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- THE NEGOTIATION PUZZLE 67 To give unqualified, undiscriminating support to a military , junta, as during 1964 and 1965, only makes credible to the world the accusation that the United States has abandoned and violated the very political and ethical values upon which the country was founded. American military power is credible. An Asian ambassador, interviewed in the summer of 1965, was asked whether a cessa- tion of bombing by the United States would be interpreted as a sign of weakness. He replied: Weakness!! With the 7th Fleet and the U.S. Air Force? All Asia—all the world—knows the United States is the most powerful nation in history, and can do what it wants, You don’t have to show us that. We know it, and we don't understand how you can think that anyone will question your power.4? It is not the military credibility of the United States that is lacking, but credibility in matters of rationality, political maturity, and legal and moral responsibility. In the eyes of a large part of the world, United States conduct in Vietnam has already brought question, Much can be done to restore American cre honor if the United States will abandon its clearly calamitous policy of reliance upon military means to achieve impossible political ends. With policies built on such premises, it is understandable how the United States can be moving inexorably down the road of no return. But this is not the only path open. The politically relevant alternatives now facing the Administration are to continue escalat- ing the war or to start de-escalating immediately and, in accord- ance with political realities, to make an effort to negotiate a cease- fire and a political sctiiement calling for the orderly withdrawal of United States military forces. The authors of this report now address themselves to exploring possible measures toward such a solution. “Taterview by Stephen G. Cary, AFSC staff member.