Page:Pentagon-Papers-Part-V-B-3c.djvu/158

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Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3
NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011

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~3-
2250, December 13, 7 p.m., from Saigon

choice" of Quat. However acceptance of status Quo, with Minh elevated to Defense Ministry and sects reinforced in veto power over government, is simply postponing evil day of reckoning as to when, if ever, Diem will assert type of leadership that can unify this country and give it chance of competing with hard, effective, unified control of Ho Chi Minh. Such a delaying action would appear to be justified only if we are preparing way for alternatives, as indicated in part II.

3. Resolution of Phan

KIDDER

BJC

(#) Omission , correction to follow.

813


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