Dukakis’ Nuclear Weapon Quote Assailed

Democratic presidential contender Albert Gore Jr., who has long accused rival Michael S. Dukakis of inexperience in foreign affairs, blasted a statement by the Massachusetts governor Wednesday regarding the use of nuclear weapons in Europe as “unwise and irresponsible.”

Dukakis, in turn, charged that his comments had been misinterpreted and that the Tennessee senator was “reaching and perhaps reaching in desperation.”

The flap, six days before the New York primary, grew out of a story published Wednesday morning in New York’s Daily News. The newspaper reported that Dukakis had said in an interview that he would advocate the use of nuclear weapons against the Soviet Union in the event conventional forces were unable to stop a Soviet invasion of Western Europe.

The statement would be contrary to U.S. and NATO policy, which provides for use of tactical nuclear weapons in Europe, as opposed to the Soviet Union, if conventional forces cannot repel a Soviet invasion.

Transcript of Interview

The newspaper did not publish a transcript of the interview. But a transcript provided later to The Times shows that Dukakis’ statement was somewhat unclear.

Asked if he could envision a scenario “where you’d use nuclear weapons first, as a strategic weapon,” Dukakis replied:

“Yes, yes. I would hope I wouldn’t have to.”

Question: “What kind of scenario?”

Answer: “Well, I’m for a policy of no early first use. But our present strategy in Europe assumes that if the Soviets were to invade and conventional forces couldn’t stop them that we’d reserve the right to use nuclear force. I don’t think that’s going to happen, and in fact, I see the opposite happening. I see a real opportunity now to bring down the level of conventional forces with the Soviets.

“I think Gorbachev is serious about his need to significantly reduce his commitment of conventional forces. So, I don’t think it’s going to happen. But until that happens, we’ve got to be prepared to use nuclear force--obviously with great restraint and only when there seems to be no other alternative.”

Tactical vs. Strategic

U.S. and NATO policy provide that tactical nuclear weapons may be used in Europe, in the event of overwhelming attack. The policy does not call for the use of strategic nuclear weapons, which would be directed against the Soviet Union, as a first resort.

Dukakis’ campaign spokesman Leslie Dach said that a tape of the Daily News interview showed that Dukakis did not hear the end of the question, where the words “strategic weapon” were used. “He answered the question before they completed it,” Dach said.

“The Daily News description of the use of nuclear force is wrong and inaccurate based on the transcript,” Dach said.

At a press conference at LaGuardia Airport in New York, Dukakis told reporters that he had simply expressed current U.S. policy.

“Sen. Gore didn’t get his facts right again,” he said. “I support a policy of no early first use. It’s been the policy of the U.S. for many years. It is NATO policy, and we support NATO policy. . . . If Sen. Gore is breaking with that policy, then he should say so.”

Dukakis, who has refused to respond to Gore in the past, appeared exasperated at the flap. “I think maybe what we have here is a campaign that is reaching and perhaps reaching in desperation.”

Gore and his aides, their underdog campaign stuck in single digits in polls here, seized on the story in campaign stops on Long Island and upstate Wednesday to step up attacks on Dukakis. “It will be viewed as the giant gaffe of the Dukakis campaign,” said Duane Garrett, a senior adviser to Gore.

‘Significant Mistake’

“With the arsenals we have at our disposal, there is no margin for a significant mistake,” Gore said. “Gov. Dukakis made a significant mistake in saying that he would launch a nuclear strike against the Soviet Union under the following specific circumstances.”

Gore drew a parallel to 1950, when Secretary of State Dean Acheson “made the mistake of specifying in detail, in advance, when we would use American military forces and when we would not. Shortly after that, the invasion of South Korea took place. . . . No President of the United States has made that mistake since then.”

Gore’s reference was to a 1950 speech in which Acheson described a U.S. “defense perimeter” in the Pacific that excluded the Asian mainland. When North Korean troops crossed into the South soon afterward, Acheson was widely blamed for encouraging the invasion.