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TELCON (TAPE)
Page 4
The President/Mr. Kissinger
9:15 p.m., April 5, 1971
K:
And they don't know what we will be hit with if this whole thing comes
apart.
P:
They don't know a thing about foreign policy; they are only concerned
about peace at any price, really. Cause they see -- all they are
concerned about is revenue sharing, the environment and all that
crap which doesn't amount to anything.
K:
They want to take off the immediate pressure, this is their overriding
concern.
P:
immediate pressure.
K:
And that I don't believe can be done. I mean it can't be done their way
because once you accept the premises of McGovern, you are fighting
on his ground and it wouldn't be in character.
P:
Oh, that's right.
K:
There is one thing, Mr. President, there are two sentences we ought
to add because there is the cynical comment that Doves are now making,
especially McGovern, that we are substituting Asian for American
casualties and increasing the bombing. We can do it in two sentences --
One, where you speak about reduction in American deaths, you can say
and South Vietnamese casualties have also dropped by I think 50%, I'll
get you the exact figures.
P:
And why don't we say that our -- then put in and e've reduced our
bombing by so much.
K:
And the bombing within South Vietnam has been reduced by 90%,
Mr. President.
P:
Well, rather than getting into too many figures, just say that we have
reduced our bombing by 30% or something like that. You know, whatever
the figure is for Southeast Asia -- I don't have to get into set wording,
South Vietnam, Laos
K:
But the significance of the 90% is that in the populated areas our bombing
has decreased by 90% The area we are now bombing is the unpopulated
area.
P:
I know that but I don't have time to explain --
K:
No, I'll get you the right figures.
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"ocrText": "TELCON (TAPE)\nPage 4\nThe President/Mr. Kissinger\n9:15 p.m., April 5, 1971\nK:\nAnd they don't know what we will be hit with if this whole thing comes\napart.\nP:\nThey don't know a thing about foreign policy; they are only concerned\nabout peace at any price, really. Cause they see -- all they are\nconcerned about is revenue sharing, the environment and all that\ncrap which doesn't amount to anything.\nK:\nThey want to take off the immediate pressure, this is their overriding\nconcern.\nP:\nimmediate pressure.\nK:\nAnd that I don't believe can be done. I mean it can't be done their way\nbecause once you accept the premises of McGovern, you are fighting\non his ground and it wouldn't be in character.\nP:\nOh, that's right.\nK:\nThere is one thing, Mr. President, there are two sentences we ought\nto add because there is the cynical comment that Doves are now making,\nespecially McGovern, that we are substituting Asian for American\ncasualties and increasing the bombing. We can do it in two sentences --\nOne, where you speak about reduction in American deaths, you can say\nand South Vietnamese casualties have also dropped by I think 50%, I'll\nget you the exact figures.\nP:\nAnd why don't we say that our -- then put in and e've reduced our\nbombing by so much.\nK:\nAnd the bombing within South Vietnam has been reduced by 90%,\nMr. President.\nP:\nWell, rather than getting into too many figures, just say that we have\nreduced our bombing by 30% or something like that. You know, whatever\nthe figure is for Southeast Asia -- I don't have to get into set wording,\nSouth Vietnam, Laos\nK:\nBut the significance of the 90% is that in the populated areas our bombing\nhas decreased by 90% The area we are now bombing is the unpopulated\narea.\nP:\nI know that but I don't have time to explain --\nK:\nNo, I'll get you the right figures."
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