Documents / Official release
This unclassified cable from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs contains the transcript of a DoD news briefing that Kenneth H. Bacon gave at the Pentagon on June 24, 1997. Bacon calls himself the warm-up act to the Air Force's Roswell UFO report. He says Air Force investigations found natural or aircraft explanations for alleged UFO sightings. The rest of the briefing covers Khobar Towers, troops on the border, a meeting with Greek officials and base closures.
“The Pentagon”4 pages
Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.
UNDERTAKING, THROUGH THE FBI. THEY'RE IN CHARGE OF THIS INVESTIGATION. DIRECTOR FREEH HAS BEEN OVER THERE SEVERAL TIMES. UNCLAS FINAL SECTION OF 03 THERE IS EXTENSIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE U.S. AND THE SAUDIS ON THIS INVESTIGATION, AND IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SECRETARY COHEN HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A DETAILED WAY. Q: HE HASN'T RAISED THAT -- [OFF MIKE]? A: HE DID TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION, AND HE SAID PUBLICLY THAT HE -- HE URGED THE IMPORTANCE OF COOPERATION, FULL COOPERATION WITH THE SAUDIS -- FROM THE SAUDIS WITH THE UNITED STATES. HE REPEATED WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAS SAID; THAT WE EXPECT FULL AND COMPLETE COOPERATION FROM THEM. AND HE DID SPEAK ABOUT ONE PARTICULAR INCIDENT, WHICH WAS THE DEPORTATION OF ALSAYEGH FROM CANADA TO THE UNITED STATES. BUT THE DETAILED DISCUSSIONS OF THE INVESTIGATION ARE UNDER THE MANTLE OF THE FBI. YES? Q: FOLLOWING UP ON MARK'S QUESTION, WITH THE CINCS IN TOWN, WILL DEFENSE SECRETARY COHEN CONDUCT INTERVIEWS REGARDING PAGE 02 RUEKJCS3096 UNCLAS THE. CHAIRMANSHIP, USE THE OPPORTUNITY? . A: I CAN'T GO INTO SPECIFICS, BUT CERTAINLY THAT'S ON HIS MIND AND IT'S ON THEIR MIND, AND THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOME OF THEM TO TALK. Q: HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER ARMEY LAST NIGHT SAID THAT IF THE PRESIDENT IS NOT WILLING TO COMPROMISE ON THE QUESTION OF KELLY AND MCCLELLAN -- THE DEPOTS AT KELLY AND MCCLELLAN AIR FORCE BASES, THAT THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER ROUND OF BASE CLOSINGS. DOES THE PENTAGON SEE ROOM FOR COMPROMISE HERE, OR IS THE PRESIDENT GOING TO INSIST, AND PENTAGON GOING TO INSIST, THAT YOU RETAIN THE RIGHT TO PRIVATIZE THOSE DEPOTS? A: WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I CAN'T TALK FOR THE PRESIDENT ON THIS ISSUE. WE ARE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME, THE SECRETARY AND THE STAFF ARE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME THIS WEEK ON THAT ISSUE, WHICH IS BRAC, AND HOW TO GET BRAC THROUGH. THE SECRETARY WAS ENCOURAGED BY THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A 9-9 VOTE ON IT IN THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE. AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE STRONG SUPPORTERS FOR BRAC IN THE SENATE, IN PARTICULAR; THERE ARE SOME IN THE HOUSE AS WELL. AND WE ARE PREPARED TO WORK WITH CONGRESS AGGRESSIVELY AND ENERGETICALLY TO TRY TO GET A BRAC PACKAGE ## PAGE 03 RUEKJCS3096 UNCLAS THROUGH. I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT THE DETAILS OF ANY EVENTUAL COMPROMISE WILL BE. I THINK IT MAY BE TOO EARLY TO TALK ABOUT DETAILS AT THIS TIME. I THINK WE HAVE TO GET A CLEARER IDEA OF WHERE EVERYBODY STANDS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT BRAC IS TO STRESS THAT IF WE WANT TO GO AHEAD WITH THE MODERNIZATION PROGRAM THAT THE PENTAGON, THAT THE CHIEFS, THAT THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE -- AS ILLUSTRATED BY THE QDR -- THINKS IS THE RIGHT MODERNIZATION PROGRAM FOR THE FUTURE, WE HAVE TO GENERATE SAVINGS SOMEWHERE, AND IT REALLY DOES COME DOWN TO A CHOICE BETWEEN PROTECTING FORCES OR PROTECTING OLD FACILITIES -- PROTECTING FACILITIES THAT ARE EXCESS IN MANY RESPECTS. AND I KNOW THIS IS A CONTROVERSIAL
Official release, from the nara 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. 8 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.