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President: Yes. The mayors said the same to me. But when we reduce Defense, they don't want contracts or bases cut from their area. Let's be ready with the data on the mayors, like where the Defense installations and contracts are. Ask them if their Defense share should be cut.
Mr. Ash: I will have data on how the Defense share has been declining.
Secretary Kissinger: Some of the groups most critical of Defense are also of detente. It would be disastrous to SALT if the Soviets saw our Defense budget going down unilaterally. We must not signal a declining Defense budget.
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CONFIDENTIAL
