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.
“The Pentagon”2 pages
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Document 2 of 2 AGAL Concatenated Database 241. Bovin (Soviet television, 30 Dec 82) 242. It is difficult to escape the impression that the opponents of detente in Washington are gradually beginning to give ground. I would even risk making the following conclusion: The isolation of Reagan and his policy is growing both within the United States and outside it. Evidently, we can assume that this will force the White House to intensify its maneuvering. But at the moment it is difficult to say whether this will affect the essence of the foreign policy course or only its form, as has already been the case. 243. Commentators Aleksandr Korshunov and Oleg Blinov (Soviet domestic radio, 12 Jan 83) 244. At the end of his [latest radio] speech, Reagan stated the readiness of the United States--and I quote--to sit down at the conference table with the Russians to discuss practical measures capable of resolving the problems and leading to a more durable and genuine improvement of relations between East and West. If this is really so, then one can only welcome the U.S. President's utterances. The Soviet Union believes that the path toward mutual talks is open and that our two countries could make an important contribution to the cause of creating a climate of mutual trust, mutual understanding and cooperation in the world. 245. His Holiness Pimen, Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia (TASS, 4 Apr 83) 246. It is with bitterness and grief in my heart that I read your belligerent calls which sow the seeds of hatred and hostility against my motherland and threaten peace all over the world. These calls are the more sinful as they are wrapped in the attire of Christian morals. . . . 247. But you, Mr. President, teach war in your remarks; you teach war against my nation and my motherland. Can one really be faithful to the commandment thou shalt not kill and at the same time speak about the possibility of a limited nuclear war, about total nuclear war, first nuclear strike, victory in a nuclear war and other criminal and sinful conceptions? War, war, war. . . and where is the place for thou shalt not kill, Mr. President? 248. Valentin Zorin, Soviet television political observer (Moscow radio [in English] to North America, 3 Apr 83) 249. But the leaders in Washington are not only rude and tactless in their political styles, they also break another unwritten rule of statesmanship. It is unfortunate when the mass media juggles with facts but it is inexcusable when leaders in positions of utmost
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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.