---
alias:
- Caspar W. Weinberger
born: 1917-08-18
category: Nuclear Scientists & Programs
died: 2006-03-28
location: San Francisco, California
summary: Secretary of Defense under Reagan whose military aide Lieutenant Colonel
  Higgins was abducted in Lebanon in 1988 with deep knowledge of classified matters.
tags:
- Person
- Nuclear
- Israel
- RemoteViewer
- Military
---

Caspar W. Weinberger (1917-2006) was an American politician and businessman who served as the Secretary of Defense under President [Ronald Reagan](/people/ronald-reagan/) from 1981 to 1987. He was a key figure in the Reagan administration's military buildup during the [Cold War](/concepts/cold-war/)[^1].

[William Richard Higgins](/people/william-richard-higgins/), a Marine Lieutenant Colonel who was abducted in [Lebanon](/places/lebanon/) in 1988, had served as a military aide to Weinberger from June 1985 until he went to Lebanon in June 1987. Higgins's in-depth knowledge of classified military matters, gained during his time with Weinberger, made him a high-value hostage[^1].

### Osirak

Caspar Weinberger served as the Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan. Following the Israeli bombing of the Iraqi nuclear reactor at [Osirak bombing](/events/osirak-bombing/) in June 1981, Weinberger proposed canceling the F-16 aircraft sale to [Israel](/places/israel/) as a sanction. However, President Reagan privately disagreed with this course of action.[^2]

[^1]: Jacobsen, Annie. *Phenomena: The Secret History of the U.S. Government's Investigations into Extrasensory Perception and Psychokinesis*. Little, Brown and Company, 2017.
[^2]: Hersh, Seymour M. *The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy*. Random House, 1991.