Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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disagreed:“Thatmeanshisend.Thereis nowayforhimtogetbackcontrol

withoutfighting.”Iconsideredaconfrontationinevitableeventhoughanew

trucehadbeenagreedtobetweenthegovernmentandthefedayeen.Itwasa

debatetowhicheventswouldgiveareplysoonenough;itdidnotneedtobe

resolvedintheabstract.Wehaddonewhatwaspossibletoprepareforthe

comingstorm.



OnSeptember11thealertmeasuresoftheprevioustwodays begantopay

off.RumorsofourfleetmovementsweretranslatedbythegossipmillinAmman

intoreportsofimminentAmericanintervention.RedCrossrepresentativeRochat

reportedthat“fantastictension”reignedatfedayeenheadquarters,andhefully

expectedthemtotakesomeactiontodemonstratethattheywouldnotbe

intimidated.Allaircrafthadbeenwiredforbombing,butthepassengershadbeen

removedfromthem.Thatourthreatwasnotwithoutitseffectbecameapparent

attheendofthedaywhenthefedayeensuddenlyreleasedagroupofeighty‐

eighthostages,includingsomeAmericans(butnotdual‐nationalists).



ThedifferencebetweenRogersandmeinourapproachtocrisis

managementcameintofocusonthatday.Rogersbelieveditdesirabletoreassure

nervousadversariesthatweintendedthemnoharm.Myviewwastheopposite,

thatoncewewereembarkedonconfrontation,implacabilitywasthebestaswell

asthesafestcourse.Rogersthoughtcalmingtheatmospherewouldcontributeto

itsresolution;Ibelievedthatitwasthedangerthatthesituationmightgetoutof

handwhichprovidedtheincentiveforra pidsettlement.Rogersnowbriefedthe

Congressionalleaderswiththesameargumenthehadusedthreedaysearlier

withthePresident:Wehadconsideredeverypossiblemilitarystepforrescuing

thehostagesandconcludedthatnothingwouldwork—thusvitiatingtheimpact

ofthemilitarymovementsthathadbeenarrangedtocreateexactlytheopposite

impression.ItwasfortunatethatthePalestiniansbelievedouractionsandnotour

words;theyprobablyconsideredtheCongressionalbriefing asanattempttotrick

them.



ThatmorningthePresident,Laird,Rogers,andImettheCongressional

leadershipintheOvalOffice.Iwassuddenlycalledoutofthemeetingbyafrantic

Sisco,whohadbroughtwithhimareportthatbecauseofthemenacingmovesof

theSixthFleetthePalestinianswerethreateningtokilltheremaininghostages. 

Weconcludedtheleadershipmeetingasrapidlyaspossiblewithoutcreatinga

panic.ThePresidentaskedRogersandLairdtostaybehindandinvitedSiscoto

joinus.SiscoandRogerspressedforapublicstatementforswearinganyAmerican

militaryaction.Iwasopposed.Reassuringthefedayeenwouldsimplyreward

outrageousthreats,strengthentheirbargainingposition,andgiveusaharder

problemlateronifwehadtoactinanemergency.Instead,Ifavoreda

communicationtoArabgovernmentsthatthekillingofhostageswouldhave

seriousconsequences.Nixonsupportedmyrecommendation.



AsaresultIdraftedacarefullyambiguousstatementforRonZieglerto

read,whichsimplycalledattentiontoaRedCrossstatementtotheeffec tthatno

militaryactionwas“contemplated.”Thiscouldmeananything.SiscoandIalso

draftedawarningnotetoArabgovernmentsonthehostages.Eventhoughthe

messagehadbeenorderedbythePresident,anditstextapprovedbyhim,the

ArabexpertsatStateintervenedatthelastmomentwiththeargumentthat

threatswerelikelyto triggertheexcitableArabsintoexactlytheoppositecourse

fromwhatwasintended.IdidnotinsistandurgedthePresidenttodropthe

matter.Thiswasnotthetimeforacrimoniousdebateoveratelegram.Decisions

wouldbedeterminedbyactions,notwords.



WiththePresident’sapprovalItoldAdmiralMoorerthattheSixthFleet

shouldnotbetoometiculousaboutmaintainingradiosilence.Inthiswaythe

Sovietswouldrapidlylearnofourfleetmovements;wewouldhaveconveyeda

warninginamannermuchmoreseriousthanadiplomaticnote.OnSeptember

12thePalestiniansblewupthethreeemptyplaneswithspectacularpubliceffect,

andcontinuedtoholdhostagesinvariousunknownlocationsinAmman.Nixon

andIdiscussedtheincreasinglikelihoodthatourcontingencyplanswouldhaveto

beactivated.IremindedhimoftheinteragencyconsensusintheWSAGthat

Americangroundforceswouldbepreferableforthepurposeofevacuationbut

thatincaseofashowdownbetweentheKingandthefedayeenbackedbyIraqi

forcesweshouldletIsraeltakethebrunt.ThePresidentstillwouldnothearof

Israeliintervention;hewantedtouseAmericangroundforcesforboth

contingencies.Itwasnotessentialthatweresolvethediffer encesjustthen.But

Nixon’spreferencehadthepracticalconsequencethatIpressedintheWSAGto

movemoreAmericanforcesintotheareamorerapidlythanwemightotherwise

havedone.



OnSeptember13‐14ourbiggestconcernwasthegrowingevidencethatat

leasttheGermans,andprobablytheBritish,wereonthevergeofbreakingthe

unitednegotiatingfrontanddealingseparatelyfortheirnationals.Thisfearwas

reinforcedbyaPales tinianstatementthatAmericanhostageswouldbetreatedas

Israelis.SovietwarshipswerebeginningtoshadowourSixthFleetoffthecoastof

Lebanon;butthebalanceofnavalstrengthintheMediterraneanwas

overwhelminglyinourfavorandgrowingmoresodaily.Therehadbeenno

diplomaticcontactwiththeSovietUnionsinceSeptember9.TheKremlinseemed

tohaveassumeditsmostadvantageouscoursewasobservingfromthesidelines

thedisintegrationoftheKingdo mofJordanandthegrowingdiscomfitureofthe

UnitedStates.



Itprovedtobeamistakencalculation.Ineverycrisisapointisreached

whereonesidemustdecidewhethertoclinchitsgainsortogambleformore.If

theSovietUnionhadaroundSeptember10pressedforthere leaseofhostages

andacease‐fire,thegainforthefedayeenwouldhavebeenmassive;the

authorityoftheKingwouldhavebeengravelyweakened.InstabilityinJordan

wouldhavebeenaddedtoinsecurityalongtheSuezCanal;Sovietpresti gewould

havebeendemonstratedandreinforced.Butbygettingtoogreedy—bynot

helpingtoreinintheirclients—theSovietsgaveustheopportunitytorestorethe

equilibriumbeforethebalanceofforceshadbeenfundamentallychanged.



AttheendofthesecondweekinSeptemberthePalestinianshaddestroyed

allfourairplanesbuthadachievednobasicconcessionseitherfromtheUnited

StatesorfromIsrael.Ourtonehadbecomeincreasinglyfirm;aboveall,wewere

almosthourlyaugmentingourmilitaryforcesinthearea.Atthispoint,whether

becauseourreadinessmeasureshadgivenhimapsychologicalliftorbecausehe

wasreachingthepointofdesperation,thetoughlittleKingresolvedonanall‐out

confrontationwiththefedayeen.Theshowdownsomeofushadexpectedand

othershaddreadedwasfinallyuponus.



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****



ShowdownwiththeGuerrillas



ateonSeptember15,DeanBrown,ournewlyarrivedAmbassadortoJordan,

sentinanurgentcablefromAmmanthatHusseinhaddec idedtoreestablish

lawandorderinhiscapital.Aftersurroundingthecitywithloyalarmytroops,the

KingwouldannouncetheformationofamilitarygovernmentearlyonSeptember

16.Hewouldnotpresstheissue,butifthefedayeenresistedhewaspreparedto

usewhateverforcewasneededtoaffirmhisauthority.Husseinurgently

requestedthattheUnitedStatesuseitsinfluencetokeepIsraelfromprejudicing

oraggravatingthesituation.TheKingalsonotedthathemighthaveto callfor

assistanceifotherArabstatesintervened.DeanBrownaddedhisown

assessment:Whilematterswereclosertoashowdownthanbefore,theKing

mightbebluffing;hemightalsobemakingtheopeningmoveinacomplex

negotiationthatcouldendinacompromise.NordidBrownbelievethat

interventionbyIraqorSyriawaslikely.Iwasconvincedotherwise;inmyviewthe

showdownwasnowinevitable.Thenextday’seventswouldtellthestory.

L



Brown’scablearrivedasIwasenroutebyhelicoptertoAirlieHousein

Virginia,oneofthemanyformerprivateestatesontheEastCoastthathavebeen

givenovertophilanthropicandacademicactivities.MelvinLairdwasbeing

honoredforhisservicestopublichealthwhileintheHouseofRepresentatives.

Lairdhadassembledallhisassociatesandfriends,whichmeanteverybodyof

consequenceinWashington.TheWSAGwasthereinblacktie:Packard,Moorer,

Helms,Sisco,andI.Justasdinnerwasstarting,IreceivedaphonecallfromAl

HaiginformingmeofDeanBrown’smessage.Shortlyafterward,atabout9:00

p.m.,Iwascalledtothephoneagain.HaiginformedmethatSirDenisGreenhill,

thepermanentheadoftheBritishForeignOffice,hadtriedtoreachme.Inmy

absencehehadconveyedtoHaigthejudgmentofHerMaj esty’sGovernment

thatapitchedbattlebetweentheJordanianarmyandthefedayeenseemed

inevitable.OnbehalfofPrimeMinisterEdwardHeathhewantedtoknowwhat

ourintentionswere,especiallyiftheKingshouldfindhimselfindifficulty.And

whatwasourattitudetowardIsraeliintervention?ThePrim eMinistermightwish

totalktothePresidentpersonallylaterduringthenight.



Itwasagoodexampleofthe“specialrelationship”betweenBritainandthe

UnitedStates,whichenabledideastobeexchangedatthehighestle velsoutside

ofofficialchannelswithoutformalityorprotocol.Itwas,aswell,awarningsignal

thatcouldnotbeignored.TheBrownmessagehadleftsomeroomfordoubt,but

HeathwouldnotconsideracalltoNixonunlessBritainjudgedthesituationtobe

grave.IfthePresidentwasto talktothePrimeMinister,weneededtogetour

thinkinginorder.AfterconsultationwithLaird,Packard,andSisco,Itherefore

collectedtheWSAGmembersandwereturnedtoWashingtonbyhelicopter.



TheWSAGconvenedfrom10:30p.m.toclosetomidnightintheWhite

HouseSituationRoomandcontinuedafterwardinmyofficeupstairs.Stillelegant

inourdinnerjackets,wereviewedthepossiblecontingencies:outbreakofwar

betweentheKingandthefedayeen;Iraqiinvolvement(forsomeunknownreason

nooneineitherAmmanorWashingtonexpectedSyrianintervention);orarmed

interventionbytheUnitedSta tesatleastforpurposesofevacuation.Themeeting

confirmedthejudgmentsofthepreviousweek.TheKingwouldprobablydefeat

thefedayeen.Israelwouldalmostcertainlyinterveneifthefedayeenseemedto

gaintheupperhand;itwouldsurelydosoifIraqmoved.IfIsraelacted,everyone

agreedthattheUnitedStatesshouldstandasidebutblockSovietretaliation

againstIsrael.Toshowoursupport,materialhelpshouldbeofferedtotheKing

immediately.Whateverhappened,ourreadinesswouldhavetobeintensified.



AroundmidnightonSeptember15IcalledGreenhillovera securephone

[

ThegreensecurephonesthroughouttheUSgovernmentnormallyhadredcircularplaques

reading“SecurePhone.”Mine,thankstothewarpedsenseofhumorofmystaff,hadthe

legendinincorrectGerman:“SichernTelefon.”]whichissupposedtomakeintercepts

impossible.Itaccomplishesthisbymakingtheconversationnearlyunintelligible

tothespeakers,tempting onetoshoutsoloudlyastomakeitimpossiblefor

othersanywherewithinreachofone’svoicenottooverhear,thuscreatingan

additionalsecurityrisk.ItoldGreenhillthatweattachedthegreatestimportance

toHussein’ssurvival.ThePresidenthadnotmadeafinaldecisionbutAmerican

militaryinvolvementasalastresortcouldnotbeexcluded.



IwasinstrumentalinshapingtheWSAGconsensus.Iconsidereditessential

topreserveHussein’srule;itwasimportanttodemonstratethatfriendshipwith

theWestandamoderateforeignpolicywouldberewardedwitheffective

Americansupport.Itwasnecessarytoarresttheprogressiveradicalizationofthe

MiddleEast,whichhadbeenacceleratedbythedispatchofSovietmissilesand

combatpersonneltoEgypt. Nasser’stechniqueofblackmailingtheUnitedStates

withSovietthreatshadtobeshownasfutile.



Inmyviewourmosteffectiverolewastoaugmentrapidlyand

threateninglyourmilitaryforcesintheMediterraneantodetertheintervention

ofradicalArabregimesinJordan;toprovidepsychologicalsupportfortheKing;

andtomatchandoverwhelmaSovietresponse(includingifnecessarymilitary

intervention).ThemassingofourmilitarypowerintheMediterraneanandthe

ambiguityofourpronouncementsshouldbeusedtostiffenHussein,discourage

hisopponents,anddetertheSoviets.



Accordingly,thenextmorning,September16,afteranotherbriefWSAG

meetingtoreviewthebidding,Isentadirectivetotheagenciesrequesting

detaileddiplomaticandmilitaryplansforthefollowingcontingencies:material

supplyforJordanianforces;armedUSinterventionforthepurposeofevacuation;

USairstrikesorgroundassaultinsupportofHusseinintheeventofoutside

intervention(thePresident’spreference);USacquiescenceinIsraeliairorground

strikes(theWSAGpreference).Ialsorequestedthattheexistingplansfor

“deterringSovietintervention”beadaptedtotheevolvingsituation.Allplansand

scenariosweretobereviewedbynoononSeptember18. 



Thatmorning,too,IsentareporttothePresidentoutliningtheconclusions

ofthepreviousnight’sWSAGmeeting.Unexpectedly,hisreactionwasvehement.

HehadanelectioncampaignonhismindandwasstillhopefulofaMoscow

summit.Hequestionedwhethertherehadbeenanyneedforanemergency

WSAGmeetingandcoveredmyreportoftheWSAG’sviewswithangryscribbled

comments.Hewrotethathepreferrednoconfrontationatall;ifitwas

unavoidablehewantedAmericanforcesused;heopposedanyIsraelimilitary

movesunlesshespecificallyapprovedtheminadvance,whichhestronglyimplied

hewouldneverdo.Iwasnotsurprisedbyhispreferencefordemonstrating

Americanpowerdirectlyandunilaterally;thishadbeenhisconsistentview.Iwas

convincedthatoncehehadstudieditsimplicationsandourresourceshewould

havesecondthoughts.TherewasnotimefordiscussionbecauseNixonleft

immediatelyonacampaigntriptoKansasCity,KansasStateUniversity,and

Chicago.



September16wascalm.SiscoandIflewbrieflyto Chicagofora

backgroundsessionwithMidWesteditorsandbroadcasters.Asplanned,theKing

announcedtheformationofamilitarygovernmentbuttooknomilitaryactionin

Amman.However,hedidraisewithDeanBrownhisspecialconcernthatSyria,

andnotIraq,mightintervene.Brown’sreportingcableshruggedthisoff;noone

elseinthegovernmenttookitseriously;ourconcernswerestillfocusingonIraq

becauseitalreadyhad17,000troopsinJordan.Onthehijackingwestruggledto

maintaintheunitedfrontoftheWesternpowers,resistingEuropean

importuningstomakeseparatedealsfortheirownnationals.



OnSeptember17thesediscussionsbecamelargelytheoreticalbecause

HusseinboldlyorderedhisarmyintoAmman.Large‐scalefightingbrokeout,

spreadingalsototheNorthofJordanaroundaPalestinianconcentrationinthe

townofIrbid(seenextmap).IconvenedtheWSAGtwicethatday.Ambassador

BrownwasinstructedtoinformHusseinthattheUnitedStateswassympathetic

tohiseffortsandthatBrownwouldtransmitrapidlyanyrequestsformaterial

assistance.BrownwastoldforhisowninformationthatAmericanmilitary

supportagainstoutsideinterventionwasnotprecluded.OurchargeinIsraelwas

instructedtoobtainIsrael’sassessment.(NixonwasinanyeventduetoseeGolda

Meirontheeighteenth.)WestayedinclosetouchwithBritainthroughfrequent

phoneconversationswithGreenhill,andwegavetheShah,whosesupportinany

MiddleEastcrisiswascrucial,ourassessment.



Butwedecidednottocommunicate withtheSovietUnion.ItoldtheWSAG

thatwehadbeentalkingtoomuchtoMoscowwithoutreceivingasatisfactory

response:“Letthemcometous.”AndImadethesamepointinaconversation

withNixonduringwhichheapprovedtheWSAGrecommendations:“Ithinkwe

shouldbeenigmaticandsaynothing.Theywillpickup[ourmilitarymovements].”



FornowthatcivilwarhadbrokenoutinJordan,arapiddeploymentof

UnitedStatesforceswasvitaltodiscourageanytemptations.Thecarrier

Saratoga,whichhadbeenstationedoffMalta,wasorderedtojointhe

IndependenceneartheLebanesecoast,accompaniedbyacruiserandtwelve

destroyers.Athirdcarrier,theJohnF.Kennedy,wasdispatchedtotheSixthFleet;

itwouldtakeninedaystogettherefromPuertoRico,butitsmovementwas

boundtobenotedsoonbySovietintelligence.Theamphibioustaskforce,

including1,200Marines,whichhadjustfinishedmaneuversoffCrete,was

orderedtostayinapositionthirty‐sixhoursoffthecoastofLebanon.Itwastobe

joinedbythecruiserSpringfield.ThehelicoptercarrierGuamandan

accompanyingtaskgroupwereonthewaytopickupanothergroupofMarinesat

CampLejeune.Theywereorderedtospeeduptheirmovementtothe

Mediterranean.



IdiscussedallthisatgreatlengthwithNixon,whowasnowinChicago.He

approvedallthedeploymentsenthusiastically;theyappealedtohisromantic

streak:“Themainthingisthere’snothingbetterthanalittleconfrontationnow

andthen,alittleexcitement.”Hecouldbedissuadedonlywithdifficultyfrom

havingallourmilitarymovementsannounced,whichwouldhavecreatedtoo

muchofacrisisatmosphere;theannouncementswouldhavebackfiredbecause

theywouldhaverequiredtoomanypublicreassurances,drainingour

deploymentsofsomeoftheireffect.BylateinthedayNixonhadchangedhis

mind.Henowagreedthatitwasbesttoissuenowarning,tocontinuetomove

forcesandtreattheSovietswithcooldetachment.



Hecouldaffordtobegenerousbecausehehadmadeallthenewsthe

trafficcouldbearatanoff‐the‐recordmeetingwiththeeditorsoftheChicago

Sun‐Timesthatmorning.IhadurgedHaldemantokeepthebriefing generaland

low‐key,butthetravelingWhiteHouse’sdefinitionofthattermwas

unpredictable,especiallyinanelectionyear.Whenhismee ting began,Nixonhad

justlearnedoftheoutbreakofcivilwarinJordan.Thoughusuallyhisself‐

disciplinewasmonumental,itcouldbebreachedbyemotionatmomentsofhigh

tension.Chargedupbythenewsandthemilitarymoveme ntshehadjust

approved,NixonproceededtotelltheamazededitorsthatifIraqorSyria

intervenedinJordanonlytheIsraelisortheUnitedStatescouldstopthem;he

preferredthattheUnitedStatesdoit.(Itwasalsohiswaytogetamessagetome

withoutconfrontation.)Carriedawaybythespiritoftheoccasion,Nixonadded

thathewouldmaketheRussianspaydearlyfortheiradventureswithmissiles

alongtheSuezCanal.“Wewillinterveneifthesituationissuchthatour

interventionwillmakeadifference.”Itwastoomuchtoexpectthatsuch

sensationalnewscouldbekeptofftherecord.TheSun‐Timesrantheexactquote

inanearlyedition.ThoughitwasthenwithdrawnwhenZieglerinsistedonthe

off‐the‐recordrule,thisonlyheighteneditsforeignpolicyimpact.[

ThatNixonwas

nottooupsetisshownbythefactthathelatercongratulatedtheauthorofthepiece,Peter

Lisagor.forhisskilledandcarefulhandlingofthestory.

]



ThoughNixonwascontriteaftertheevent,Iconsideredhisstatementon

thewholehelpful.WhenIwasinformedofitbytheheadoftheUSInformation

Agency,FrankShakespeare,Itoldhimthatitgavemenopain.Foronething,it

wouldprovetoourbureaucracythatmypressuresforabuildupinthe

MediterraneanreflectedthePresident’sapproach,notmyidiosyncrasy;indeed,it

broughthometothemthattheirrealchoicewasbetweensystematicinteragency

planningandadhocdecisionsinwhichtheywouldnotparticipate.OnceIhad

convincedRogersthatI hadnotputNixonuptoit,theincidentledtoa brief

periodofimprovedrelationsbetweenus.



Asforthecountriesthatconcernedusmost,theSovietUnionandthe

radicalArabstates,theimpactofNixon’sstatementwaslikelytobebeneficial

becauseitprovedthatwemeantbusiness.IntheafternoonIinformedthe

PresidentthatIraqitroopswerestandingbywhiletheJordanianarmysmashed

fedayeenforcesnearthem.AndAmericanactionsduringtheday,includingthe

President’sstateme nts,wereboundtostrengthentheresolveofourbravefriend,

theKingofJordan.



OnFriday,September18,theMoslemsabbathsawtheJordanianarmy

systematicallyrestoringitscontrolofAmman,thoughmoreslowly.Itmetstiff

fedayeenresistanceintheNorthaswell,wherethePalestinians,infact,

proclaimeda“liberatedzone.”Syria,tenmilesaway,madethreateningnoises.

TheIraqiarmyremainedinactive;wherevernecessaryitmoveditselfoutof

harm’sway.NothingwasheardfromNasser.

