355. Editorial Note
In briefing the National Security Council on October 16 on significant world developments affecting U.S. security, Allen Dulles offered the following assessment of developments in Lebanon and Jordan:
“In Lebanon, said Mr. Dulles, the new stop-gap Cabinet has ended for the moment the strikes and violence of recent months. The new Cabinet was about evenly divided between the Moslems and the Christians, although the choicest portfolios had gone to the Moslems. Even so, Mr. Dulles thought this was an encouraging development in the Lebanese picture.
“Mr. Dulles stated that the evacuation of British forces from Jordan was beginning. The future of that country would, of course, be discussed in connection with the agenda item covering a new U.S. policy toward the Near East. King Hussein was planning to take a vacation out of the country, although it was singularly difficult to find an appropriate time for him to take a vacation.
“The President inquired whether the British forces would be flown out of Jordan over a corner of Syria. General Twining replied that these troops would be flown out, the bulk of them through Syria.” (Memorandum of discussion at the 383d Meeting of the National Security Council, prepared by Gleason on October 17; Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records)
The Council also discussed “U.S. Policy Toward the Near East” at the meeting. The record of this discussion is scheduled for publication in volume XII.