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OCR Page 1 of 16This Copy For
PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON'S NEWS CONFERENCE #7
Held in the East Room
At The White House
Washington, D. C.
September 26, 1969
At 12:00 Noon EDT (Friday)
Official White House Transcript
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Cormier.
QUESTION: How do you feel about the various proposals
to propose an arbitrary cut-off time on our military pre-
sence in Vietnam?
THE PRESIDENT: I have considered a number of those
proposals within the Administration, and, of course, have
noted some of the references that have been made recently
in the Senate in that regard. I know they were made with
the best of intentions.
However, it is my conclusion that if the Administration
were to impose an arbitrary cut-off time, say the end of
1970, or the middle of 1971, for the complete withdrawal
of American forces in Vietnam, that inevitably leads to
perpetuating and continuing the war until that time and
destroys any chance to reach the objective that I am trying
to achieve of ending the war before the end of 1970 or
before the middle of 1971.
I think this is a defeatist attitude, defeatist in
terms of what it would accomplish. I do not think it is
in the interest of the United States.
I also believe that even though these proposals, I know,
are made with the best of intentions, they invevitably undercut
and destroy the negotiating position that we have in Paris.
We have not made significant progress in those negotiations.
But any incentive for the enemy to negotiate is destroyed if
he is told in advance that if he just waits for 18 months
we will be out anyway. Therefore, I oppose that kind of
arbitrary action.