* Making available US surveillance data pertinent to military developments in El Salvador to the armed forces.

4. Updating detailed contingency plans for US alternative responses to deterioration of conditions in the region to include:

* Political and diplomatic initiatives to be taken in the event that military engagement of US forces is required to preserve the current regime.

* Operational plans for multilateral and unilateral deployment of military forces in El Salvador and Guatemala.

* Cost, casualty and time estimates under favorable and unfavorable conflict scenarios. Evaluation of readiness status and recommendations on preparatory exercises to be undertaken.

* Assessment of the need and preparation of contingency plans for actions intended to disrupt support and supply lines of Salvadorean guerrilla forces in Cuba and Nicaragua.

5. Assuring continued congressional and public opinion support for current policies through liaison and press relations efforts that emphasize:

* A moderate and reformist image of the current government.

US support for extensive but moderate reforms in the region as a means to contain extremist and communist expansion.

* Linkages between opposition guerrilla groups in El Salvador and Guatemala with Cuba.

* Discrediting centrist spokesmen of opposition as puppets of hardline guerrilla leaders.

Careful monitoring of US press coverage of developments in El Salvador to avoid Nicaraguan style publicity for opposition insurgents.

* Arranging regular closed session briefings for congressional committees, sub-committees and key MC's concerned with the issue.

This partial list of activities implies an allocation of bureaucratic and financial resources exceeding those made to any other hemispheric crisis since 1965. No such allocation could have taken place without a major high level decision in the administration. This decision was made in part to prevent the crisis in El Salvador from climaxing prior to the elections. However, the choices made have strategic implications reaching beyond domestic political considerations.

The Carter administration came to the conclusion that the collapse of the current civilian-military coalition government in El Salvador and its replacement by a left wing regime would constitute a threat to our strategic interests in the Caribbean basin.