War Could Be Ended In 60 Days, Says McGovern

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31764, 22 August 1968, Page 15

War Could Be Ended In 60 Days, Says McGovern

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

WASHINGTON, August 21. Senator George McGovern said today that most of the fighting in Vietnam could be stopped within 60 days.

“We must stop saving face and start saving lives,” he declared. In testimony' before the Democratic Party’s platform committee, the Presidential “hopeful” from South Dakota also said: “The United States should get out of Vietnam now and adopt a foreign policy which says firmly, and without equivocation, ‘No more Vietnams’.”

He went on: “Any Presi-

dent with the will to do it can end the major portion of the killing and the American military involvement in 60 days on terms acceptable to the majority of the people.” Senator McGovern said there was a certain amount of risk in his proposal, but there was a risk “far less than a continuance of the present slaughter that has already claimed 25,000 young American lives and those of countless multitudes of Vietnamese.” Senator McGovern told the committee that the Democratic Party plank on Vietnam should include:

The immediate halt of all bombing on North Vietnam.

The cessation of all search-and-destroy operations in South Vietnam by United States troops. If they are needed, the missions should be carried out by the South Vietnamese.

The cessation of “our absurd over-identification with the Thieu-Ky regime” in South Vietnam and shift support to peaceful nonCommunist elements more ready to reach accommodation with the National Liberation Front The reduction of American forces in Vietnam by one half to 250,000 because “they are more than enough to protect our bases and, if the South Vietnamese are willing to defend themselves, to hold the major population centre.” Senator McGovern said that eventually, “as time and events dictate,” these remaining 250,000 troops should be withdrawn. Senator McGovern ended: “These proposals would begin to move us at least toward extrication from our disastrous involvement in Vietnam.”