Afghanistan


91. Memorandum From Marshall Brement of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) and the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Aaron)

Source: National Security Council, Carter Administration Intelligence Files, Box I–047, Afghanistan: 11 Sep 1979–22 Jul 1980. Secret. Sent for action. Copies were sent to Gregg, Griffith, Henze, Oksenberg, Sick, Thornton, and Odom.


92. Article in the National Intelligence Daily

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, Job 81B00401R: Subject Files of the Presidential Briefing Coordinator for DCI (1977–81), Box 8, Afghanistan Crisis—December 1979, NIDs. Top Secret; [codeword and handling restriction not declassified].


93. Intelligence Summary Cable Prepared in the Department of Defense

Source: Department of Defense, Afghan War Collection, Box 4, 15 Dec–2 Jan. Top Secret; [codeword and handling restriction not declassified]. Sent for immediate night delivery eyes only for the Secretary of Defense. Drafted by [text not declassified].


94. Telegram From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Cables File, Box 1, Afghanistan: 12/23–26/79. Confidential; Immediate; Sensitive. Sent for information to Ankara, Athens, Beijing, Islamabad, London, Moscow, New Delhi, USNATO, Paris, CINCPAC (also for POLAD), and CINCEUR (also for POLAD). Printed from a copy received in the White House Situation Room.


95. Summary of Conclusions of a Special Coordinating Committee Meeting

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, General Odom File, Box 1, Afghanistan: 8–12/79. Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room.


96. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Office Files of Marshall D. Shulman, Special Advisor to the Secretary on Soviet Affairs, 1977–1981, Lot 81D109, untitled folder. Secret; Niact Immediate; Nodis. Sent for information Immediate to the White House. Drafted by G.L. Matthews (EUR/SOV); cleared by Shulman and in EUR, NEA, S/S, and S/S–O; and approved by Vance.


97. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 1, Afghanistan: 4–12/79. Secret. Printed from an uninitialed copy. Prepared for the NSC meeting on December 28; see Document 107.


98. Telegram From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 1, Afghanistan: 4–12/79. Secret; Immediate. Sent for information to Ankara, Athens, Islamabad, Beijing, Jidda, London, Moscow, USNATO, New Delhi, Paris, CINCPAC (also for POLAD), and CINCEUR (also for POLAD). Printed from a copy received in the White House Situation Room. In the top right corner of the telegram, Carter wrote: “Cy—Get our allies & others to complain officially—J.” See footnote 3, Document 99.


99. Telegram From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Office Files of Marshall D. Shulman, Special Advisor to the Secretary on Soviet Affairs, 1977–1981, Lot 81D109, untitled folder. Secret; Immediate; Nodis.


100. Telegram From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Cables File, Box 1, Afghanistan: 12/27/79. Confidential; Limited Official Use; Flash. Sent for information Niact Immediate to Moscow. Also sent for information Immediate to New Delhi, Islamabad, Karachi, CINCPAC (also for POLAD), and CINCEUR (also for POLAD). Printed from a copy received in the White House Situation Room.


101. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Office Files of Marshall D. Shulman, Special Advisor to the Secretary on Soviet Affairs, 1977–1981, Lot 81D109, untitled folder. Secret; Niact Immediate; Nodis.


102. Minutes of a Presidential Review Committee Meeting

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Thornton, Country File, Box 102, Policy Review Committee (PRC): Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Their Neighbors, 12/27/79: 11/79–1/80. Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. For the Summary of Conclusions of this meeting, see Document 103.


103. Summary of Conclusions of a Presidential Review Committee Meeting

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Thornton, Country File, Box 102, Policy Review Committee (PRC): Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Their Neighbors, 12/27/79: 11/79–1/80. Secret. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. For the minutes of the meeting, see Document 102.


104. Telegram From the Embassy in Pakistan to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P800040–2162, N800001–0001. Secret; Nodis; Niact Immediate.


105. Situation Report Prepared in the Department of Defense

Source: Department of Defense, Afghan War Collection, Box 7, DINS & PROD, Aug–Dec 79. Secret; [handling restriction not declassified; text not declassified]. A note indicates the report was “as of 0721 EST, 28 Dec 79.” Prepared by [1 line not declassified].


106. Article in the President’s Daily Brief

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, Job 81B00401R: Subject Files of the Presidential Briefing Coordinator for DCI (1977–81), Box 8, Afghanistan Crisis—December 1979, PDBs. Top Secret; For the President Only. The full version of this President’s Daily Brief was not filed with this collection. The article printed here was found in this form.


107. Minutes of a National Security Council Meeting

Source: Carter Library, National Security Council Institutional Files, 1977–1981, Box 57, NSC–025, 12/28/79, Iran/Afghanistan/Pakistan. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Cabinet Room.


108. Telegram From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Cables File, Box 1, Afghanistan: 12/28/79. Confidential; Niact Immediate; Sensitive. Sent for information Immediate to Moscow. Also sent for information to Beijing, Athens, Islamabad, Jidda, London, New Delhi, Paris, USNATO, CINCPAC (also for POLAD), and CINCEUR (also for POLAD). Printed from a copy received in the White House Situation Room.


109. Memorandum From Robert Blackwill of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) and the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Aaron)

Source: Carter Library, National Security Council Institutional Files, 1977–1981, Box 57, NSC–026, 01/02/80, Afghanistan Invasion, Christopher/Brown, Pakistan/Afghanistan/China. Confidential. Sent for information.


110. Telegram From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, President’s Daily CIA Brief File, Box 24, 12/15/79–12/19/79. Confidential; Niact Immediate; Exdis. Printed from a copy that was received in the White House Situation Room. Carter initialed “C” in the top right corner of the cable.


111. Memorandum of Telephone Conversation

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 37, Memcons: President: 10–12/79. Confidential.


112. Memorandum From Marshall Brement of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) and the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Aaron)

Source: Carter Library, Donated Historical Material, Brzezinski Collection, Brzezinski’s Geographic Files, Box 17, Southwest Asia/Persian Gulf—Afghanistan, 1/5/80–10/1/80: Soviet Union. Secret; Sensitive; Outside the System.


113. Hotline Message From President Carter to General Secretary Brezhnev

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, Meetings File, Box 70, USSR: Brezhnev-Carter Correspondence: 7/79–2/80. Secret; Sensitive. This message was sent via the Direct Communications Link between Washington and Moscow. In the top right corner, Brzezinski wrote: “Sent 12–28, received by Moscow 29/0153, ZB


114. Hotline Message From General Secretary Brezhnev to President Carter

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Office Files of Marshall D. Shulman, Special Advisor to the Secretary on Soviet Affairs, 1977–1981, Lot 81D109, Carter/Brezhnev Hotline Afghanis 12/29/79. Top Secret; Sensitive; Specat. Copy received in the Joint Staff of the JCS. This message was sent via the Direct Communications Link between Washington and Moscow. Unless otherwise noted, bracketed insertions in the text and footnotes below reflect alternate translations written on the copy by an unknown hand. Attached but not printed is a covering memorandum from Shulman to Vance, December 31, in which Shulman characterized the Department of Defense translation of Brezhnev’s message as a “quick, rough initial translation,” which carried the risk “that the President will misinterpret a high-level Soviet communication and respond inappropriately.” Noting the importance of Brezhnev’s message, Shulman advised Vance: “We also need to sensitize the White House to the importance of having qualified Department Russian language speakers review the translation of all future incoming hotline messages.” Also attached but not printed is Brezhnev’s message in the original Russian.


115. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, President’s Daily CIA Brief File, Box 24, 12/26/79–12/31/79. Secret. Carter initialed “C” in the top right corner.


116. Telegram From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Cables File, Box 1, Afghanistan: 12/30/79. Confidential; Niact Immediate; Sensitive. Sent for information Priority to Ankara, Beijing, Islamabad, London, Moscow, New Delhi, USNATO, CINCPAC (also for POLAD), CINCEUR (also for POLAD), and USICA. Printed from a copy that was received in the White House Situation Room.


117. Briefing Memorandum From the Acting Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Mark) to the Deputy Secretary of State (Christopher)

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Europe, USSR and East/West, Brement, Subject File, Box 61, Afghanistan: 11/79–1/80. Secret. Drafted by Mark, Howells, Baraz, and Harris. Presumably prepared for Christopher prior to his trip to London and Brussels.


118. Intelligence Information Cable Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Cables File, Box 1, Afghanistan: 12/31/79. Secret; Immediate; Sensitive; [additional handling restriction not declassified]. Printed from a copy that was received in the White House Situation Room.


119. Paper Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Directorate of Intelligence, Office of Support Services, Job 80T01330A: Production Case Files OPA (1979–1980), Box 7, PA 79–10610, December 31, 1979, Afghanistan: The Babrak Government. Secret; [handling restriction not declassified]. A typed note at the bottom of the page reads: “The author of this paper is [name not declassified] of the North East-South Asia Division, Office of Political Analysis. It was coordinated with the Offices of Central Reference and Strategic Research and the National Intelligence Officer for the Near East and South Asia. Comments and queries are welcome and may be directed to the Chief, Afghanistan Task Force [less than 1 line not declassified]. Research was completed on 30 December 1979. ([classification marking not declassified])”


120. Article in the President’s Daily Brief

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, Job 81B00401R: Subject Files of the Presidential Briefing Coordinator for DCI (1977–81), Box 8, Afghanistan Crisis—December 1979, PDBs. Top Secret; For the President Only. The full version of this President’s Daily Brief was not filed with this collection. The article printed here was found in this form.