decision on a new basing mode for the Peacekeeper missile and a proper development program for the small ICBM on 19 December 1986. This meeting will provide you with DOD’s final recommendations and a briefing from the Air Force.

III. PARTICIPANTS

List of participants is at Tab C.2

IV. PRESS PLAN

None

V. SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

I will introduce the subject, Secretary Weinberger will present a short briefing and discuss his recommendations. Your remarks (Tab A)3 would then follow. A short discussion will follow your remarks. Your final decision will be included in a National Security Decision Directive that will be prepared for your signature on December 17th.

  1. Source: National Security Council, National Security Council Institutional Files, Box SR–094, NSDD 252. Secret. Prepared by Douglass. Copies were sent to Bush and Regan. Pearson initialed the memorandum on Keel’s behalf. The document notes that the meeting was scheduled for December 16 from 9:45 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. in the Cabinet Room. Attached at Tab B but not printed is the meeting agenda. A stamped notation indicates Reagan saw the memorandum on December 16. Reagan wrote his initials in the top right-hand corner of the memorandum.↩
  2. Attached but not printed.↩
  3. Attached but not printed are talking points prepared in the National Security Council.↩