130 Retired U.S. Generals and Admirals Urge Reagan to Revitalize U.s.-israel Strategic Cooperation

President Reagan was urged, in an open letter signed by 130 retired American generals and admirals “to revitalize the strategic cooperation between the United States and Israel, thereby enhancing the safety and well-being of the free peoples of the world.”

The letter, which appeared in the form of a full page advertisement in The New York Times today, drew comment from the Defense Department, which was also reported in the Times. The Times stated that “A Defense Department official said … that the advertisement appeared to be part of a campaign to persuade the United States to agree to a memorandum of understanding with the Israelis that has already been rejected.”

The advertisement, placed by an organization called Center for International Security in Washington, D.C. and listing Joseph Churba as “coordinator” said “We believe that the victory of Israeli-modified weapons and tactics over those of the Soviet Union (in the Lebanon war) presents the free world with a tremendous opportunity to reduce the impact of Russia’s extraordinary growth in tactical force and battlefield technology.”

WARNS ABOUT STRAINED RELATIONS

The ad also warned that “the current strained relations between Washington and Jerusalem do not auger well for utilizing what you yourself have called ‘Recognizing the Israeli Asset’ in your Washington Post article of August 15, 1979 …”

The ad went on to say: “Your 1979 views have proven prescient indeed, Mr. President. We concur in your assessment of our ally’s’… geopolitical importance as a stabilizing force, as a deterrent to radical hegemony and as a military offset to the Soviet Union.’ Therefore, your present initiative on the Middle East must carefully consider the Israeli requirement of strategic depth for her own security, lest our ally be transformed from a strategic asset into a liability.

“We have every confidence, Mr. President, that transitory political strains will not be allowed to detract from the fundamental congruence of strategic interests cemented by a common heritage of Western values and democratic ideals.”

The Times reported that a “White House spokesperson said that she was not familiar with the advertisement and would not comment on it.” But, the Times story added, a Defense Department official recalled that “an American team headed by Andrew Marshall negotiated with the Israelis and returned to Washington with a draft agreement on sharing information.”

The official, who noted that the United States and Israel already were parties to at least 20 previous such agreements, said that the Pentagon rejected the proposed memorandum because of conditions the Israelis sought to impose.

Earlier this month Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger rejected the “framework” for an agreement worked out between the U.S. and Israel for the exchange of weapons and technological information Israel had learned during its operation in Lebanon. Ambassador Moshe Arens denied Israel sought tough conditions as claimed by Weinberger in vetoing the agreement. Arens said Israeli conditions were aimed at ensuring that there is a “minimum risk” that the information fall into Soviet hands through “some inadvertent” manner.