152. Telegram From the Embassy in Jordan to the Department of State1
5419. Subj:Secretary’s Message to King. Ref: State 201118.2
1. In view exhaustion King did not awaken him to deliver reftel. Gave it to Zaid Rifai. Will see King later this a.m.
2. At first Rifai said delay requested is too much. After a lengthy argument of about an hour he agreed to recommend to King that he delay final decision as requested. He thinks King will cuncur.
3. King received another plea from Syrians last night for immediate despatch of armored division. Jordanians are temporizing by sending liaison officers to Syria.
[Page 437]4. Munim Rifai and Khammash are due back from Cairo shortly. If they bring further urgent request for immediate military action, King will be in even tougher position.
5. Rifai is very apprehensive about the future. Messages from Jidda keep asking when the Jordanians will move. If Saudis get into action and take casualties while Jordanians stay out, he expects prompt cut-off Saudi aid and creation of an anti-Jordanian bloc in Arab world. He warns existence of Hashemite regime is at stake and that U.S. should have this in mind.
6. I told him that Hashemite regime has withstood bravely equally grave crises in past, that he should not give in to pessimism, and that we stand by our friends.
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1174, Harold H. Saunders Files, Middle East Negotiations Files, 1973 Middle East War, 11 October 1973, File No. 6. Secret; Flash; Exdis.↩
- See footnote 5, Document 150.↩