Controversial A-Arms Expert Perle Resigns

Controversial Assistant Defense Secretary Richard N. Perle resigned today to complete work on a novel and said he is confident that the United States and the Soviet Union are headed for a verifiable arms control agreement.

Perle, 45, one of the most outspoken critics within the Reagan Administration of past superpower weapons treaties, told reporters that he plans to perform consulting work for the government on arms control.

“I’m leaving in order to do other things, including finish negotiations (with publishers) on my novel. I also plan to do some other writing,” Perle said.

Perle has served as assistant defense secretary for international security policy since 1981.

Sharp Blast at Allies

Pentagon officials said last month that Perle was ready to quit after launching a sharp attack on Western allies for being soft on Moscow.

Published reports have said that Perle, known as “Dr. Doom” by many arms control advocates, has been offered up to $300,000 for his novel on international diplomacy and intrigue.

At a privately sponsored military symposium in Munich six weeks ago, Perle accused the Atlantic allies of “a failure of forthrightness, or just plain silence” on alleged violations of Soviet arms treaties and other East-West defense issues.

A Pentagon official said afterward that Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger “was displeased” by his comments. But he also said Weinberger tried to persuade Perle to remain at the Pentagon.

‘Misty Blandishment’

At the symposium, Perle said North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders usually resort to “misty blandishment” in speaking out on arms issues involving the Soviet Union.

“It is as though the words violation and cheating cannot be said in well-mannered company,” he said.

Many U.S. arms control advocates have given Perle a large measure of credit, or blame, for a lack of new superpower arms control agreements since President Reagan took office.

Some have called him a master obstructionist who knows the U.S. bureaucracy as few government officials do.