Memorandum from Colonel A. J. McFarland to the State-War-Navy Coordinating Committee

PORVICTORY BUY SAVE UNITED STATES WAR THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF BONDS AND STAMPS WASHINGTON 25, D. C. admiral Sealing SM-6049 21 June 1946 COPY MEMORANDUM FOR THE STATE-WAR-NAVY COORDINATING COMMITTEE: Subject: British Proposals in Connection with the Report of the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry on Palestine. With regard to the request of 7 June 1946 by the Acting State member, State-War-Navy Coordinating Committee (J.C.S. 1684), following are comments by the Joint Chiefs of Staff on certain topics proposed by the British for joint considera- tion in connection with the recommendations of the report of the Anglo-American - Committee of Inquiry on Palestine. It will be noted that no definitive recommendations are offered on many of the difficult political aspects of this problem, on which the Joint Chiefs of Staff do not feel they should advise. We urge that no U.S. armed forces be involved in carrying out the Committee's recommendations. We recommend that in implementing the report, the guiding prin- ciple be that no action should be taken which will cause repercussions in Palestine which are beyond the capabilities of British troops to control. Should the question of using any U.S. forces arise, we would point out that, under present War and Navy Department commitments to the Congress, only very limited forces could be spared from tasks in which we are already engaged. Such contingents might in theory be of a size to contribute to pacifying the situation in Palestine, but we believe that the political shock attending the reappearance of U.S. armed forces in the Middle East would unnecessarily risk such serious disturbances throughout the area as to dwarf any local Palestine difficulties. Such a condition would, among other effects, invalidate entirely any current estimates of required strengths of the Army and Navy. Further, the Middle East could well fall into anarchy and become a breeding ground for world war. It is believed that implementation of the report by force would prejudice British and U.S. interests in much of DECLASSIFIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (E) - 1 - OSD letter, April 12, 1974 By NLT- HC , NARS Date 7.16.75