ACCESSION
ACCESSION NUMBER:213451 FILE ID:PO-208 DATE:02/04/92 TITLE:ADD DEFENSE DEPARTMENT REPORT, FEBRUARY 4 (02/04/92) TEXT:*92020408.POL POADDOD ADD DEFENSE DEPARTMENT REPORT, FEBRUARY 4 (Powell) (530) POWELL DEFENDS U.S. TRIAD STRATEGY Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Colin Powell defended continuing U.S. reliance on a triad of air, sea and land-based nuclear systems because, he said, the Russians are pursuing the same strategy. In remarks to defense reporters February 4, Powell said it is important for the United States to have "sufficient capability to deter any other nuclear power, or combination of nuclear powers, that might wish us ill, and to do it in a way that preserves the integrity of the triad." The general said he sees no "real reason to rush to give up a concept that has held us in good stead for many years in a world that is still evolving before our eyes. And it isn't costing us a great deal to do that." U.S. strategic weapons represent only 12-15 percent of the total military budget, he noted, so "there are not huge savings in ratcheting down the strategic forces." Powell endorsed President Bush's proposal to reduce the number of nuclear warheads to around 4,700, but he indicated that the United States is ready to listen to what CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) officials have to say about bringing the numbers down to a level of 2,500. Defense Secretary Cheney indicated February 3, the chairman said, "that he has not dismissed the 2,500 proposal, but just for openers, we at the moment prefer our position." Powell spoke at length about the future of arms control and said the United States and Russia are entering a period where the numbers of warheads or delivery platforms on each side "need not necessarily be identical." While the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) dictated identical numbers, he explained, "we may well be entering an era where the two (sets) of numbers need not be identical, where we might have a requirement for a certain number that is somewhat different from the requirement that the Russians feel is appropriate for their needs." It is more important, Powell said, that each side be "comfortable" with its own defense strategy. Asked how the United States can be comfortable without a mobile land-based intercontinental ballistic missile, the general said, "Even though theirs are mobile and ours are not...I don't think that makes that great a difference because we really have an unchallenged mobile missile under the seas." While the United States plans to keep its allies informed about U.S.-CIS negotiations, Powell said, those arms control talks will "remain a bilateral negotiation." The Russians should not be concerned about non-U.S. nuclear systems, the chairman added, but if they wish to negotiate on reductions on those systems, they should raise the subject "with other Western nuclear powers." Asked about reports that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein may still have 800 Scud surface-to-surface missiles, Powell said, "I'd be surprised if it is theoretically possible for him to have more than, say, a third of that number." Asked if Iraq is still producing Scuds, he said, "It is possible, but I've seen no evidence." NNNN .
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