program would proceed. We had to turn things around and get the right forces
back into the programs. It didn't make much sense to reduce forces if we didn't
know which ones we needed and needed building up.
A second reason why things went slowly in START was because most of the
emphasis was placed on intermediate-range nuclear missiles. In December 1979
at the Rome session of NATO, the United States was called upon to embark on a
two-track approach. On one track we were called upon to deploy Pershing II [ P I I ]
ballistic missiles and ground-launched cruise missiles [GLCMs] in Europe. The
second track was to begin negotiations for the reduction of our PIIs and GLCMs
and the Soviets' SS-20s. The Soviets had large numbers of SS-20 ballistic missiles
covering targets throughout Europe.
Ambassador Paul Nitze was named U.S. negotiator for the intermediate-range
forces. Since there was a lot of pressure to get these INF [intermediate nuclear
forces] talks started, it pushed the START talks into the background.
Q ..
Tell me something about Alexander Haig and his abilities.
A ..
I thought Secretary Haig was highly capable. He knew international issues and
how to deal with them. He was a positive person; he felt, as he put it, that the
United States should move out smartly. It was unfortunate that he got off on the
wrong foot in the Reagan administration. Let me explain.
In the military, when an officer is assigned a new job he usually comes in with a
prospectus of what he thinks should be done. He draws up a plan and submits it
to the boss to show him the direction in which things should go. If the boss
approves, the officer knows what to do. If he doesn't approve, he then gets
guidance as to how to proceed.
Shortly after the inauguration Secretary Haig presented President Reagan with his
plan of action. This was immediately interpreted by the White House hierarchy as
an end run and a threat to their authority. I remain firmly convinced it was not an
end run but the normal way in which we, as military officers, had been trained to
approach a new job.
Secretary Haig got off to a bad start and things continued to deteriorate. The
California Mafia surrounding Reagan felt threatened by Haig and proceeded to
harass him. I recall being in Haig's office when Haig was called by persons in the
White House who insisted upon micromanaging minor issues. Instead of rolling
with the punches, Haig insisted on taking these persons on.
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