Documents / FOIA release
This Central Intelligence Agency report, dated 3 February 1984, reviews how Soviet leaders, well-connected commentators and routine media treated President Reagan from November 1980 onward. It finds that Moscow twice softened its line: once after the 1980 election and again when Andropov came to power. After the Korean airliner was shot down, Soviet treatment of Reagan became the most abusive in years. Attached excerpts include a Yakovlev article claiming Reagan believes in flying saucers.
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## UNCLASSIFIED FOUO Document 2 of 2 AGAL Concatenated Database apparent, to forget the experience and lessons of history. It would seem that this is now happening to the Washington Administration, which is trying to steer the entire development of international relations onto a dangerous path. Of course the United States will not be successful in this. But we must not ignore the fact that such policies on the whole worsen the situation and increase the danger of war. 71. The only answer to this can be increased vigilance and, at the same time, a still more stubborn struggle to preserve peace. 72. Brezhnev, Komsomol congress speech (PRAVDA, 19 May 82) 73. President Reagan, on his part, has now declared that the United States is ready for the resumption of the talks. In our opinion, this is a step in the right direction. It is ,however, important that the talks should begin immediately in the right key. 74. In the same speech the President said that the United States at the talks would be in favor of substantial reductions. Well, we have always been in favor of substantial reductions of strategic arms, there is no need to persuade us in this respect. 75. But if one looks at the essence of the ideas voiced by the U.S. President on such reductions, one notes unfortunately that the American position is absolutely unilateral in nature. Above all, because the United States would like in general to exclude from the talks the strategic arms it is now most intensively developing. 76. Brezhnev speech at Kremlin meeting of military commanders (PRAVDA, 28 Oct 82) 77. The ruling circles of the United States of America have launched a political, ideological, and economic offensive on socialism and have raised the intensity of their military preparations to an unprecedented level. . . . 78. The masses of people on all continents angrily protest against Washington's aggressive policy which is threatening to push the world into the flames of a nuclear war. The adventurism, rudeness, and undisguised egoism of this policy arouse growing indignation in many countries, including those allied with the United States. . . . 79. The line of the United States and those who follow it is a line for deepening tension and aggravating the situation to a maximum. They are dreaming of isolating politically and weakening economically the USSR and its friends. They have unfolded an unprecedented arms race, especially a nuclear arms race, and are trying to attain military superiority. Having stepped on this road, imperialism is
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FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. The text was read from the page images by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word. 36 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.