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  3. Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–5, Part 1, Documents on Sub-Saharan Africa, 1969–1972
  4. Document 256

256. Conversation Between President Nixon and the Presidentʼs Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1 2

Washington, September 21, 1972, 7:42–7:43 p.m.

Conversation Number: 30-17

Participants:

  • Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger

Nixon: I donʼt want to irritate your evening, but I was not satisfied with the report on Uganda, which came from State.

Kissinger: Right.

Nixon: Now, the man we have there is Melady, who is a sweet guy. Heʼs a great supporter of ours, but totally African, all African. He doesnʼt understand. Now, I know him—Tom Melady—know him well. Second point, I want harder action taken. I want all—everybody from America evacuated as soon as possible.

Kissinger: Right.

Nixon: I want hard action. And second, I want to get that Burundi Ambassadorʼs ass out of there right now and thatʼs an order.

Kissinger: That should be—

Nixon: Now, goddamanit—

Kissinger: That will be ordered today.

Nixon: Now we—I think you will agree, Henry, we have really had a double standard on this thing.

Kissinger: Oh, sure.

Nixon: In the African Division, you know what I mean, do we care when they kill a poor goddamned Pakistani? Do we care when these damn Africans eat 100,000 people? I mean, itʼs really gone too far. What do you think?

Kissinger: I couldnʼt agree more.

Nixon: All right. Will you get on Tom about it? Now Meladyʼs report saying, he said, “Well, no Americans have been arrested and there are a few UKʼs have been killed. Goddamnit, if a Britisher killed—I mean call Melady back for instructions. You know? Letʼs call him right back. How about that?

Kissinger: We can do both of those.

Nixon: All right. You get Meladyʼs ass right back here.

Kissinger: Right.

Nixon: Okay.

Kissinger: Right.

Nixon: Bye.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, 7:42–7:43 PM, White House Telephone, Conversation No. 30–17. This transcript was prepared in the Office of the Historian specifically for this volume. No classification marking.↩
  2. Nixon wanted stronger action taken in Uganda, such as the evacuation of all Americans, and the recall of Ambassador Melady.↩