HAIG CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
HAIG CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
WETA "HAIG CONFIRMATION HEARINGS" TAPE 1 OF 2
HAIG CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Activity in Senate hearing room, Reporters check the papers, a lot of men in suits milling around. Senators begin filtering in to take seats. Tracking is bad.
HAIG CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
GAVEL. Zoom to Sen. CHARLES PERCY, chair of FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE, PERCY overviews the progress of the committee. Shot of ALEXANDER HAIG entering hearing for his confirmation as SECRETARY OF STATE. PERCY says that the REPUBLICANS have unanimously voted to refuse the DEMOCRATS' motion to subpoena tapes of conversations between HAIG and PRESIDENT NIXON, of the infamous White House tapes. Shot of HAIG at witness table. The committee will, however, receive an index of the tapes and subject matter from the National Archives and has issued a subpoena for this index. Shot of HAIG reaction. Sen. PERCY announces the SCHEDULE of hearings, shot of photographers in front of committee bench.
HAIG CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Sen. PERCY begins his questioning by saying that there is a clear understanding that obtaining the National Archive Log will not be a prerequisite for confirmation by the Committee, nor is it meant to cast doubt on HAIG'S previous testimony with respect to HAIG'S relationship to the NIXON presidency. PERCY says that HAIG is a man of experience and intelligence well-suited to the position of SECRETARY OF STATE. Shot of Sen. ALAN CRANSTON and then PAUL SARBANES on panel. CRANSTON discusses Senate Procedures for the confirmation. Shot of Sen. JOHN GLENN on panel.
HAIG CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Sen. PAUL SARBANES asks what other witnesses there will be in the hearings. PERCY says that public witnesses will not be called to testify publicly but will be put in the record of the committee. Committee members continue to ask questions about the procedures for testimony. Sen. CLAIBORNE PELL announces that he has questions by proxy from other Senators, which will be put in the record and answered in writing by HAIG.
HAIG CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Sen. PERCY finally gets down to his own questions, interrogates HAIG about his work with NATO and how NATO will address the threat to Western Oil supplies in PERSIAN GULF. HAIG says that the NATO aspects of the OIL issue is central, all NATO partners must be involved and aware of increasingly global threats to the Western interests of natural resources [i.e. how NATO can preserve its economic imperialism over the Third World]. HAIG feels that NATO won't have a consensus to extend its authority, but consultation informally can work if the whole alliance won't agree on the issues. On the OIL issue, HAIG discusses U.S. dependency on oil imports, even greater dependency of Eurpoean nations. Shot of JESSE HELMS and PERCY on the panel. HAIG says that the U.S. must be prepared to act unilaterally if NATO won't be forceful enough in protecting OIL SUPPLIES from PERSIAN GULF.
HAIG CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Sen. PERCY discusses Carter administration policies regarding OIL SUPPLIES. Will an interruption of OIL SUPPLIES be tantamount to an act of war? HAIG offers his opinion on American Military Presence in the PERSIAN GULF-HAIG would not make threats, but convey American will with action by increasing MILITARY SPENDING to show the Arabs that the U.S. won't be screwed over. Sen. PERCY asks if the U.S. should establish military bases in MIDDLE EAST to protect OIL. Gen. HAIG says that shifts in geopolitics including SOVIET ADVENTURISM in the area dictate that commitment of U.S. resources be increased, but a permanent base is not necessarily the only answer, action must be undertaken with consent of the host nations. Sen. PERCY asks if the U.S. should make up for ISRAEL'S withdrawal from the SINAI by placing a base there. HAIG discusses this possibility with regard to alienating EGYPT, he can't comment in a public session since it's a complex issue.
HAIG CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Sen. PERCY asks what HAIG will do to promote MIDDLE EAST PEACE with regard to forcing PALESTINIANS to renounce TERRORISM and recognize ISRAELI SOVEREIGNTY in order to have a prospect of establishing a PALESTINIAN STATE. HAIG agrees that this will continue to be U.S. policy. Sen. PERCY asks what HAIG'S policies for the Western Hemisphere will be, with regard to Atlantic FISHING BOUNDARIES with CANADA. HAIG says that he's aware of the fishing controversy, inter-American relations will help U.S. legitimacy in dealing with nations all over the world. Sen. PERCY asks for HAIG'S views on ARMS CONTROL and whether he will continue negotiating a TEST BAN TREATY and support stringent NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION. HAIG says he's unequivocally against further NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION, and says that there must be no TEST BAN TREATIES that hinder America's ability to maintain and modernize its nuclear arsenal. Sen. PERCY offers good wishes for Senator HOWARD BAKER as he recovers from a Heart Attack.
HAIG CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Sen. CLAIBORNE PELL (D-RI) asks HAIG about inter-American relations and notes that Northeastern Senators oppose the fishing boundary treaty. Asks about HAIG'S view of the SALT TREATIES. HAIG says that there should be an improvement of American NUCLEAR ARSENAL before limitation treaties are signed. HAIG indicates that all military "posture" will be improved. PELL asks in regard of the degree of OVERKILL in the U.S. aresenal, why more weapons are needed to "make the rubble bounce". Should not emphasis be placed on training and readiness. HAIG defends the idea of OVERKILL in nuclear arms. Says paradoxically that an ARMS BUILDUP will aid DIPLOMACY and that BUILDING MORE WEAPONS is the key to getting the SOVIETS to agree to ARMS REDUCTION.
HAIG CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
PERCY clarifies the record of HAIG'S previous testimony on ARMS CONTROL to indicate that HAIG is not opposed to negotiations before an ARMS BUILDUP is in place. Sen. PELL says he's bothered by HAIG'S assessment of the SOVIETS response to a U.S. arms buildup. HAIG discusses his ARMS CONTROL PHILOSOPHY, insists that the U.S. nuclear capability is deteriorating with respect to the Soviet Union. HAIG says the U.S. needs to build the MX MISSILE. HAIG insists that NUCLEAR WAR "isn't so simple as who is destroyed and who isn't destroyed" [well, as a matter of fact, there's nothing else besides destruction]. HAIG gets into some "winnable war" rhetoric about having nuclear capability to survive a first strike, etc. etc. blah blah blah. Sen. PELL asks whether the TRIDENT NUCLEAR SUBMARINES qualify as such a reserve force, is the MX MISSILE really necessary. HAIG says he can't endorse that plan, in the event that the SOVIETS develop ANTI-SUBMARINE capability. Says the SOVIETS have more powerful and more accurate missiles than the U.S. does, so the U.S. must develop the MX MISSILE.
HAIG CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Sen. JESSE HELMS begins questioning of AL HAIG, asks what his perception of the Republican party platform and the REAGAN agenda is. HAIG says he's not bound by all of the provisions, but he doesn't object strongly to any parts of it either. He will respect the mandate in his policies but not toe the line completely. HELMS asks HAIG about policy to ASIA and the PACIFIC RIM, re. Increasing the AMERICAN MILITARY PRESENCE in ASIA. HAIG says he supports this principle. HELMS asks about policy to KOREA and NORTH KOREAN MILITARIZATION. HAIG says that the U.S. has been underestimating the NORTH KOREAN military threat to the region, and he's concerned. He will not reduce the U.S. presence there. HAIG says that undemocratic practices by SOUTH KOREA will not override the strategic importance of U.S. interests there. END TAPE 1
HAIG CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
TAPE 2 OF 2 HAIG discusses his policies on ASIA and KOREA specifically. HELMS asks about HAIG'S policy on TAIWAN and its defense needs. HAIG says that the U.S. will not be selling potentially offensive fighter planes to TAIWAN without careful consideration. HELMS asks about HAIG'S commitment to absolutely denying aid to "Marxist" governments in the Americas. HAIG says that he can't rule out any action that might help the objective of defeating Communism in the Americas. Discussion of HAIG'S view on the PANAMA CANAL TREATY. HELMS asks about HAIG'S involvement in CHILE with the overthrow by the CIA of SALVADOR ALLENDE. HAIG says that the ALLENDE government overthrow was "the action of the Chilean people". HAIG also says that the ALLENDE government was a dangerous intrusion of "Marxism" into South America.
HAIG CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Sen. JOSEPH BIDEN (D-DE) begins questioning, asks about HAIG'S views on COMMUNIST governments in the Americas and what kind of aid should be given to such governments under certain circumstances. HAIG says that he would approve aid to a "Marxist" government if he thought it would be a step toward eventually eliminating Communism in that country. BIDEN attacks HAIG for being equivocal on HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES when the government that violates HUMAN RIGHTS supports U.S. interests. BIDEN says that it is good to hear HAIG refute the right-wing dogma that aiding Communist governments cannot be allowed under any circumstances.
HAIG CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
BIDEN asks how HAIG will make FOREIGN POLICY work with ECONOMIC POLICY in the area of U.S./SOVIET RELATIONS. After a lengthy exposition by BIDEN, HAIG says that his policy regarding TRADE with the SOVIET UNION will be careful and well thought-out to make the most advantageous military and diplomatic relations. BIDEN prods HAIG about some of the contradictory aspects of US policy toward the USSR.
HAIG CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Sen. HAYAKAWA (R-CA) starts questioning on the issue of SOVIET UNION presence in ASIA. HAIG says that the SOVIET THREAT is growing in ASIA. HAIG says that JAPAN needs to spend more on its own defense as the SOVIET THREAT increases, but there are limits. Sen. HAYAKAWA asks HELMS about his KOREA policies.