Kissinger: Next year is the best time to get an agreement. The Soviets are not sure which way the President will go and they will pay a price to influence it. They will hope to line up both political parties for '76. I (and the President) think we can't get for six years through Congress what we can over the next two years.
I will defend your strategic budget completely. This is what we have working for us now. We will lose a lot of these by '76.
Schlesinger: We should make a push next year.
Our differences are: You think any reduction of Soviet programs helps; I am working to maintain stability by holding back destabilizing programs. Hughes Rudd says you oppose weapons R & D.
Kissinger: Nonsense. I strongly favor strategic R & D.
Schlesinger: I get these questions at the War Colleges. The imagery is that you oppose R&D and weapons acquisition.
Kissinger: My fear is there is a ceiling beyond which we can't fund in the absence of a major crisis. I think with SALT you can keep your power above what you would otherwise, because Congress would be reluctant to cut below agreed levels.
Scowcroft: Could we cut the Trident boats?
Schlesinger: Sure. It depends on what they offer.
Kissinger: We should tell Brezhnov that here are various models over the next 10 years. One requires no cutback; the others mean cutbacks at varying levels.
Schlesinger: Greece. They may have the bases we need. We shouldn't help Papandreou replace Karamanlis.
Kissinger: So?
Schlesinger: We ought to give Karamanlis some bonus.
We can let Karamanlis say no second-stage Home porting or even reverse the first stage. We need the
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