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THE UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301-2000

 

13 SEP 1986

POLICY

Dr. Joshua Lederberg

President, Rockefeller University
Suite 115

1230 York Avenue

New York NY 10021

Dear Dr. L

This "letter is to follow-up my phone call to you regarding
the Commission that is being established to help shape an
integrated long-term defense strategy for the United States.

This Commission will report to the Secretary of Defense and
to the President's National Security Advisor. It is intended
that it will have about twelve members, and that Albert
Wohlstetter and I will coechair it. In addition to yourself,
the following individuals have agreed to serve: Ann Armstrong,
Zbigniew Brzezinski, William P. Clark, Andrew J. Goodpaster,
Samuel P. Huntington, Henry A. Kissinger, Bernard A. Schriever,
and John W. Vessey. One or two members may yet be added.

Several issues now confronting us have prompted the
decision to establish this Commission. We need to update the
strategic rationale that guides the Defense Department's R&D
efforts on offensive and defensive systems. To this end, a
long-term perspective is essential, not only because of the
enduring arms competition with the Soviet Union, but also
because of the long life cycle of military systems from
initial R&D to final phaseeout. Overly narrow concepts of
"stability" need to be replaced with more realistic and
differentiated strategic objectives, applicable to a wide
range of contingencies. Controlling the scope and intensity
of warfare in all circumstances is a particularly important
objective in the nuclear age. Given the fact that our
security depends in many ways on allies, both in Europe and
the Pacific, our offensive and defensive military systems
must be designed to serve a coherent alliance strategy.
Furthermore, an important new factor, not yet adequately
integrated into our defense policy, is the wide range of
technological contributions that can flow from the Strategic
Defense Initiative. -

We intend to pull together the best studies and data avail-
able within the Defense Department and the intelligence community,
sO as to synthesize facts and issues that should be helpful to
the Commission. Thus, the Commission would have the benefit
of unusual inedepth support and comprehensive access to all the
relevant information. The schedule we would propose is to issue
a brief interim report by the end of this year and a final
report by the end of next year. The Commission will be discone
tinued in 1988.

Given the rather substantial support structure that will
be provided for this effort, the work load for the Commission
members ought to be relatively lighteeperhaps one or two
meetings in 1986 and three to four meetings in 1987. In
addition, Albert Wohlstetter and I look forward to meeting
with you separately, to have the full benefit of your thinking
and to ameliorate scheduling problems.

We will be in touch with your office regarding the
scheduling of the first meeting and will send a brief summary
soon on the supportive research effort that has been started.
To set up the Commission in accordance with the Federal
Advisory Committee Act, certain requirements will have to be
met, including-~alase-that you fill out some forms. But I
believe you may have previously completed the required forms
because of your membership on other advisory committees.

Cap Weinberger and John Poindexter deeply appreciate that
you are willing to participate in this important undertaking.
I am confident that the result of our effort will be of great
value, not only to the Defense Department, but also to the
President and to the Congress.

Sincerely,

 

Ikle