Abrams Gives His Views On Cut-back

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31987, 14 May 1969, Page 17

Abrams Gives His Views On Cut-back

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

WASHINGTON, May 13. General Creighton Abrams, the American commander in Vietnam, headed back to Saigon today after briefing President Nixon on prospects for a United States troop cut-back this year. General Abrams, who flew to Washington secretly during the week-end, left last night on the 12,000-mile ' trip, telling the President he would send him an up-to-date report in a few days.

His White House mission bore all the marks of one he made in October, two days before President Johnson ordered a halt to the bombing of North Vietnam. \ His on-the-spot briefing for Mr Nixon and senior officials is reported to have helped the President to prepare the text of a major television address he will make tomorrow night. The White House said the Presidential speech would report on Vietnam peace prospects and not deal with a possible United States troop withdrawal. But ttvo of the conditions on which a unilateral pull-out would depend were reviewed with General Abrams yesterday. They were, according to the

Presidential spokesman, Mr Ronald Ziegler, the level of Communist military activity, and the combat readiness of South Vietnamese troops and level of United States forces. Observers noting the care-fully-worded statements issued by the White House speculated that a time-table for a troop withdrawal might have been discussed and that General Abrams was asked to express his views personally to the President.

Officially-inspired talk about a possible troop withdrawal began several weeks ago, apparently to help give Mr Nixon more time and flexibility in the face of growing impatience with the war. The President’s speech tomorrow seemed timed as an appeal to Americans to be patient while he prepared to unfold diplomatic initiatives at the Paris peace talks and elsewhere.

Informed sources believe Mr Nixon wants as little pressure as possible from Congress and the country at large while be examines the 10point peace plan presented by the Viet Cong at the Paris talks last Thursday.

The official attitude is that the plan contained a number of unacceptable proposals but was worthy of careful study to see if it represented a serious bargaining position. Observers whre intrigued by General Abrams,s secret trip to Washington as a report appeared indicating a belief by some military authorities in Saigon that the United States had more troops than it needed in South Vietnam. The “Washington Post” said many American officers thought that at least 50,000 of the approximately 550,000 troops there could be withdrawn without significantly affecting the war effort. Weighing heavily in Mr Nixon's thinking about a troop pull-out were the implications of guerrilla attacks against 159 cities and military bases in South Vietnam on Sunday and Monday. United States officials said only time would tell whether the new onslaught was a sudden flare-up without longterm significance or the prelude to a large-scale offensive which could last throughout the summer. Withdrawal Demand (N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) CHICAGO, May 13. The Chicago City Council has unanimously called on President Nixon to reduce the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam war by ordering an immediate major withdrawal of American forces. All 50 aidermen voted for a resolution urging an immediate withdrawal from Vietnam in a rare display of unanimity by a council often rent by bitter feuds between Democratic, Republican and Independent members. The resolution was passed by the aidermen sitting as the council’s finance committee. They will vote on it again at tomorrow’s ordinary council meeting.