○  cambodian incursion address  ○

now confronted with this situation we had three options:

first, we can do nothing. well the ultimate result of that course of action is clear. unless we indulge in wishful thinking, the lives of americans remaining in vietnam after our next withdrawal of 150,000 would be gravely threatened.

let us go to the map again.

here is south vietnam. here is north vietnam. north vietnam already occupies this part of laos. if north vietnam also occupied this whole band in cambodia, or the entire country, it would mean that south vietnam was completely outflanked and the forces of americans in this area as well as the south vietnamese would be in an untenable military position.

our second choice is to provide massive military assistance to cambodia itself. now unfortunately, while we deeply sympathize with the plight of seven million cambodians whose country has been invaded, massive amounts of military assistance could not be rapidly and effectively utilized by this small cambodian army against the immediate trap. with other nations we shall do our best to provide the small arms and other equipment which the cambodian army of 40,000 needs and can use for its defense. but the aid we will provide will be limited for the purpose of enabling cambodia to defend its neutrality and not for the purpose of making it an active belligerent on one side or the other.

our third choice is to go to the heart of the trouble. and that means cleaning out major north vietnamese and vietcong occupied territories, these sanctuaries which serve as bases for attacks on both cambodia and american and south vietnamese forces in south vietnam. some of these, incidentally, are as close to saigon as baltimore is to washington. this one, for example, is called the parrot’s beak. it’s only 33 miles from saigon.

now faced with these three options, this is the decision i have made. in co-operation with the armed forces of south vietnam,

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