Kissinger Henry. White House Years

Подождите немного. Документ загружается.

DuringthedayNixonreceivedGoldaMeirintheWhiteHouse.Mostof

theirtalkconcernedIsraeliaidrequestsandSoviet‐Egyptianviolationsofthe

cease‐firealongtheSuezCanal,reflectingtheconvictionofbothleadersthatthe

Kingwaslikelytoprevailandthatthecrisiswasalmostover.Nixonsaidthathe

hopedIsraelwoulddonothingprecipitately.ThePrimeMinisterassuredNixon

thatIsraelwouldnotmovewithoutinforming theUnitedStatesandthatitsawno

needtodoso.



Itwasaday,too,ofintensivenewspaperspeculationaboutthemeaningof

thePresident’sChicagocomments.Theadversereactionwasastormwarningof

whatwewouldfaceifwesoughttoimplementthePresident’sstrategic

preferenceforaunilateralAmericanmove.ThehighlyrespectedSenatorRichard

RussellofGeorgia,ChairmanoftheAppropriationsCommittee,seniormemberof

theArmedServicesCommittee,andaconsistentsupporterofahardline,phoned

RogerstotellhimthathewasunalterablyopposedtotheuseofanyAmerican

forcesintheMiddleEast.



OnSeptember18italsobecameclearthatMoscowhadheardus.Soviet

chargeVorontsovcalledDeputyAssistantSecretaryofStateRodgerDaviesto

deliveramessagefromhisgovernment. Gonewasthepatronizingindifference

withwhichMoscowhadrespondedtothechargeofviolationsofthestandstill

alongtheCanal;missing,too,wastheincendiaryinvocationofthedangersof

imperialismwithwhichithadurgedrestraintonthepartiesaweekearlier.

Instead,theSovietsexpressedtheirconcernabouttheincreasingly“complex”

situationintheMiddleEast;therewasnoassessmentofblame.Moscow

expressedthe“hope”thattheUnitedStatesshareditsviewthatallstates

“includingthosenotbelongingtotheregion” exerciseprudence.It“hoped”

furtherthattheUnitedStateswoulduseitsinfluencewithIsraelinthatdirection.

ForitsparttheSovietUnionhadurgedthegovernmentsofJordan,Iraq,Syria,

andEgypttobringanendtothecivilwarinJordan.“Wearesearchingforwaysof

bringingourviewpointalsototheattentionoftheleadershipofthePalestine

movement”—thusconveyingtous(probablytruthfully)thatMoscowhadlost

contactwiththefedayeenandwasdissociatingitselffromtheiractions,especially

withrespectto thehostages.



Therewasnoneofthe“warning”ofdireconseque nces thatisastapleof

Sovietdiplomacywhentheriskofhavingtoimplementitisloworwhenthe

balanceofforcesisfavorable.NorwasthereanyaccusationofAmericancollusion

withtheKing.Thetonewasratherplaintive,offeringreassurancethattheSoviet

government“asbefore”stoodforasettlementoftheMiddleEastcrisis onthe

basisofSecurityCouncilResolution242.SimilarintonewasaTASScommentary

warningusagainstinterventionintermswhoseambiguitycouldnothaveescaped

thenoticeoftheKremlin’sclientsintheMiddleEast.



AllofthistendedtosupportananalysismadeearlierthatdaybyHal

SonnenfeldtofmystaffinaforecastofprobableSovietreactionstoour

deploymentsanddiplomacy:



ThepracticalmatteristhattheSovietswillnotbehappytoseeUSmilitarypowerused

intheareainanyway.Theywillhavetodenounceit,harassus(includingbyhorseplayand

closeUAR‐basedreconnaissanceagainsttheSixthFleet),andgenerallyopposeus.The

precedentiswhatwillworrythemmostofall,andthedemonstrationthatwecouldandwill

useourairpowerandnavalpresencewillcastashadowovertheircalculationsabouthowfar

wemightgoinsupportofIsraelatalaterdateinanewcrisis,andourinternationalposture

generally.(Thismaybealltothegoodifouroperationsare,andareperceivedtobe,

successful.)



TheconvictionthattheSovietswerelookingforawayoutwasreinforced

byaconversationbetweenDeputyForeignMinisterVasilyKuznetsovand

AmbassadorBeamonSeptember19,a daywhentheJordanianarmycontinued

itsslowbutundeniableprogressagainstthefedayeen.Kuznetsovagainexpressed

the“hope”thatwehadnointentionofinterveninginJordansincethiswould

create“difficulties”forallnationswithinterestsinthearea.Heinquiredintothe

purposebehindthebuildupoftheSixthFleet.Beamansweredthathewas

uninformedaboutourmilitarydeployments,whichwasboththetruthandalso

theresponsemostlikelytofeedSovietinsecurities.



Thebeststrategy,itseemedtome,wasnottoofferreassurancebutto

bringaboutasituationwhereintheSovietUnioncouldeaseitsconcernsonlyby

urgingitsradicalfriendstorefrainfrominterveningandbybringing thecrisistoa

decisiveclose.ThisiswhyI urgedthatnoreplybereturnedforthetimebeing.

Afterall,theSovietshadkeptuswaitingfortendaysbeforerespondingtoour

noteonstandstillviolations.Silencewasthebestmiddlegroundbetwee n

reassurance,whichwouldbeself‐defeating,andintransigence,whichmightturn

outtobeprovocative.



Onthewhole,Ithoughtthatwewereapproachingtheendofthecrisis

withmuchofourcredibilityreestablished.OntheeveningofSeptember19I

calledNixon,whowasatCampDavid,toinformhimoftheSovietmessage. I

suggestedthatitindicatedanimminentretreat.Nixon,alwayswaryofbelieving

goodnews,expressedhisdoubts;whenevertheSovietsvolunteeredreassurance,

hesaid,somethingsinisterwasafoot.Heprovedtoberight.



OnthemorningofSunday,September20,SyriantanksinvadedJordan.



<<Contents>>



****



TheSyrianInvasion



uringfast‐movingeventsthoseatthecenterofdecisionsareoverwhelmed

byfloodsofreportscompoundedofconjecture,knowledge,hope,and

worry.Thesemustthenbesievedthroughtheirownpreconceptions.Onlyrarely

doesacoherentpictureemerge;inasensecoherencemustbeimposedonevents

bythedecision‐maker,whoseizesthechallengeandturnsitintoopportunityby

assessingcorrectlyboththecircumstancesandhismarginforcreativeaction.In

crisesthisagilityisakintoanathlete’s.Decisionsmustbemadeveryrapidly;

physicalenduranceistestedasmuchasperceptionbecauseanenormousamount

oftimemustbespentmakingcertainthateachofthekeyfiguresathomeand

abroadactsonthebasisofthesameinformationandpurpose.Whatever

bureaucraticgamesmightbeplayedinnormaltimes,duringcrisesImadecertain

thateachagencyhadthesameinformationandthatallprincipalsandtheirkey

associateswerewillingcollabo ratorsintheoveralldesign.



Siftingthefactsfromthewelterofreportswaspeculiarlydifficultduring

theJordancrisis.AftertheKingmovedtroopsintoAmman,ourEmbassywascut

offfromthePalace.OccasionallytheKingandRifaigotthroughtoour

Ambassadorbytelephone.TherewasfitfuluseofradiobetweenthePalaceand

ourEmbassy,butthetransmissionwasintheopen,likelytobeinterceptedand

thereforeunreliable.WewereluckyinhavingonthespotDeanBrown,oneofour

ablest,bravest,andmostknowledgeablediplomats.Fromtimetotimehewentto

lookfortheKingandRifaiinanarmoredcar;obviouslythisdidnotmak eforrapid

communication.TheBritishweremorefortunate;theirEmbassywasclosertothe

Palace.ThusonoccasiontheKingwouldsendusmessagesviaLondon.The

practiceinevitablyproducedadelayintransmissionssincetheBritishgovernment

understandablywantedtoadditsowncomment—allthemoresobecause

Londonwassomewhatconcernedthatwemightactprecipitately.The judgment

waswrongbutnottheimpressionbecauseatleasttheWhiteHousejudgedita

deterrenttorashactionifLondoninformedothercapitalsthatthingsthreatened

togetoutofhand.Londondelicatelysuppresseditsmisgivingswithus,without

howeverfailingtosuggestthatitfavoreda moremeasuredpace.



OnSaturday,September19,wehadreceivedthefirstreportsthatSyrian

tankshadtakenuppositionsso metwohundredfiftyyardsinsideJordan.But

sincethereportcamefromaBritishofficialinCairo, andLondonhadnotseenfit

tonotifyusdirectly,wedidnotbelievethattheBritishgovernment attachedtoo

muchimportancetoit.Nordid we.Despiteallthecommunicationsdifficulties,

webelievedthatHusseinwouldhavefounda waytonotifyushadhebeendeeply

concerned.



Therewasnodoubt,however,aboutwhatwasoccurringonSeptember20,

Sunday.Atabout6:00a.m.Washingto ntime,boththeKingandRifaiinseparate

phonecontactswithBrownreportedtwomajorincursionsofSyriantanksat

Ramtha.TheJordanianshadknockedoutthirtytanksandpushedthemback.

HusseinrequestedAmericanassistance,withoutbeingspecific.At12:30p.m.

WashingtontimeRifaibecamemoreconcrete;onbehalfoftheKingheaskedfor

USreconnaissancetodeterminewhethertheSyrianswerebringingupadditional

forces.AtaboutthesametimetwomoreSyrianarmoredbrigadescrossedinto

Jordanandattackedonabroadfront;wewerenottoconfirmthisuntillaterin

theafternoon.



Ihadnodoubtthatthischallengehadtobemet.Ifwefailedtoact,the

MiddleEastcrisiswoulddeepenasradicalsandtheirSovietsponsorsseizedthe

initiative.Ifwesucceeded,theArabmoderateswouldreceiveanewleaseonlife.

Onthewhole,Iwasoptimistic.Thebalanceofforceswasinourfavorbothlocally

andoverall.IexpressedtheviewtothePresidentlatethateveningthatthe

Sovietswere“eitherincompetentorforcingashowdown.Iftheyareincompetent

wewillhaveaneasyvictory.”Ididnotneedtoaddthatiftheyhaddecidedona

showdownwehadnochoiceinanycase.



AfterconsultationbetweenRogers,Sisco,andmeanumberofimmediate

stepsweretaken.SiscoandIjointlydraf tedastatementthatwasissuedin

Rogers’sname,demandinginperemptorylanguagetheimmediatewithdrawalof

Syrianforcesandwarningofthedangersofabroadenedconflict.Thatafternoon

SiscocalledinVorontsovandhandedhimablisteringmessage.Informareplyto

theSovietmessageofSeptember18,theoperationalpartofournotereadas

follows:



Atthismoment,thesituationisbeingfurtheranddangerouslyaggravatedbythe

interventionintoJordanianterritoryofarmoredforcesfromSyriaandtheconcentrationof

furtheroffensiveforcesinSyriaalongtheJordanianborder.TheUSGovernmenthas

condemnedthisinterventioninJordanandhascalledfortheimmediatewithdrawalofthe

invadingforces.ThisintolerableandirresponsibleactionfromSyria,ifnotimmediatelyhalted

andreversed,couldleadtothebroadeningofthepresentconflict.TheUSGovernmentcalls

upontheSovietGovernmenttoimpressupontheGovernmentofSyriathegravedangersofits

presentcourseofactionandtheneedbothtowithdrawtheseforceswithoutdelayfrom

JordanianterritoryandtodesistfromanyfurtherinterventioninJordan.TheSoviet

Governmentcannotbeunawareoftheseriousconsequenceswhichcouldensuefroma

broadeningoftheconflict.Foritspart,theUSGovernmentisurgingrestraintbyallother

partiesinthearea.



DuringthecourseofSundayafternoonIrecommended—andthePresident

approvedfromCampDavid—returningtheairbornebrigadeinGermanytoits

baseembarkationpointfromamaneuverareatowhichwehadpermitteditto

moveonSeptember18whenthecrisisseemedtobecooling.Thelong‐planned

maneuverexerciseextendedthereactiontimeofthebrigadetotenhours;atits

homebaseitsalertstatuswouldbereducedtofourhours.Onebattalionwas

orderedtoprepareforanairdrop.At5:00p.m.werequestedourEmbassyin

BonntonotifytheGermangovernmentofthemovementoftheairbornebrigade.

Weexplainedthatitsheightenedreadinesswasmadenecessarybythepossibility

ofevacuatingAmericansfromJordan.Thebrigadewasinstructedtomoverapidly

andopenlywithoutanysecurityprecautions;wewantedSovietintelligenceto

noticeitquickly.TheGermangovernmentwaslikelytospreadwordofourmoves

tofriendlyEuropeangovernments.DeanBrownwasinstructedtotellHusseinof

ourpublicstatementsandournotetotheSovietsandnottoclosethedoorto

possibleUnitedStatesintervention.



DuringtheafternoonthescaleofthenewSyrianattackbecameclear.We

hadcontinuedplanningontheassumptionofeitheranAmericanoranIsraeli

militaryreaction;allinthegovernmentwereagreedthatthetwomustnottake

placesimultaneously.OnSeptember17IhadconveyedtotheWSAGthe

President’spreferenceforresistingIraqiorSyrianinterventionprimarilywith

UnitedStatesforces.Ihadrequestedthateachcoursebeexaminedinthelightof

threecriteria:Whohadthebetterreasonforaction?Whocouldsustainhis

actionsbetter?Whohadthegreatestcapacitytopreventescalation?Ihadasked

forthebestcasethatcouldbemadeforAmericanactionandthebestcasefor

standingasideanddeterringtheSovietswhiletheIsraelismoved.Thesepapers

wereavailabletothePresidentovertheweekend.Icannottellwhetherheread

them.



InordertomakeafinalrecommendationtothePresidentIcalleda

meetingoftheWSAGfor7:00p.m.Sundayevening,September20.Fromthenon

untiltheNSCmeetingnextmorning,thecrisisforusinWashingtontooktheform

ofalmostuninterr uptedmeetingsandtelephonecalls.Theflavorcanbestbe

conveyedbytracingtheeventsofthenighthourbyhour.



From7:10to7:50p.m.theWSAGprincipalsmetintheSituationRoomin

theWhiteHousebasement,largelytobringoneanotheruptodateoneventsof

thepasthoursandtolookagainatcontingencyplans.Theintelligenceand

militarybriefingsindicatedthatitwasnipandtuck.Muchofthediscussionwasa

typicalbureaucratictraumaoverthetrivial.Twoportablemilitaryfieldhospitals

weretobesentinresponsetotheKing’srequestforassistance;thedebatewas

whetherweshouldsendthemasanAmericancontributionorundersome

multilateralaegis.AquickreviewoftheprosandconsofAmericanmilitary

interventionstrengthenedourconvictionthatourforceswerebestemployedin

holdingtheringagainstSovietinterferencewithIsraelioperations.Tobeeffective

unilaterallywewouldhavetocommitourentirestrategicreserve;wewouldthen

bestretchedtonearthebreakingpointin twowidelyseparatedtheatersand

nakedinthefaceofanynewcontingency.Ourforceswouldhavetogoinwithout

heavyequipmentandwithairsupportonlyfromcarriers.Ouronlyoverland

supplyroutewasacrossIsrael,linkinguswithIsraelwhenseparationwasthe

principalreasonforanAmericanaction.Ifwegotintodifficulties,wewouldhave

tocallonIsraelforhelp.Inshort,ifthesituationinJordangotoutofcontrolit

couldberemediedonlybyamassiveblowagainstSyria,forwhichIsraeliarmed

forceswerebestsuited.



At7:50p.m.thePresident,havingreturnedfromCampDavid,calledmeto

hisoffice.HeandIhadbeeninfrequenttouchduringthisSundayafternoon.Ihad

rehearsedmyconcernsaboutunilateralAmericanmilitaryactiononseveral

occasionsalongthelinesoftheWSAGconsensus:lateinthedayhehadchanged

hisview;justbeforetheWSAGmeetinghehadtoldmethatiftherewerea

militaryreactionitshouldnotbebyus.I’quicklybroughtNixonuptodate.I

suggestedthathecalltheseniormembersoftheWSAGuptohisofficetogive

themsomesenseofhisthinkingandthepsychologicalboostthatcancomeonly

fromPresidentialleadership.Eventhoughhisviewnowcoincidedwiththatofthe

WSAG,IurgedthathenotrevealhischangeofmindsothattheWSAGcouldgo

throughtheoptionsagain,freefromthedesiretofulfillPresidentialpreferences.

Hecouldthenbesuretogetthebestjudgment;hecouldmakehisformal

decisionaftertheWSAGmeetingwasconcluded.



Oncethepointofdecisionwasreached,Nixonactedwithakindofjoyless,

desperatecourage—tornbetweenhisinsightsandunderstandingofthe

internationalrealityandhisfatalisticinstinctthatnothinghetouchedwouldever

becrownedwithultimate success.Thebiggestproblematthatpointwastokeep

thecouragefromturningintorecklessnessandthefirmnessintobravado.In

thesesituationshewouldnotbeconcer nedwithshort‐termpoliticaladvantage;

hewoulddowhathethoughtwasrequiredbythenationalinterestashe

perceivedit.NomorecanbeaskedofanyPresident.Manyhavedonemuchless.



Fromabout8:00to8:20p.m.,NixonmetwiththeWSAGprincipals—Alex

Johnson,TomMoorer,DickHelms,DavidPackard,JoeSisco.Hegavethemapep

talkexpressingappreciationfortheirefforts.Hesaidthattheirjobwastosave

theKingagainstoutsideintervention;heexpectedtheirjudgmentregardlessof

whattheymightpreviouslyhaveassumedtobehispreferences.Hestressedthat

Iwouldbespeakingforhim.



At8:20p.m.,thesuitablyinspiredWSAGmembersleftthePresident’s

officeandresumedtheirdeliberationsdownstairsintheSituationRoom.Istayed

behindfortenminutestogoovertheoptionswiththePresident.Webothagreed

thattheoddsfavoredourprevailingifweremainedfirmwithoutbeingtruculent

andifweplayedourcardswell.



Atabout8:20p.m.,too,DenisGreenhilltelephoned againonthesecure

phone.SinceIwasintheOvalOffice,HaigintheSituationRoomtookthecall.

GreenhillpassedonamessagethatHusseinhadgiventotheBritishAmbassador

inthemorningandrepeatedagaintwohoursbeforethephonecall:Inviewofthe

deterioratingsituationtheKingwasrequestingimmediateairstrikes.



At8:35p.m.IrejoinedtheWSAGmeeting,whichcontinueduntilabout

9:15p.m.TheBritishmessagereinforcedthepredispositioninfavorofstanding

asideforanIsraelimove.Wedidnotpossessenoughintelligenceortarget

informationto respondrapidlytotheKing’spleawithAmericanforces.Atthe

sametime,iftheUnitedStateswastoholdtheringagainstSovietinterventionwe

wouldhavetoaccelerateourreadiness;wewouldtherebyalsoimproveour

capacitytoconductairoperationsshouldtheIsraelisprovemorereluctanttoact

thanweestimated.TheWSAGapprov edthefollowingrecommendationstothe

President:



•improvingthealertstatusoftheairbornebrigadeinGermanyeven

further;



•puttingthe82ndAirborneDivisiononfullalert(thiswouldundoubtedly

leakandthusforcearapiddecisiononbothMoscowandDamascus);



•flyingareconnaissa nce planefromacarriertoTelAvivairporttopickup

targetinginformation(thiswouldundoubtedlybediscoveredbySovietand

Egyptianradar,andsignalthatAmericanmilitaryactionmightbe

approaching).



Inotherwords,wewouldheightentheperceptionthatAmericanorIsraeli

interventionwasthreatening.



Inmyviewwhatseems“balanced”and“safe”inacrisisisoftenthemost

risky.Gradualescalationtemptstheopponenttomatcheverymove;whatis

intendedasashowofmoderationmaybeinterpretedasirresolution;

reassurancemayprovidetoopredictableachecklistandhenceanincentivefor

waiting,prolongingtheconditions ofinherentrisk.Aleadermustchoosecarefully

andthoughtfullytheissuesoverwhichtofaceconfrontation.Heshoulddoso

onlyformajorobjectives.Onceheiscommitted,however,hisobligationistoend

theconfrontationrapidly.Forthishemustconveyimplacability.Hemustbe

preparedtoescalaterapidlyandbrutallytoapointwheretheopponentcanno

longeraffordtoexperiment.



Atabout9:27p.m.IaskedSiscoto joinmeconveyingtheWSAG’s

recommendationstothePresident;astheofficialwhosatatthenexusofallthe

cabletrafficitwascrucialforSiscotounderstandthenuancesofWhiteHouse

thinking.ItwouldalsohelpkeepRogersinformed;hehaddecidedtostayneara

phoneathometoawaitdevelopments.FirstwehadtofindthePresidentbecause

Nixonhaddecidedtogobowling.WiththeaidoftheSecretServicewefinally

trackedhimtoanobscurealleyinthebasementoftheExecutiveOfficeBuilding.

Nixoncalmlylistenedtoourreportandapprovedtherecommendationswhile

incongruouslyholdingabowlingballinonehand.Itwasoneofthefewoccasions

thatIsawNixonwithoutacoatandtie.Hesaidthatwhateverwasdonemust

succeed;hewasdeterminedtostoptheSyrianatta ck. Heagreedthatweneeded

urgentlytoestablishcontactwiththeIsraeliAmbassador.ItoldhimthatIwould

callRabin.



Atabout10:00p.m.,IreturnedtomyofficeintheWhiteHouseandplaced

thecall.ItturnedoutthatRabinwasattendingadinnerinNewYorkhonoring

GoldaMeir.Hehadtobecalledfromthedaisandbroughttoareasonablysecure

place,thoughthroughouttheconversationIcouldhearthedistantbabbleof

voices.TellingRabinthatSiscowasalsoontheline,Iaskedwhatinformation

IsraelhadonSyrianmoves.RabinsaidIsraelestimatedsometwohundredSyrian

tankstobeintheareaofIrbid.ItoldRabinthatwehadbeenaskedforassistance

buthadnointelligence.CouldIsraelflysomereconnaissanceatdaybreak(then

onlythreehoursawayintheMiddleEast)andgiveusitsjudgment?Rabin,who

wasnobody’sfool,askedwhetherwewouldlookfavorablyonanIsraeliairstrike

iftheintelligenceindicatedsignificantSyrianadvances.Irepliedthatwewould

prefertomakethisjudgmentafteranalyzingtheresultsofthereconnaissance.

WewereintheprocessofdiscussingthiswhenIwashandedanotherurgent

messagefromtheKing,thistimedirectlytous.ItoldRabinIwouldhavetocall

himbackshortly.



Hussein’smessagehadcomebytelephoneto ourAmbassadortwohours

earlier.ItspokeofaseriousdeteriorationfollowinganewmassiveSyrianinvasion

(theattackbythetwobrigadesatnoontime).Jordanianforceswerenolongerin

contactwitheachother;Irbidwasoccupied.Thetroopsinthecapitalwere

disquieted.IntheKing’sviewairstrikeswereimperativeto savehiscountry;he

mightsoonrequestgroundtroopsaswell.Reversinghispreviousprocedure,

HusseinaskedustoinformBritainofhisplight.



At10:10p.m.,SiscoandIjointlyphonedRogersfrommyofficeandtoldthe

SecretaryoftheconversationwithRabinandthenewdesperatemessagefrom

theKing.WewereinclinedtorecommendtothePresident,wesaid,thatwe

endorseanIsraeliairstrike.Rogersagreedwehadnochoice.



At10:12p.m.,nowfamiliarwiththeroute,SiscoandIthereforewentback

tothebowlingalley.(Ineversawthebowlingalleyagainafterthatfatefulnight.)

WetoldthePresidentoftheKing’srequestandtheconsensusofhisownsenior

advisers.HeacceptedourrecommendationandauthorizedustoapproachRabin.

At10:25p.m.SiscoandIfoundourwaybacktomyoffice.



At10:35p.m.IplacedanothercalltoRabinwithSiscoontheline.Justas

theconnectionwasbeingcompleted,Nixon,hisbowlingcompleted,walkedinto

myoffice,conservativelydressedasusual.ItoldRabinoftheinformationwehad

receivedfromJordan,withoutspecifyingthesource.Afterdiscussionwiththe

PresidentandtheSecretary,I couldinformhimthatifIsraelireconnaissance

confirmedwhathehadtoldme,wewouldlookfavorablyuponanIsraeliair

attack.Wewouldmakegoodthemateriallosses,andwewoulddoourutmostto

preventSovietinterference.RabincarefullyrepeatedwhatIhadsaidtomake

surethatheunderstood;hewouldhavetoconsulthisPrimeMinister.



At10:45p.m.,inlightofthepossibilitythatIsraelmightactduringour

night,IcalledtheWSAGbackintosessionforamidnightmeetingandaskedmy

staff(principallyHalSaundersandRichardKennedy)togatherallrelevant

information.IthencalledBritishAmbassadorJohnFreemantoinformhimofthe

King’smessage.ItoldhimthatwehadbeenintouchwiththeIsraeliAmbassador

butdidnotgointodetails.Nixon,stillinmyoffice,chattedwithmebetween

phonecalls.

