Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XI, South Asia Crisis, 1971
Document 258
258. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Assistant for National Security Affairs (
Kissinger
) to President
Nixon
1
Washington
,
December 9, 1971
.
SUBJECT
Your Meeting with the Senior Members of the
WSAG
at 4:30 p.m., Thursday, December 9, 1971
You are scheduled to meet with the following senior members of the
WSAG
at 4:30 p.m. this afternoon to discuss your policy and actions you expect from the bureaucracy on the South Asia problem. In attendance will be the Acting Secretary of State Irwin, Deputy Secretary of Defense
Packard
, Director of Central Intelligence
Helms
, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Moorer
, and myself.
Purpose of the Meeting
The purpose of this meeting is to instill the necessary discipline within the bureaucracy and the forum of the Washington Special Actions Group to insure compliance with your policies on South Asia. This policy must include prompt steps designed to prevent the dismemberment of Pakistan as a result of Indian military actions supported and abetted by the Soviet Union. While it is obvious that events have already progressed to a point where there must be inevitable damage to
U.S.
interests, a careful and disciplined gameplan can salvage a great deal from the present situation.
Talking Points
Inform the group that you have convened them on short notice to insure that your policies are clearly understood with respect to the situation in South Asia. Therefore, you wish each of the senior members of the Washington Special Actions Group to hear from you personally where you stand on this difficult issue:
—Your policy and the policy of the United States Government is to undertake those practical steps which are necessary to prevent the dismemberment and defeat of Pakistan as a result of Indian military

action supported and abetted by the Soviet Union. There should be no mistake that Pakistanʼs collapse and dismemberment would result in a major setback for
U.S.
interests worldwide and, in this context, the United States is indeed involved in the situation in South Asia.
—The first step which you wish taken without further delay is to have the Acting Secretary of State call in the Indian Ambassador and to inform him that the United States Government is gravely concerned about recent developments on the subcontinent.
—In the meeting with the Indian Ambassador, the Acting Secretary of State should ask whether India will attempt, as a result of military operations in West Pakistan, to annex or in any other way to occupy and permanently hold territories which are now under Pakistani sovereignty. Any attempt to do so would be taken most seriously in Washington.
—Inform the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that you wish him to undertake immediate actions under the pretext of prudent contingency measures to move a carrier task force including an amphibious ship with helicopters to the Indian Ocean with movement to commence immediately. (Admiral
Moorer
recommends the movement of a carrier with four destroyers to be followed by an amphibious helicopter ship and two destroyers. The elements of the task force are currently in the Western Pacific in the vicinity of Taiwan, Subic in the Philippines and the Yankee Station.
Admiral Moorer
anticipates that the movements can get under way now without surfacing publicly until such time as they pass through the Straits of Singapore which we can control. The shortest time for them to reach the Straits would be two days.)
—Inform the group that in the event the démarche to the Indian Government does
not
receive a satisfactory response, you wish the Department of Defense to prepare by 9:00 a.m. in the morning specific recommendations for additional military actions which might be undertaken to convey
U.S.
determination.
—In view of the great sensitivity of the matters being discussed, you want each Department and Agency involved to handle this affair with the greatest sense of security and will tolerate no leaks of any kind, and prompt disciplinary action is to be taken against any violators.
2
—For the present, you are ordering no additional measures. However, Dr.
Kissinger
will convey to the Washington Special Actions Group tomorrow morning whatever additional instructions you deem appropriate.
—Thank the Group for their cooperation and loyalty during this difficult period and emphasize again the importance of utmost security.
Contents
Preface
Sources
Abbreviations