(The Vietnam Legacy Project. Details at July 4 post)
June 12, 1971 The Saigon Post
SAIGON NOTES
by
Daniel Cameron
A POW BREAKTHROUGH?
Now that the Associated Press (Bangkok) on Teusday of this week confirmed
the story that appeared in this column the previous Sunday, the question of the
neutral of "third country" looms larger.
The private American group, headed by the CROSBY brothers, BING and LARRY,
is seeking to bargain with Hanoi by offering to re-build war-damaged facilities
in North Vietnam. This week it got a qualified "maybe" from Hanoi officials in
Vientiane. This is already more than US Government officials have ever gotten.
Vis-a-vis the US Government, Hanoi has always demanded the prior withdrawal of
all American troops before the POW issue can be settled. Obviously the CROSBY
group is in no position to withdraw all US troops from Vietnam. Yet it got a
qualified "maybe" in response to its offer. A source informs this column that
the group is emphasizing the pragmatic methods of the American
businessman.
The private group, (initials PEACE) also proposes that the American POWs be
interned in a third country till the war's end. The country being proposed will
surprise a great many people. A source in direct contact with the CROSBY group's
chief spokesman has informed this column of the country's name, but we are still
not authroized to print it.
CALLING ALL US OFFICERS
This column issues a formal invitation to all ranking (and maybe not so
ranking) American officers in South Vietnam to appraise this country's mood
during the pre-Election period. While aware that the public analyses of a
country's "mood" are not the normal function of US officers, we couldn't help
but take notice of the anonymous officer who does just that in the June 7
issue of US News & World Report.
This column will offer any US officer equal time and equal anonymity.
Comments on the waiting list for General are certainly welcome to respond.
Generals anticipating a peaceful retirement are assured of the utmost
invisibility in this space, but let it never be forgotten that views of the
lowliest lieutenant are also eligible for airing.
If no replies are received, this column will not take the position that
officers experienced sudden mental blank spots. It will only assume that they
agree. Generally speaking, as the news mag says, the officer was drawing on
years of intelligence work here.
Samples of the man's views, according to US News & World Reports, June
7.
"The Oppostion appears to be better organized for propoganda than the Thieu
Government. There are many signs of that in town. Consider the press in Saigon.
Consider the press of Saigon. Many papers published here could not possibly make
a go of it on their own. The money backing most of these papers must be coming
from Hanoi's Reds through local banks.
"The theme of such papers is 'peace now.' They expose scandal---and there
is plenty of that here. They appealto the under-paid, over-taxed, war-weary and
have-nots in terms which seldom offer both sids of any story."
He adds that, as October's elections draw near, expect more demonstrations,
more discovery of scandal and more anti-Americanism, both the calculated and
real kind.
PS TIPS? CONSTRUCTIVE GRIPES? Do what others have done. Contact SAIGON
NOTES, the mon-Wed-Fri column that is read in the inner sanctums of Government.,
private enterprise, MACV and barrooms. Names withheld on request.
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