Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Sen. COHEN I would like to submit, for the Record at least, that I believe it was our agency's activity that contributed to the defeat of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. I think that was of seminal importance in leading to the dismantlement of that empire. They were bogged down and defeated in Afghanistan largely due to the efforts of our agency.

How about the success in the discovery of the Krasnoyarsk ABM radar? Our intelligence community said that is a violation of the ABM Treaty. That is not a satellite-tracking system. That is an ABM battle management system. Over the objections of many on the other side and many in the other House, and listening to the argument and lies of Mr. Gorbachev, who said it is only for satellite tracking purposes, our intelligence community was correct.

Also, with respect to the Persian Gulf, let us give our intelligence community credit that the Persian Gulf war was won largely as a result of the kinds of intelligence provided to our military, notwithstanding the kind of statements made on the floor today.

Mr. DeCONCINI. I have a few seconds left, I believe.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arizona.

Mr. DeCONCINI. To respond, we saw General Schwarzkopf criticize the intelligence. That is what we have tried to correct in the committee and in the appropriations process. We know that there is always some good intelligence, and that is correct; there are some very good examples, even in the Persian Gulf, where overall the intelligence was not good, at least as told to the oversight committee. I was there every day listening to it, and it turned out to be pretty ugly.

Mr. COHEN. We won the war pretty well.

Mr. METZENBAUM. Madam President, I will suggest the absence of a quorum to be charged to the parties if nobody wishes to speak. I see that Senator Specter wishes to speak.

Mr. WARNER. I object. We only have 50 seconds left. I seek recognition.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia.

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, I have to respectfully disagree with the chairman of the committee, which I seldom do, about the reports that he tells us of the gulf war. The Senator from Maine is exactly right. He tells us it was key to the execution of that conflict, and while General Schwarzkopf bore in on certain real-time features and the need to improve that, there was no overall indictment by him or anybody else.

Mr. COHEN. It was real-time tactical intelligence.

Mr. WARNER. The Senator is correct. It was real-time tactical intelligence.

Madam President, I move to table and ask for the yeas and nays.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The motion to table is not in order while time remains.

Mr. WARNER. I ask that at the appropriate time the Senator from Virginia be recognized for the purpose of moving to table.

Mr. DeCONCINI. I object.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is objection.

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Mr. WARNER. I know exactly when and where that can be done. I am just trying to accommodate the Senate.

Mr. SPECTER. Madam President, how much time do I have remaining?

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator has 4 minutes.

Mr. SPECTER. Madam President, I agree with the most recent comments made by the Senator from Maine concerning the value of the Central Intelligence Agency. In supporting the amendment by the Senator from Ohio, I do not do so on the grounds that it is a way to weaken or undercut or cripple the CIA. I believe the CIA is a very important agency. I believe that the CIA may well be in a better position to command more support for its operation if its funding is disclosed and if there is a greater public understanding of what is going on in the intelligence community.

When we are debating the total appropriation figure, as I said earlier, I think it is a close question. I have not yet heard, at least to my satisfaction, any forceful reasons to oppose total disclosure. I think the tilt is in favor of disclosure, and it accords with the constitutional provision which calls for disclosure.