Word: laird
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...most pressing issues on the agenda at the White House was a second reduction of U.S. forces in South Viet Nam. On this point, Nixon had more than Communist intransigence to consider. Although Defense Secretary Melvin Laird last month was prepared to recommend another withdrawal, Nixon deferred the announcement after Communist military activity accelerated. It later became clear that there was another reason: growing opposition to further cutbacks from the service chiefs. There is increasing skepticism among the generals that the Army of South Viet Nam (ARVN) is really prepared to take over the fighting from the U.S. Further, some...
Communist High Points. Only two weeks ago the President was planning to authorize a pullout of at least 35,000 troops to follow the 25,000 now on their way home. When he changed his mind at the last moment, he caught both Rogers and Defense Secretary Melvin Laird by surprise. His reasons for deferring the decision: the renewed enemy attacks, including the rocketing of the U.S. hospital at Cam Ranh Bay, and allied intelligence warnings that Communist forces were readying a new "high point" for Sept. 2, the 24th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh's proclamation of Vietnamese...
Other alterations go far beyond tenor. Laird has put one of his oldest personal friends, Assistant Secretary for Administration Robert Froehlke, in a coordinator's role over the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency to ensure that they com- plement each other rather than work at cross purposes. He has set up a Domestic Action Council within the Pentagon to contribute to Government antipoverty efforts. He has downgraded the Office of International Security Affairs, one of McNamara's favorite shops, which acted as a little State Department within the Pentagon. Now it is more concerned with performing studies...
...renewed prestige. The office was viewed in that light because Mc-Namara gave it the responsibility for the first and most important review of goals and plans originated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In the course of that review, Systems Analysis was often able to originate policy. Under Laird's table of organization, the three military services will get first crack at revising and refining the Joint Chiefs' plan. The new arrangement has the effect of increasing the responsibility of the three civilian service Secretaries, Stanley Resor of the Army, John Chafee of the Navy and Robert Seamans...
...office of the Secretary of Defense seems to be somewhat slowed under Laird. He is inevitably one of the most influential men in the Cabinet, both because of the importance of his department and because of Nixon's respect for his abilities. Gaylord Nelson recalls Nixon's once telling him: "Mel is one of the ablest men I've ever seen in government." Unlike some Cabinet officers, Laird has ready