The World: Two Voices in a One-Man Race

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A. I would prefer to have a fixed date of the American withdrawal. If the Vietnamese are lazy and indifferent it is because for years now—even though they are angry and afraid of the Communists—they have relied on American money and American sacrifices to protect them. A withdrawal date would provide a new motivation for our nationalists to unite and take action on their own. I said last year that I would like to see American withdrawal by the end of 1971. I still think that is the best time, but a few months' further delay would be acceptable to me.

Q. Would you like to see continued American air support?

A. Yes, unless the U.S. Government accepts my proposal that they Vietnamize completely the Vietnamese Air Force. You must give us more modern weapons such as F-4 Phantoms and C-130 transports, because all that we have now are old, obsolete ones like A-37s—which are not good enough to fight the air force in the North. Really, they have more modern weapons than we have.