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

87. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Crowe) to the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Taft)¹

Washington, undated

SUBJECT

• Further Actions on Soviet Arms Control Violations (U)

1. (S) Following our discussion this morning, I convened the JCS and we met with Mr. Perle and Dr. Ikle.² We discussed at some length possible responses that go beyond the objectives the JCS had previously considered. Some promising possibilities may exist that blend the Chiefs’ concern for military effectiveness with the diplomatic impact that is necessarily of interest to the Administration.

2. (S) We intend to proceed in the following way: the Joint Staff will work with Richard Perle’s people as they formulate the second part of the RSVP paper owed to the President. That way we all are assured that the DoD paper has the benefit of the considerations that seem most pertinent to the JCS. At the same time, we intend to develop a JCS Memorandum that supplements our JCSM 410–85 of last Tuesday³ and responds explicitly to your expressed interest in responses to Soviet violations that are themselves noncompliant.⁴

3. (U) The Chiefs and I have discussed this at length and are of one mind. Admiral Watkins will be the Acting CJCS next week, and I will be in touch and will remain helpful in any way that is necessary.

William J. Crowe, Jr.

1. Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Weinberger Papers, Department of Defense Files, Box CL 838, Subject File, 1985 U.S.S.R. #169–180 (14). Secret. A stamped notation in the upper right-hand corner of the memorandum indicates Taft saw it on November 29.
2. No formal minutes were found for either discussion.
3. November 26. See Document 85.
4. An unknown hand inserted the handwritten notation “including some” between the words “violations” and “that.”