Background Briefing on Disarmament Problems
(February 3, 1967)
Arms Race in The Middle East
I am just as concerned as Senator Symington about the
danger in the arms race in the Middle East. I, too, have just
come back from there, although I did not go into the matter in
nearly as great a depth as Senator Symington.
I got the general impression based on conversations I had
with politicians, and with one conversation I had with the
Israeli chief of military intelligence, that the UAR does not
presently want to go to war with Israel because they are afraid
they would get licked. The Israelis know this. And that the
balance of power for the foreseeable future, as between the
Arab states, which more or less ring Israel, and the Israelis,
is such, that there is no present danger of an Arab attack on
Israel. How would you explain that?
Mr. Helms. I think that is correct. I would subscribe to
that. I do not think there is any doubt that the Israeli army
is far more competent than the Egyptian or any combination of
Arab armies. Their air force is much better and much better
manned.
I recognize that one should be very careful in using
characterizations, but the Egyptians have not shown any great
capability to man very well the sophisticated equipment which
the Soviets have given them. The Israelis are far better at
this and, therefore, I do not believe that any single Arab
state or probably any combination of them intends to attack
Israel these days.
Russian Interests in Middle East
Senator Clark. I also got the view over there that the
Russians, as a political matter, were looking with rather
covetous eyes on the other end of the Red Sea, the Aden area
and the Somalia area. And that their support of the UAR in
Yemen and their view that the British pretty soon are going to
get out of Aden, and the thought that de Gaulle was shortly
going to conduct a plebiscite to see whether he should give up
French Somaliland, posed a pretty considerable threat that the
vacuum thus created might be filled, not directly by the
Russians, but by Russian--if at least not satellites, at least
allies who would be Russian oriented.
Would you comment on that?
Mr. Helms. We agree with your assessment.
Subcommittee's Jurisdiction
Senator Gore. With due apologies to my colleagues, could we
not stay a little more along the line of the jurisdiction of
this subcommittee.
Senator Clark. Well, I think, Mr. Chairman, if you will
excuse me saying so, and I hope you would agree with me, that
the conventional arms race in the Middle East is a problem for
the Disarmament Subcommittee of a high order of priority. These
questions of mine were intended to develop what could be done
to terminate an arms race in the interests of arms control and
disarmament.
Senator Gore. All right, proceed.
Senator Symington. Maybe it is my fault, because I was
trying in the conventional--this growing conventional danger of
the UAR with the reaction on the part of the Israelis
[Deleted.]
Senator Gore. Well, I certainly do not mean to imply that
the arms race in the Middle East is not of great importance. I
guess I had just overly anticipated that we would stay on the
ballistic and antiballistic development today. But if members
desire to go elsewhere, proceed.
Senator Clark. No, I only had one more question.
Senator Symington. It is probably my fault.
[Deleted.]
Senator Clark. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Gore. Senator Cooper? Senator Pell?
Jet Aircraft to Jordan
Senator Pell. One question, along the line of Senator
Symington and Senator Clark, is we were informed by the
committee, and I am sure everybody else knows, that we were
giving a rather large supply of brand new jet airplanes, I
think, to Jordan. Would that not very much upset the present
balance from an intelligence viewpoint? Is Jordan at the low
end of the balance of terror, or whatever it is called, in that
part of the world?
Mr. Helms. The jet aircraft that we give to Jordan is not
going to upset the balance of power in the Middle East in a way
that would be dangerous in our opinion. In the first place, the
Jordanians have been one of the Arab countries that has taken a
rather moderate road, as you know, and has stood for peace and
quiet in the area. These jet planes, obviously the Israelis
object to it, and come in and make comments about it, and put
all the pressure on our government they can about it, but they
are not fearful of them.
Senator Pell. Thank you. No further questions.
Sources: Federation of American Scientists |