Page:Pentagon-Papers-Part-V-B-3c.djvu/402

TOP SECRET

2. of U. S. national security policy is to preserve the security of the United States, and its fundamental values and institutions.

3. to U. S. security is posed by the hostile policies and power, including growing nuclear power, of the Soviet-Communist bloc, with its Communist ideology and international apparatus.

4. confronting the United States is how, without undermining fundamental U. S. values and institutions or seriously weakening the U. S. economy, to meet and ultimately to reduce to acceptable proportions this threat to U. S. security.

5. The United States and its allies have no foreseeable prospect of stopping the growth of Soviet nuclear capabilities and of reducing Soviet armed strength--the core of Communist power--or of significantly reducing other basic Communist military strength, except by mutually acceptable agreements with the Soviets or by large-scale military action. The initiation by the United states of such military action for this purpose is not an acceptable course either to the United States or its major allies.

6. Hence, U. S, policies must be designed (1) to affect the conduct and policies of the Communist regimes, especially those of the USSR, in ways that further U. S. security interests (including safeguarded disarmament); and (2) to foster tendencies that lead them to abandon expansionist policies. In pursuing this general strategy, our effort should be directed to: Rh