54. Telegram From the Embassy in Qatar to the Department of State1
595. Subject: Remarks by Secretary of Defense Criticized in Qatar. Ref: State 116290.
1. Secretary Schlesinger’s May 18 “Issues and Answers” remarks indicating possible US military intervention if there is another oil embargo, have been fully covered in Qatari media. Daily “Al Arab” on May 20 carried sharply critical editorial entitled “Schlesinger and Vain Threats”. Editorial covered waterfront of alleged US failures from Indochina to Mid East, and asserted such threats betrayed another US failure, i.e. its mistaken perception of Arab nation and Arab reaction to such threats. Editorial claimed that Schlesinger remarks latest revelation that US does not rpt not want true peace in area and implied that Secretary’s step by step diplomacy another facet of US deception of Arabs. Editorial stated that US still did not realize that era of colonialism, with its intimidation of subject peoples, has long been over, and that US apparently has not learned any lessons in Indochina, since it continuing its repressive intentions in this area through threatening statements and massive arms assistance to Israel.
2. At social events May 19 connected with visit of Kuwaiti Prime Minister, number of senior GOQ officials and Arab Ambassadors who had precise reading of context of Schlesinger remarks berated Ambassador about Schlesinger comments. These officials expressed dismay that US threat syndrome being renewed just after issue appeared to have [Page 231] been laid to rest by Secretary Kissinger’s recent disclaimer of any US intention to invade area.
3. COMMENT: Reinforcement of Schlesinger’s remarks scheduled to appear in May 26 “U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT” issue will further aggravate matter.
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Summary: The Embassy reported that Secretary of Defense James Schlesinger’s recent comments in Qatar on possible U.S. intervention in the region in the event of another oil embargo were received poorly.
Source: National Archives, RG 84, Doha Embassy Files: Lot 79F187, POL, Political Affairs and Relations 1975. Limited Official Use. Drafted and cleared by Ambassador Paganelli. Repeated to Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Cairo, Jidda, Kuwait, Damascus, Manama, Muscat, and Tehran. Schlesinger’s May 18 interview on ABC “Issues and Answers” program was reproduced in telegram 116290 to multiple posts, May 21:
Q: “[W]ould we peacefully go along with [another] embargo as we did last time?”
A: “Well, as I have indicated before, we might be less tolerant of such an embargo than we have been.”
Q: “But in your view military action against the Arab World could still be a viable option if there were an oil embargo?”
A: “I think that it could be achieved but we regard that as a very improbable event in the first place and it certainly is not an option that is attractive on its face, save in desperate circumstances.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number])
For additional material on Schlesinger’s interview, see Documents 22, 130, and 136.
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