Word: airlifted
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...that afternoon it became apparent from urgent CIA reports that the Russian airlift was becoming massive. Late that night Kissinger, through the CIA, learned that three Soviet airborne divisions in Eastern Europe had been put on alert, and he could only assume that they were being readied "for possible deployment to the Middle East." Kissinger called Dinitz and recommended a 7:45 a.m. meeting on Thursday, but he did not tell Dinitz about the Soviet alert...
During the night Kissinger, relate the Kalbs, "had reached a major decision: Russia had to be stopped-not only to save Israel, but, in his mind, to spare the world from the possibility of a big-power confrontation. The Soviet airlift and alert had changed his attitude about Israel's capacity to win a quick victory. Just as he had misjudged prewar intelligence, so too had he misjudged the will and capability of the Arabs and the duplicity of the Russians. He was now determined to open a massive airlift of American military supplies to Israel. 'We tried...
...with Schlesinger about the need to correct the military imbalance in the Middle East. He again urged his colleague to charter 20 American transport planes to fly emergency supplies to Israel. Schlesinger resisted Kissinger's appeal. The Defense chief argued just as forcefully that even a limited American airlift to Israel would so infuriate the Arabs that they would impose an oil embargo on the United States. The argument was resolved only after Kissinger had won the President to his point of view. Nixon ordered Schlesinger to charter 20 transport planes...
...initial policy: that Israel would quickly defeat its foes, and that the U.S. should maintain a low profile and avoid visible involvement. While from the outset it was agreed that we would supply munitions and major equipment replacements to Israel, it was specifically directed that the Military Airlift Command (MAC) would not deliver supplies...
Within a few days it became apparent that the Israelis could not win quickly and were having difficulties chartering commercial cargo planes for the resupply operation. On Wednesday, Oct. 10, the Department of Transportation was asked to help the Israelis find air charters. On that same day the Russian airlift to the Arabs began. On Thursday I instructed MAC to make plans for the possible use of large military aircraft such as the C-5A, because I anticipated that there might be a change in national policy. The Defense Department also urged immediate representation to the Portuguese asking permission...