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Establishment of a Psychological Operations Committee
by Craig Alderman, Jr., Deputy, Department of Defense
September 2, 1986

SECRET
OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301-2000
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

2 September 1986

MEMORANDUM FOR DIRECTOR, JOINT STAFF

SUBJECT: Establishment of a Psychological Operations Committee

On 31 July 1986, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs established an interagency Psychological Operations Committee to implement NSDD-130, U.S. International Information Policy. The Committee will be co-chaired by the Senior Director for Intelligence Programs, Vince Canestraro, of the NSC staff. We anticipate that regular participants in the Committee will be Assistant Secretary-level representatives from Defense, State, CIA, and USIA. The Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Policy) will be the OSD representative.

The purpose of this memorandum is to request that the JCS provide an appropriate representative for this Committee and to ask that the Army's 4th Psychological Operations Group prepare a series of information briefings for meetings of the Committee. These briefings normally should be no longer than 30 minutes in duration. They are intended to both inform the Committee and to focus its deliberations on key agenda items.

The first briefing requested is on the overt peacetime U.S. military PSYOP program in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility. The briefing, which will be presented during the initial meeting of the Psychological Operations Committee on 10 September 1986, should focus on the objectives and organization of the program, progress to date, and future plans. Some illustrative examples of the utilization of PSYOP by friendly regular military forces, particularly in El Salvador, would be useful.

Subsequent briefings requested, in approximate order of sequence, will focus on the Republic of Phlippines, Project TOUCHSTONE, contingency planning for war, crisis response, psychological exploitation of military exercises, and Project NIAGARA FALLS. Details on these briefings will be coordinated with your staff. The OSD point of contact is Colonel Alfred H. Paddock, Jr., Director of Psychological Operations (x55692).

Craig Alderman, Jr.
Deputy

DECLASSIFIED BY RS 8/6/13

The Psychological Operations Committee Gets Under Way
by Walter Raymond, Jr., Vincent M. Cannistraro, William L. Stearman
October 1, 1986

7131
SECRET
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20506
[National Security Advisor has seen]

October 1, 1986

INFORMATION

MEMORANDUM FOR JOHN M. POINDEXTER

FROM: WALTER RAYMOND, JR.
VINCENT M. CANNISTRARO
WILLIAM L. STEARMAN

SUBJECT: The Psychological Operations Committee Gets Under Way

The Psychological Operations Committee (POC), which you recently authorized, had its first meeting on September 10. The report on the meeting at Tab I provides a description of how the POC will function.

The POC will be operating on two levels. A Planning Sub-Committee (PSC) will plan POC agendas and will also be responsible for developing PSYOPS guidelines and for inventorying and assessing USG technical and human PSYOPS assets (except for those of CIA). The POC will, at each meeting, focus on an area of operations (e.g., Central America, Afghanistan, Philippines) and will review and approve PSC recommendations and reports.

We are confident that the POC will at last provide the mechanism we have needed to focus and to coordinate interagency PSYOPS efforts and are satisfied that it has gotten off to a good start.

cc. Peter Rodman
Ron St. Martin
Ken Kissell

Attachment

Tab I PSYOPS Report

DECLASSIFY ON: OADR

DECLASSIFIED BY RW 2/2/17

PSYOPS Operations Committee
by Walter Raymond, Jr., Vincent M. Cannistraro, William L. Stearman
November 4, 1986

7996
SECRET
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20506

INFORMATION

November 4, 1986

MEMORANDUM FOR JOHN M. POINDEXTER

FROM: WALTER RAYMOND, JR.
VINCENT M. CANNISTRARO
WILLIAM L. STEARMAN

SUBJECT: PSYOPS Operations Committee

Attached at Tab I is a memorandum summarizing the second PSYOPS Committee meeting. We focussed this meeting on the Philippines in an effort to get the Department of Defense more engaged in the nation-building/civic action program in that country. The next step will be a tightly drafted outline of a PSYOPS Plan which we will send to that Embassy for its comment. The POC was alerted both by Dick Childress and State over the extreme sensitivities of a PSYOPS plan at a time when there is serious tension within the Government of the Philippines. We will be seeking Steve Bosworth's counsel regarding how to raise the plan for approval with the Government of the Philippines after we have an agreed program.

Attachment

Tab I Memorandum for the Record

cc: Dick Childress

DECLASSIFY ON: OADR

DECLASSIFIED BY RW 2/2/17

***

SECRET
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20506

INFORMATION

October 31, 1986

MEMORANDUM FOR RODNEY B. MCDANIEL

FROM: WALTER RAYMOND, JR.
VINCENT M. CANNISTRARO
WILLIAM L. STEARMAN

SUBJECT: Psychological Operations Support for the Philippines

The second meeting of the PSYOPS Committee took place on October 24. DOD provided a detailed presentation of the kinds of things that they could undertake if a PSYOPS plan were approved. This largely focussed on a range of civic actions supportive of the overall effort to overcome the insurgency. There is considerable concern about the sensitivities of any type of a PSYOPS program given the political situation in the Philippines today. Nevertheless, it was the unanimous agreement of the Committee that a plan should be developed and sent to the field for their input. The tasker at Tab I is designed to set that process in motion.

RECOMMENDATION

That you sign the tasker at Tab I.

Approve

Dick Childress concurs.

Attachment

Tab I Tasker

DECLASSIFY ON: OADR

DECLASSIFIED BY RW 2/2/17

Interim Executive Summary: Project NIAGARA FALLS
by Craig Alderman, Jr., Deputy
November 20, 1986

RECEIPT FOR CLASSIFIED MATERIAL
TO: Mr. Walter Raymond
National Security Council (NSC)
Old Executive Office Bldg, Wash DC
Number: D162871

Description of Material being Trasferred (Do Not Enter Classified Info): MEMORANDUM ON PROJECT NIAGARA FALLS

UNCLASSIFIED UPON REMOVAL OF CLASSIFIED ENCLOSURE(S)
2/15/12

***

SECRET
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301-2000

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

20 November, 1986

MEMORANDUM FOR THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INTERAMERICAN AFFAIRS

SUBJECT: Interim Executive Summary: Project NIAGARA FALLS

As you requested during the In-Progress-Review briefing by the 4th Psychological Operations Group on the psychological operations plan to help bring about democratization of Nicaragua, I am forwarding the executive summary of the plan as completed so far (TAB A).

Progress toward completion continues to be on track, and planning will be finished in early December. A briefing and executive summary on the complete plan will be available at that time.

Craig Alderman, Jr.,
Deputy

Attachment
a/s

cc:

NSC: Walter Raymond
Vincent Cannestraro

CIA: DDO/CATF
DDO/PPS

CLASSIFIED BY: USD (P)
DECLASSIFY ON: OADR

DECLASSIFIED BY RW 4/18/13

***

SECRET
THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301-5000
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DJSM 2008-86
19 November 1986

MEMORANDUM FOR THE DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR POLICY

Subject: Follow-on Actions for Project NIAGARA FALLS

1. In response to your memorandum* of 14 November 1986, enclosed is the Executive Summary for Project NIAGARA FALLS, forwarded through the Army from the 5th Psychological Operations Group.

2. I believe this summary provides the requisite information for presentation before the Inter-Agency Group on Nicaragua.

3. The Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will continue to assist your staff, as necessary, to ensure completion of this important project.

P.F. CARTER, JR.
Vice Admiral, USN
Director, Joint Staff

Enclosure
a/s

Reference:
* DUSD (P) memorandum, 14 November 1986, "Follow-on Actions for Project NIAGARA FALLS"

Classified by Director, Joint Staff
Declassify on OADR

DECLASSIFIED BY RW 10/17/13

SI MEETING

1. Objective = To secure the support of Socialist and Social Democratic Parties for US objectives and policy; or at least to prevent them from opposing US policy.

2. Means = What has been US strategy (brief summary), 2 tracs, but limited activity.

3. What has been gained?

4. What have been the costs?

-- resources
-- politically

5. What can be achieved in the future? Estimated timetable.

6. With what costs?

(a) resources
(b) politically

[ILLEGIBLE]
US efforts: Ledeen, Gershman