Edward L. Rowny
Edward L. Rowny compares Soviet and U. S. missiles, November 1974.
I made another annual estimate of the same type in December 1978. I said that I
saw no way of reversing the situation so it would result in an equitable agreement.
I said that under these circumstances I could not support the emerging treaty and
told the chairman of the JCS that I thought the best thing for me to do was to
resign. The chairman said that he thought I should continue to stay on; to resign
now would be to embarrass the administration. Besides, he said, I could continue
in my task of "damage limiting," that is, trying to make the final product better.
If the treaty was not satisfactory to me when it was initialed on June 15, 1979, I
could resign at that time.
I said I did not think this was a satisfactory way to proceed and asked to speak to
Secretary Vance. This meeting, which took place on December 27, 1978, lasted
several hours. I explained to Vance that things were not going well from my point
of view and that I could not in good conscience support the treaty which was
shaping up. Vance said he respected my point of view but didn't agree with it.
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