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    "ocrText": "Page 13 - # 11\nOn that last front, we can avoid an increase in\ntaxes and we can avoid a non-inflationary budget in 1972\nbut only if we get the cooperation of the Congress in these\nnext two or three months. This is the critical time. If the\nCongress does not cooperate in holding down spending, it will\nbe necessary then to look hard about where we are going to\nfind money and that means more taxes. But if the Congress\ncooperates we can avoid it.\nQUESTION: How do you reconcile the position of\nthe United States that we are not bent on a military victory\nin Indochina with the statement that was made yesterday by\nPresident Nguyen Van Thieu that he is looking for a military\nvictory within the next three years, and also he says that he\nis against a coalition government in Vietnam where that is\nimposed or negotiated. In other words, to what extent are we\nthe independent authors of American foreign policy and what\nextent are we subservient to President Thieu?\nTHE PRESIDENT: We are opposed to a coalition\ngovernment negotiated or imposed. We are for a government\nwhich is consented to by the people of South Vietnam. If\nthat government happens to be one that has Communists in it,\nand it is their choice, we do not have objection and neither\ndoes President Thieu, as I understand.\nNow, as far as President Thieu is concerned, when\nhe speaks of victory for his government and the people of\nSouth Vietnam, he is referring, of course, to what will\nhappen in Vietnam over the long haul, assuming there is not\na negotiated element.\nAs far as we are concerned, we have a program of\nVietnamization. We are withdrawing our forces. Just as\nsoon as the South Vietnamese are able to defend the country\nwithout our assistance, we will be gone.\nBut then if at that time the South Vietnamese\nstill have not worked out a negotiated settlement with their\nenemy, then it certainly is up to the South Vietnamese to\nget where they are going to negotiate with the enemy or seek\na victory, that would be President Thieu's decision."
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