Excerpts of President Nixon’s
Reaction
(September 5, 1972)
Declassified documents from President Nixon's administration:
September 5, 10:35 P.M. Haig
reports to Nixon that all the hostages have been killed. “The
Israelis are going to react”, he says.
Nixon: “Who are they going to
hit though?”
Haig: “Lebanon, though they
will find out where based (sic).”
Nixon: “They are capable of
it. They have got to hit somebody, don’t you
think?”
Ten minutes later, Nixon says to Haig: “Hell,
what do we care about Lebanon. Think we have to be
awfully tough. I want you to run that by a couple of
peopel. Any nations that harbors or gives sanctuary
to these international outlaws — we will cut off
all economic support. Obviously Lebanon. Jordan’s
another. Don’t know who else we have relations
with.”
Five minutes later, Nixon tells Haig
over the phone: “I might consider showing our
position on this by flying to the Israelis’ funeral.
Tell them that I am here at the White House getting
reports as they come in, and that I am saddened and
shocked by this terrible incident and we will comment
in the morning.”
At 11:25 P.M. Rogers and Haig talk
on the telephone. Rogers suggests that Nixon issue
an executive order for a day of mourning in Washington
with flags at half-mast.
Kissinger: “Well, Rogers thinks
we should declare a national day of mourning. I’m
against even that. It’s not our day of mourning,
Mr. President. It’s easy enough now to do a number
of grandstanding...And also, God I am Jewish. I’ve
had 13 members of my family killed. So I can’t
be insensitive to this. But I think you have to think
also of the anti-Semitic woes in this country. If we
let our policy be run by the Jewish community...”
Nixon: “By the radical Jewish
community...”
Kissinger: “By the radical Jewish
community and declare a national...”
Kissinger, (in response to Nixon going
to the UN): “Not you. Not physically. To have
the United States to go to the UN and see whether we
can get some international rules on harboring guerrillas
and so forth.”
Nixon: “Now, I’ve called
Rabin. I’ve asked him to call me this morning
to get me a report. You know they have the best intelligence.
You know he was so good last night...He says I haven’t
got all the information.”
Kissinger: “I think they might.
They’re in the best position they’ve ever
been in. No Russians there. We’ve got an election
campaign. Now I got a promise out of Golda Meir two
months ago when you asked me to that they wouldn’t
take military action. But this is an enormous provocation.
And they are emotional. And I don’t want them
to think that they’ve got you in their hip pocket.”
Nixon: “Well, let me say, you
have no problems with Rabin. The way he’s talking,
he’s very rational.”
Nixon: “But the point is, let’s
let Bill be out in front. Your idea of going to the
UN, he finally got the point...And it will be great
for him and it will be great for us.”
Kissinger: “About all, it will
be good for you, Mr. President...Because if he goes
up to the UN, he will be doing something concrete.
Of course, nothing will come out. But we could make
a lot of statesman-like speeches about curbing terrorism.”
Nixon: “I don’t want them
to go conquer Beirut. I don’t mind them going
in and knocking off a few camps, but even that’s
bad right now.”
Nixon: “Let’s talk a little
about lowering the flag. What I’m concerned about
is that you can be sure as hell that (New York City
Mayor John) Lindsay (a former Nixon rival in the race
for the Republican nomination) is going to lower the
flad, Congress is going to call for lowering the flag...Here’s
the point. (Unclear) Why don’t you order the
flag when some Irish nationalists get killed?”
Kissinger: “That’s right.
What will Irishmen say if you didn’t lower it
when the school children got killed in Belfast...”
Nixon: “That’s right.
It really hits the point that the flag ought to be
low all the time.”
Nixon: “Yeah. Now the idea of
the church thing appeals to me if I do it my way. My
way would be I call upon all Americans to go to church
and a moment of silence. But I think, in my way, I
quietly slip out of this damn door...”
Kissinger: “That doesn’t
bother me.”
Nixon: “...and pick maybe that
little church across the way without...any notice of
it. I just walk round, sit in the church for five minutes
and walk out. Get my point? That’s my moment
of silence.”
Kissinger: “That I think, that
has meaning. That has human compassion. You show where
you stand, but you don’t involve the presidency
of the United States in an official act.”
Sources: Amir Oren, “How Nixon got shot of Munich,” Ha’aretz,
(February 23, 2006). |