National Security Decision Directive No. 130

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Establishing of a Psychological Operations Committee
by John M. Poindexter
July 31, 1986

4601
SECRET
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 31, 1986

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE
THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
ADMINISTRATOR, AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
DIRECTOR, UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY
CHAIRMAN, BOARD FOR INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING

SUBJECT: Establishing of a Psychological Operations Committee

To implement NSDD 130, a Psychological Operations Committee (POC) will be created consisting of representatives from Defense, State, CIA, USIA, and other agencies when required. This Committee will be chaired by designated representatives of the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs

NSDD 130 stressed the importance of psychological factors in maintaining the confidence of allied governments and in deterring military action against U.S. national interests. In order to employ psychological operations (PSYOP) effectively and economically, the POC shall establish national PSYOP guidelines, and define the roles and relationships of the agencies involved in PSYOP. NSDD 130 further stated that in order to be prepared for the immediate and effective use of PSYOP in crisis and wartime, it is vital that the Armed Forces maintain a strong and active international information capability; therefore, the POC shall ensure that the Department of Defense gives high priority to the revitalization and full integration of PSYOP in military operations and planning, and to promoting a funded PSYOP program.

Crisis and wartime conditions impose special requirements on U.S. international information activities. The POC shall seek to ensure that in wartime or during crises (which may be defined as periods of acute tension involving a threat to the lives of American citizens or the imminence of war between the U.S. and other nations), U.S. international information elements are ready to initiate special procedures to ensure policy consistency, timely response and rapid feedback from the intended audience. The agencies represented on the POC should review and, as necessary, develop procedures for their operations during crises.

NSDD 130 also directs the Department of Defense, with appropriate interagency cooperation and in accordance with national law and policy, to participate in PSYOP programs in peacetime. Department of Defense participation in other international information activities shall continue to be under the SPG which should take the lead in developing coordinated interagency plans, including the utilization of DOD capabilities, for such activities in support of national security objectives. When appropriate and required, the POC shall work with the SPG in coordinating PSYOP with other international information activities.

John M. Poindexter

DECLASSIFIED
BY RW 2/2/17

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First Meeting of the Psychological Operations Committee (POC)
by Rodney B. McDaniel, Executive Secretary, National Security Council
September 2, 1986

6269
SECRET
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20506

September 2, 1986

MEMORANDUM FOR NICHOLAS PLATT, Executive Secretary, Department of State
JAMES F. LEMON, Executive Secretary, Department of Defense
JOHN H. RIXSE, Executive Secretary, Central Intelligence Agency
JOHN BITOFF, Executive Assistant to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
RICHARD MEYER, Executive Secretary, Agency for International Development
LARRY R. TAYLOR, Chief of the Executive Secretariat, U.S. Information Agency
BRUCE PORTER, Executive Director, Board for International Broadcasting

SUBJECT: First Meeting of the Psychological Operations Committee (POC)

The first meeting of the Psychological Operations Committee (POC) will be on September 10, 1986, at 2:00 p.m., in Room 208 of the Old Executive Office Building. As this will be an organizational meeting, we have allotted two hours for the session. Two representatives from each participating agency are invited to attend. Please give the office of Walter Raymond (395-6900) the names of those who will be attending from your agency no later than COB, Friday, September 5.

The following will be the meeting's agenda:

Central America

• DOD Presentation on Programs in Support of SOUTHCOM

• Discussion of the Above Presentation

o How can other POC agencies support and complement DOD programs in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Panama.

Developing National PSYOPS Guidelines

• A briefing on DOD's response to NSDD 130

• Establishing a Subcommittee to prepare recommendations on:

o roles, missions, and relationship of agencies in formulating and implementing a national PSYOPS PROGRAM

o Organization of national PSYOPS ASSETS:

 Bureaucratic structure for PSYOPS in crises and wars.

 Inventory of personnel and technical assets.

Rodney B. McDaniel
Executive Secretary

DECLASSIFY ON: OADR
DECLASSIFIED BY RW 2/2/17

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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