Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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Itwasaweirdsituation.ForyearstheAdministrationhadbeenaccusedby

itsdomesticcriticsofpayinginsufficientattentiontoworldopinion.Butherewas

anissueonwhichweenjoyedmoresupportintheworldcommunitythanonany

otherinadecade.Almostallthenonalignedwereonoursideforonce.Manyof

themhadborderconflictsorethnicdivisions;noneofthemhadaninterestin

lettingoutsideforcebecometheultimatearbiterofsuchdisputes.TheSovietbloc

wasisolatedasithadnotbeensincetheearlydaysoftheUnitedNations.The

numbersinourfavorwereoverwhelming.Yettheusualvotariesofworldopinion

inourcountrywerebusycastigatingtheWhiteHouseasifitstoodirrationally

againstthedecentopinionofmankind.Littleconsiderationwasgiventothe

globalimpactofademonst rationofAmericanimpotencecombinedwithUN

paralysis.FortwoyearswehadbeentalkingaboutSecurityCouncilguaranteesas

akeytopeaceintheMiddleEast.WhatwouldbetheimplicationsforMiddleEast

diplomacyofablatantmilitaryattackincontinuingdefianceofUNresolutions

andwithoutanyUSactiononbehalfofacountrywithwhichitwasallied?

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Allthewhile,theSovietUnionwasbuyingtimeforIndiatocompleteits

militaryoperations.TASSissuedablisteringstatementonDecember5supporting

Indiawithoutreservationandopposinganycease‐fireunlessaccompaniedbya

politicalsettlementbasedonthe“lawfulrights”ofthepeopleofEastPakistan.

WhenNixonlearnedofthishedecidedtobringpressureonMoscow.Dobrynin,

asinmostcrises,wasoutoftown.Hischarge,Vorontsov,hadauthorityonlyto

receiveandtransmitmessages,nottonegotiate.

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OnDecember5ItoldVorontsovthatwewereata watershed.Moscow’s

encouragementofIndianaggressionwasinconsistentwithimprovementinUS‐

Sovietrelations.Vorontsovwassoothing.Thecrisiswouldbeoverinaweek;it

needhavenoimpactonUS‐Sovietrelations.IftheSovietUnioncontinuedonits

presentcourse,Isnapped,itwouldnotbeoverinaweek,whateverhappenedon

thesubcontinent.

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OnDecember6,Mrs.Gandhiofficiallyrecognizedtheindependenceof

Bangladesh.Whilethishadbeenimplicitinherpolicyallalong,herdeclaration

hadtheeffectofclosingoffallremainingpossibilityofpoliticalaccommodation.

TheStateDepartmentatlastannouncedthecutoff ofeconomicaidtoIndiathat

Nixonhadorderedfourdaysearlier(butitwascarriedoutsohalfheartedlythatit

hadlittleimpact).

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NixonconvenedanNSCmeetingonDecember6becausehehadbecome

convincedatlastthatsomedisciplinewasessential.Butasusualhiseffortsto

imposeitweresoambiguousthattheymadethingsworse.SinceNixontookan

essentiallypassiverole,themeetingservedonlytomakeexplicitthe

philosophicaldifferencesbetweenRogersandme,exacerbatedbypersonality

clashesthatdidneitherofusanycredit.Nixonmadeplainhisdispleasurewith

Mrs.Gandhi;buttoavoidunpleasantnesshegavenooperationalorders.His

advisershadbarelyleft,however,whenhecharacteristicallyorderedmetoget

JohnConnallyandMelLairdtogetRogerstofollowtheWhiteHouseline.But

sinceRogershadheardnosuchwordsfromNixon,hewasconfirmedin hisview

thathewascarryingoutPresidentialwishesandthatIwaspursuingmyown

course.ZieglerwasinstructedbyNixontosaythatIndia’sactionswent“against

theinternationaltrend”oftryingtosettleinternationaldifferencespeacefully.

Butthedepartments—unawarethateverythingZieglersaidneededtheapproval

ofHaldemanorNixon—tookthisasanothermaneuverbyme.

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Inthesecircumstances,moreandmoreofourpolicywaspulledintothe

WhiteHouse,whereNixonandIcouldcontrolit.Andbynowthedepartments

wereonlytoohappytoletusbeartheresponsibilityandthealmostcertainblame

whateverhappened.WedecidedthatthebesthopetokeepIndiafromsmashing

WestPakistanwastoincreasetheriskforMoscowthateventsonthe

subcontinentmightjeopardizeitssummitplanswiththeUnitedStates;inthat

casetheKremlinmighturgerestraintonIndia.Therefore,a letterfromNixonto

BrezhnevwasdeliveredtoVorontsovonDecember6.Itstressedthatthe“spiritin

whichweagreed”toasummitrequired“utmostrestraintandmosturgentaction

toendconflictandrestoreterritorialintegrityinthesubco ntinent”;anIndian

“accomplishedfact”would“longcomplicatetheinternationalsituation.”

“undermineconfidence” andhavean“adverseeffectonthewholerangeofother

issues.”Latethatevening,ateleven,wereceivedaSovietreplytomy

conversationwithVorontsovofthedaybefore.Conciliatoryintone,ittookthe

traditionalstanceofthesidewhosemilitaryoperationsaregoingfavorably—it

stalled.TheSovietsdeniedthatwhathappenedonthesubcontinentrepresented

awatershed.InmoreelegantformitfollowedTASS’slineofcallingforapolitical

solutioninEastPakistanasapreconditionforacease‐fire.AndtheSoviet 

definitionofapoliticalsolutionwasidenticalwithIndia’s:immediate

independence.Clearly,Moscowwantedthewartocontinue.

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Nixonrespondedbyordering,onmyrecommendation,aslowdownin

economicnegotiationswithMoscow.Thiswaseasiersaidthandone.Bynow

enoughdepartmentshaddevelopedavestedinterestinEast‐Westtradetoseek

toprotecttheirturfifonlybyinertiaincarryingoutorders.Theresistancewasled

bySecretaryofCommerceStans,whoreflectedthepassionateviewofmany

businessmenthatprofitsshouldnotbesacrificedtopolitics.Ontopofit,Stans—

surelyanardentanti‐Communist—fanciedthathehadestablishedagood

personalrelationshipwithSovietleaderswhichhewasmostreluctantto

jeopardizeforarcanediplomaticmaneuversthousandsofmilesaway.

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OnDecember7YahyainformedusthatEastPakistanwasdisintegrating .

ForusthedaybeganwithaWashingtonPosteditorialsharplyattacking

Administrationpolicyonthesubcontinent, callingtheaidcutoffofIndia 

“puzzling.”“purelypunitive,”anditsreasons“laughable.”ThePostcametothis

conclusionontheverydayonwhichallfurtherdoubtwasdispelledthattheissue

hadgonefarbeyondself‐determinationforEastPakistan.Areportreachedus

fromasourcewhosereliabilitywehadneverhadanyreasontodoubtandwhichI

donotquestiontoday,totheeffectthatPrimeMinisterGandhiwasdetermined

toreduceevenWestPakistantoimpotence:shehadindicatedthatIndiawould

notacceptanyGeneralAssemblycallforacease‐fireuntilBangladeshwas

“liberated”;afterthat,Indianforceswouldproceedwiththe“liberation”ofthe

SouthernpartofAzadKashmir—thePakistanipartofKashmir—andcontinue

fightinguntilthePakistaniarmyandairforcewerewipedout.Inotherwords,

WestPakistanwastobedismemberedandrendereddefenseless.Mrs.Gandhi

alsotoldcolleaguesthatiftheChinese“rattledthesword,”theSovietshad

promisedtotakeappropriatecounteraction.[

ThesereportsofIndiandeliberations—

amongthemostimportantreasonsforourpolicy—werepublishedbyJackAnderson,but

withoutapparentunderstandingoftheirsignificance.

]Otherinte lligenceindicatedthat

thismeantdiversionarymilitaryactionagainstChinainSinkiang.Pakistan—West

Pakistan—couldnotpossiblysurvivesuchacombinationofpressures,andaSino‐

Sovietwarwasnotexcluded.

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AgainstthisbackgroundIgaveapressbriefingthatbecamehighly

controversiallater.IdidsobecauseRogershadprohibitedStateDepartment

personnelfromundertakingpublicbriefings,becausemassiveleakssoughtto

underminewhatthePresidenthadrepeatedlyordered,andbecauseweneeded

tostateacoherentcaseforourposition.Isoughttosetoutourreasoning,warn

Indiawhilegivingitassurancesofbasicgoodwill,andtrytoconveytotheSoviets

thatmattersweregettingserious.IdeniedthattheAdministrationwas“anti‐

Indian.”Iemphasizedthatwehadnotcondo nedthePakistanirepressioninEast

BengalinMarch1971;militaryaidhadbeencutoffandmajoreffortshadbeen

madetopromotepoliticalaccommodationbetweenthePakist anigovernment

andBangladeshofficialsinCalcutta.Nevertheless,inourviewIndiawas

responsibleforthewar.India,Ipointedout,“either… couldhavegivenusa

timetableoronecouldhavewaitedforthereturntocivilianrulewhichwasonly

threeweeksaway,toseewhetherthatwouldbringaboutachangeinthe

situation…”wehadconcludedthat“militaryactionwastaken,inourview,

withoutadequatecause.”Indiahadspurnedorignoredourovertures.Iwarned

theSovietUnionthatithadanobligationtoactasaforceforrestraint,for“the

attempttoachieveunilateraladvantagesoonerorlaterwillleadtoanescalation

oftensionswhichmustjeopardizetheprospectsofrelaxation.”

Ibelievedthen,

andstilldo,thatthisrepresentedanaccuratestatementoftherecord.



GeorgeBush,oninstructions,wentastepfarthe rattheUN,labelingIndia

theaggressor.TheresolutionwesupportedintheGeneralAssembly,callingfor

cease‐fireandwithdrawalofforces,wonoverwhelmingsupport,pass ing,asI

havepointedout,by104to11. Butneitherourbriefingsnortheoverwhelming

expressionofworldopinionsoftenedmediaorCongressionalcriticism.TheNew

YorkTimesridiculedmyargumentthatapoliticalac commodationwithYahyahad

beenattainable.TheWashingtonPostcontinuedtoexpressits“serious

reservationsaboutMr.Nixon’spro‐Pakistanpolicy.”



ToustheissuewasnowtopreventthedismembermentofWestPakistan.I

toldtheWSAGonDecember8:



Let’snowturntothekeyissue.IfIndiaturnsonWestPakistan,takesAzadKashmirand

smashesthePakairandtankforces,anumberofthingsseeminevitable.Shouldwe,infull

conscience,allowtheliberationofthesamedisintegratingforcesinWestPakistanasinthe

East?Baluchistanandothercomparableissuesareboundtocometothefore,asMrs.Gandhi

indicatedtothePresidentandasshetoldaColumbiaUniversityseminarinNewYork,I

understand.PakistanwouldbeleftdefenselessandWestPakistanwouldbeturnedintoa

vassalstate.

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<<Contents>>

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

Climax:AfatefulDecision



undamentally,ouronlycardleftwasto raisetherisksfortheSovietstoalevel

whereMoscowwouldseelargerinterestsjeopardized.Recognizingthis,Nixon

suggestedtomeontheeveningofDecember8thatperhapsweshouldcancelthe

Moscowsummit.ThisshowedthedegreeofthePresident’sdispleasure;itdidnot

necessarilymeanthathewantedmetocarryouthissuggestion.Thestatement

hadtheadditionaladvantageofestablishinganhistoricalrecordoftoughness.It

mightbeusedlatertodemonstratethatone’sassociateshadwaveredwhileone

stoodlikearockinachurningsea.Iwastolearnbeforetheweekwasupthatto

takeitliterallyranamajorriskofPresidentialdispleasure.ButatthispointItold

Nixonthatsuchamovewaspremature.WehadnotyetreceivedBrezhnev’s

formalanswertothePresidentialmessageofDecember6.Andoncepushedinto

acornerpublicly,theSovietswouldhavenofurtherincentivetocallahalttothe

IndianassaultonPakistan.ButIdidfavorsteppingupthepressure,keepingthe

threatofcancelingthesummitinreserve:“Themajorproblemnowisthatthe

Russiansretaintheirrespectforus,”Isaid.“WehavetopreventIndiafrom

attackingWestPakistan;that’sthemajorthing.”Ifwedidabsolutelynothing,“we

willtriggertheSovietsintoreallytoughactions.”ImadethesamepointtoHelms:

“Ifwedonothingwewillsurelylose.Ifwedosomethinganddoitdaringly

enoughanddoothersimultaneoussteps,wemightgettheRussianstocallahalt

totheirgames.”

F



OnDecember9wereceivedBrezhnev’sreply.Ithaditshopefulside,

proposingacease‐fireandtheresumptionofnegotiationsbetweenthepartiesin

Pakistanatthepoint,themessagesaid,wheretheyhadbeeninterrupted.Ifthe

Sovietsintendedbythistourgethatthepartiesreturntothesituationasof

March25,therewaspromiseinit;thiswouldprovidea figleafinthat

negotiationscouldbesaidtobeginwithintheframeworkofaunitedPakistan

eventhoughtheoutcomeofanindependentBangladeshwasforeordained.

BrezhnevalsodemandednegotiationswithMujib,whichwouldtaketimeto

accomplish;thismightbeadevicetoplayfortimewhilewewereexploringthe

meaningoftheproposalwithMoscow.AndwehadtomakesurethatIndiawould

notusetheintervaltocarryoutitsintentiontodestroyWestPakistan.



Thatominouspossibilitybecamemoreevidentinaconversationbetween

theIndianAmbassadorandtheUnderSec retaryofState.JohnIrwincalledinJha

toseekassurancesfromIndiathatitwouldnotseizeanyterritoryinWest

Pakistan,includinganypartofAzadKashmir.Jharespondedthattherewasno

intentionofterritorialannexationintheWest;however,withrespecttoAzad

Kashmir,hewouldhavetoaskNewDelhi.(IndiahadneverrecognizedKashmiras

partofPakistan,henceclaimingitwasnot,initsview,dismemberingWest

Pakistan.)ThemeetingconcludedwithIrwin’sstressingthatwewereapproaching

aclimacticmomentinIndian‐Americanrelations.



TherewasnowayPakistancouldsurvivethesimultaneouslossofBengal

andKashmir;allcentrifugalforceswouldbeunleashed.WeusedtheDecember9

visitofSovietMinisterofAgricultureVladimirMatskevichwithAgriculture

secretaryEarlButzasapretexttounderscoreourgraveview.Tohissurprise

MatskevichwasinvitedtomeetwiththePresidentintheOvalOffice.Bullet‐

headed,hearty,bubblingwithinnocentgoodwill,Matskevichconveyedapersonal

greetingfromBrezhnev,whowaslookingforwardwithanticipationtothe

Moscowsummit.NixonrepliedthatallprogressinUS‐Sovietrelationswasbeing

threatenedbythewaronthesubcontinent.Weinsistedonacease‐fire.IfIndia

movedforcesagainstWestPakistan,theUnitedStateswouldnotstandby.Nixon

added:“TheSovietUnionhasatreatywithIndia;wehaveonewithPakistan.You

mustrecognizetheurgencyofacease‐fireandpoliticalsettlementofthecrisis.”

Matskevichwasinasplendidpositiontoclaimthatsuchmattersofhighpolicy

wereoutsidehisprovince;norwasVorontsov,whoaccompaniedhim,ableto

enlightenus.TimewasthusgainedforafurtherIndianadvance.



ThetensionsinourgovernmentsurfacedonDecember9whenNixon,

besidehimselfoverpressstoriesthatseniorUSdiplomatswereopposingthe

President’s“anti‐Indianbias,”calledintheprinc ipalofficialsoftheWSAG.Hetold

themthatwhilehedidnotinsistontheStateDepartment’sbeingloyaltothe

President,itshouldbeloyaltotheUnitedStates.Itwasoneoftheemotional

commentsNixonlaterregrettedandthatcosthimsomuchsupport.The

DepartmentwasbeingloyaltotheUnitedStatesbyitslights;ithappenedto

disagreewiththePresident’spolicyanditwasfollowingtheguidelinesofits

secretary.AsItoldAlexJohnson,cableswithinstructionstoKeatingtocriticize

NewDelhitookdaystobedraftedandcleared;cablestoIslamabadcriticizing

Pakistanweremiraculouslydispatchedintwohours.



Therootfact,whichfewwerewillingtoface,wasthattheSovietUnionand

Indiacouldhaveendedthecrisis(andourowndomesticdisputes)byonesimple

gesture.Allwerequiredtoletmatterstaketheircoursewasanassurancethat

therewouldbenoattackonWestPakistanandnoamputationofKashmir.The

warinEastPakistanwouldhavethenwounddownonitsownmomentum.The

Indianforces,withasix‐to‐onemarginofsuperiority,wereclearlyprevailing.But

thisassurancewaspreciselywhatIndiarefusedtogiveortheSovietUnionto

encourage.JharemainedwithoutinstructionsfromNewDelhi.Vorontsov

broughtnosuchwordevenafterNixonhadpersonallyintervened.



OnDecember10weworkedoutwithYahyaanewproposaltotheUnited 

Nations,drawinguponBrezhnev’ssuggestionthatnegotiationsberesumed

wheretheyhadbeenbrokeno ff.Ourproposalabandonedthedemandforan

Indianwithdrawal;itcalledforacease‐fireandstandstilltobemonitoredbyUN

representativesbothintheEastandtheWest;assoonasthecease‐firetook

effecttherewouldbenegotiationsdirectedattroopwithdrawalsandthe

satisfactionofBengaliaspirations.Inshort,Pakistan,inreturnforanendtoIndian

militaryoperationsintheWest,waspreparedtosettleforthemilitarystatusquo

intheEast(largelyoccupiedbyIndiabynow)andtoenternegotiatio nswhose

onlypossibleoutcomecouldbetheemergenceofanindependentBangladesh.



IsubmittedthisproposaltoVorontsovduringthemorningofDecember10.

ItwasaccompaniedbyaletterfromNixontoBrezhnevwhichstatedthat

Brezhnev’sproposalsforthepoliticalsolutioninEastPakistanwereintheprocess

ofbeingmet.“Thismustnowbefollowedbyanimmediatecease‐fireinthe

West.”Followingtheprocedur eintheCienfuegoscrisis,IreadVorontsovthe

aide‐mémoireofNovember5,1962,inwhichtheUnitedStatespromised

assistancetoPakistanincaseofIndianaggression.Iwarnedhimthatwewould

honorthispledge.Vorontsovwas,ofcourse,withoutinstructions.Norwouldwe

hearfromhimforforty‐eighthours.



“Inforeignpolicy,”Bismarckoncesaid,“courageandsuccessdonotstand

inacausalrelationship;theyareidentical.”Nixonhadmanyfaults,butincriseshe

wasconspicuouslycourageous.Anaircraft‐carriertaskforcethatwehadalerted

previouslywasnoworderedtomovetowardtheBayofBengal,ostensiblyforthe

evacuationofAmericansbutinrealitytogiveemphasistoourwarningsagainst

anattackonWestPakistan.WehelditEastoftheStraitofMalacca,about

twenty‐fourhours’steamingdistancefromtheBayofBengal,becauseIwanted

toconsulttheChinesebeforewemadeournextmove.Inexplainingthepurpose

ofthefleetmovementtoMelLaird,IpointedoutthatwerecognizedtheIndian

occupationofEastPakistanasanaccomplishedfact;ourobjectivewastoscare

offanattackonWestPakistan.(Ididnotaddthatwealsowantedtohaveforces

inplaceincasetheSovietUnionpressuredChina.)Asalwaysincrises,Lairdwas

staunchandsupportive.



BeforeIcouldleaveforNewYorkandasecretmeetingwithHuangHua,we

receivedwordthatthePakistanicommanderinEastPakistanwasofferinga

cease‐fire.TheStateDepartmentwasjubilant.AtthedailyWSAG,AlexJohnson

discussedhowtocarryitout.Iwasdisconcerte d. Aseparatecease‐fireintheEast

wouldruncountertowhathadjustbeenproposedto theSoviets.Itwouldsettle

thealreadydecliningwarintheEast,butitwouldmagnifyourprincipalworryby

freeingtheIndianarmyandair forceforanall‐outattackonWestPakistan.We

knewthatMrs.GandhihadorderedarapidtransferoftheIndianarmytothe

Westandall‐outattackassoonasoperationsagainstEastPakistanwere

concluded.IcalledinPakistaniAmbassadorRazaandurgedhimtomakethe

cease‐fireproposalconsistentwithwhathadbeenagreedtowithYahya.The

WSAGagreedtodothesameinformalchannels.Acease‐firemustincludeboth

EastandWestPakistan;otherwisethedangertotheWestwouldmountas

operationsinBengalconcluded.Islamabadthereforepulledbackitsproposalfor

acease‐fireintheEasttemporarily. Butitwasclearthatthisgaveusonlyabrief

breathingspace.WithinashorttimethePakistanarmyintheEastwouldbe

destroyed.Indiantroopswould befreedfortheirplannedassaultonWest

Pakistan.Weabsolutely hadtobringmattersto ahead.



HuangHuaandImetaroundsixo’clockintheCIA’s walk‐upapartmentin

theEastseventies.Itsheavilymirroredwallsandgaudypaintingssuggested

purposesotherthanameetingbetweentherepresentativeofapuritanical

CommunistregimeandtheAssistanttothePresidenttryingtosavethefaraway

countrythathadbroughtthemtogether.



IbriefedHuangHuaingreatdetailonourexchangeswithalltheparties,

includingtheSoviets.ItoldhimofourreliableinformationofIndianplansto

destroyWestPakistan’sarmedforces.Wehadcometothereluctantconclusion

thatifPakistanwastobesaved fromcompletedestructionwehadtoexert

maximumpoliticalpressureforastandstillcease‐firealongthelinesofthe

schemeworkedoutwithYahya.Noothercoursewouldpreventtheplanned

IndianoffensiveagainstWestPakistan,thesuccessofwhichwasforeordained.

WeweredoingourpartbymovingacarriertaskforceneartheStraitofMalacca.



HuangHua,obviouslywithoutinstructions,tooka hardline.Heinsisted

thatacease‐fireinplaceamountedtoanobjectivecollusio n withtheSoviets.

Aggressionwasbeingrewarded.EastPakistanwouldhavebeensacrificedto

superiorforce.WeshouldnotgiveuptheprincipleofIndianwithdrawalpriorto

negotiations.IrepliedsharplythatifPakistanandChinainsistedonsucha

positionwewouldgoalongwithitinourvoteintheUN.Itwould,however,prove

futile;itwouldplayrightintothehandsofIndianandSovietstrategyto

dismemberallofPakistan.HuangHuanowcametotherealChineseconcern—

thataprecedentwasbeingsetbywhichothercountriesmightbedismembered

byIndian‐Sovietcollusion.ItoldhimthattheUnitedStateswouldnotbe

indifferentto furtherSovietmoves.AnattackonChinaespeciallywouldhave

graveconsequences;indeed,thiswaswhywehadmaintainedsostrongastandin

defianceofpublicopinion,Congress,andthebulkofourbureaucracy.Wehad

evenmovedourfleettowardthethreatenedarea.Itwasanextraordinarystate

ofaffairs;anactiveiftacitcollaborationwasdevelopingwitha countrythatwe

didnotrecognize.HuangHuasaidhewouldinformPremierChouEn‐laiofour

views;hecouldtellmenow,headded,thatChinawouldneverstopfightingas

longasithadarifleinitsarmory;itwouldsurelyincreaseitsassistanceto

Pakistan.Itookthis—asitturnedout,wrongly—tobeanindicationthatChina

mightintervenemilitarilyevenatthislatestage.



ToincreasethepressuresontheSovietsforacease‐fireIhadHaigcall

VorontsovlateonDecember10totellhimthattheUnitedStateswouldtaking

strongmeasures,includingfleetmovements,ifwedidnotsoonreceivea

satisfactoryreplytoourproposal.



Thenextmorning,stillinNewYork City,ImetforbreakfastwithZulfikarAli

Bhutto,whohadbeenappointedDeputyPrimeMinisterafewdaysbefore,inthe

elegantapartmentofourUNAmbassadorattheWaldorfTowers.Chinese

wallpaperanddiscreetwaitersmadeonenearlyforgetthateightthousandmiles

awaythefutureofmyguest’scountryhungbyathread.Elegant,eloquent,

subtle,Bhuttowasatlastarepresentativewhowouldbeabletocompetewith

theIndianleadersforpublicattention.Hehadhadacheckeredpast.Architectof

Pakistan’sfriendshipwithChinaatatimewhenAmericanleadersregardedthe

People’sRepublicasa menacetoworldpeace,hewasnotaboveplayinga

demagogicanti‐Americantunewhenitservedhisdomesticpurposes.Thelegacy

ofdistrustengenderedbyhisflamboyantdemeanor andoccasionallycynical

conducthauntedBhuttowithinourgovernmentthroughouthispoliticallife.I

foundhimbrilliant,charming,ofglobalstatureinhisperceptions.Hecould

distinguishposturingfrompolicy.Hedidnotsufferfoolsgladly.Sincehehad

manytocontendwith,thisprovidedhimwithmorethantheordinaryshareof

enemies.HewasnotreallycomfortablewiththeploddingpaceofPakistan’s

militaryleaders.Nodoubthewaslatercarriedawaybyexcessiveself‐confidence

inhismanipulativeskills.Butinthedaysofhiscountry’stragedyheheldthe

remnantofhisnationtogetherandrestoreditsself‐confidence.Initshourof

greatestneed,hesavedhiscountryfromcompletedestruction.Helaterbrought

himselfdownbyexcessivepride.Buthiscourageandvisionin1971shouldhave

earnedhimabetterfatethanthetragicendhispassionatecountrymenmeted

outtohimandthatblightedtheirreputationformercy.



WhenwemetonDecember11ItoldBhuttothatPakistanwouldnot be

savedbymock‐toughrhetoric;wehadtodevelopacourseofactionthatcouldbe

sustained.Wehadgonetothelimitofwhatwaspossible:“Itisnotthatwedonot

wanttohelpyou;itisthatwewanttopreserveyou.Itisallverywelltoproclaim

principlesbutfinallywehavetoassureyoursurvival.”Iurgedhimtoworkouta

commonpositionwiththeChinese;wewouldnotacceptbeingbuffetedbythose

weweretryingtohelp.Ifitkeptup,wewouldhelppassformalisticUN

resolutionsbutwewouldlosetheabilitytobeeffective.Thenextforty‐eight

hourswouldbedecisive.Weshouldnotwastetheminposturingforthehistory

books,Isaid.



Bhuttowascomposedandunderstanding.HeknewthefactsaswellasI;he

wasamanwithoutillusions,preparedtodowhatwasnecessary,howev er

painful,tosavewhatwasleftofhiscountry.TheChinesewereconfused,hesaid,

bytheevidentschisminourgovernment.Theyhadheardtoomanyconflicting