I want to emphasize that the action we have taken is a limited and measured response, fitted precisely to the attack that produced it, and that the deployments of additional U.S. forces to Southeast Asia are designed solely to deter further aggression. This is a single action. designed to make unmistakably clear that the United States cannot be diverted by military attack from its obligations to help its friends establish and protect their independence. Our naval units are continuing their routine patrolling on the high seas with orders to protect themselves with all appropriate means against any further aggression. As President Johnson said last night, "We still seek no wider war." Mr. President, let me repeat that the United States vessels were in international waters when they were attacked.

Let me repeat that freedom of the seas is guaranteed under longaccepted international law applying to all nations alike.

Let me repeat that these vessels took no belligerent actions of any kind until they were subject to armed attack.

And let me say once more that the action they took in self-defense is the right of all nations and is fully within the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.

The acts of aggression by the North Vietnamese in the Gulf of Tonkin make no sense whatsoever standing alone. They defy rational explanation except as part of a larger pattern with a larger purpose. As isolated events, the kidnapping of village officials in the Republic of South Viet-Nam makes no sense either. Neither does the burning of a schoolhouse-or the sabotage of an irrigation project-or the murder of a medical worker-or the random bomb thrown into a crowd of innocent people sitting in a cafe.

All these wanton acts of violence and destruction fit into the larger pattern of what has been going on in Southeast Asia for the past decade and a half. So does the arming of terrorist gangs in South Viet-Nam by the regimes in Hanoi and Peiping. So does the infiltration of armed personnel to make war against the legitimate government of that nation. So does the fighting in Laos-and all the acts of subversion—and all the propaganda- and the sabotage of the international machinery established to keep the peace by the Geneva agreements and the deliberate, systematic, and flagrant violations of those agreements by two regimes which signed them and which by all tenets of decency, law, and civilized practice are bound by their provisions.

The attempt to sink United States destroyers in international waters is much more spectacular than the attempt to murder the mayor of a village in his bed at night. But they are both part of the pattern, and the pattern is designed to subjugate the people of Southeast Asia to an empire ruled by means of force of arms, of rule by terror, of expansion by violence.

Mr. President, it is only in this larger view that we can discuss intelligently the matter that we have brought to this Council.

In his statement last night, President Johnson concluded by emphasizing that the mission of the United States is peace. Under the explicit instructions of President Johnson, I want to repeat that

assurance in the Security Council this afternoon: Our mission is peace.

We hoped that the peace settlement in 1954 would lead to peace in Viet-Nam. We hoped that that settlement, and the supplementary Geneva accords of 1962, would lead to peace in Laos. Communist governments have tried aggression before-and have failed. Each time the lesson has had to be learned anew.

We are dealing here with a regime that has not yet learned the lesson that aggression does not pay, cannot be sustained, and will always be thrown back by people who believe, as we do, that people want freedom and independence, not subjection and the role of satellite in a modern empire.

In Southeast Asia we want nothing more, and nothing less, than the assured and guaranteed independence of the peoples of the area. We are in Southeast Asia to help our friends preserve their own opportunity to be free of imported terror, alien assassination, managed by the North Viet-Nam Communists based in Hanoi and backed by the Chinese Communists from Peiping.

Two months ago, when we were discussing in this Council the problems created on the Cambodia-South Viet-Nam frontier by the Communist Viet Cong, I defined our peace aims in Southeast Asia. I repeat them today:

There is a very easy way to restore order in Southeast Asia. There is a very simple, safe way to bring about the end of United States military aid to the Republic of Viet-Nam.

Let all foreign troops withdraw from Laos. Let all states in that area make and abide by the simple decision to leave their neighbors alone. Stop the secret subversion of other people's independence. Stop the clandestine and illegal transit of national frontiers. Stop the export of revolution and the doctrine of violence. Stop the violations of the political agreements reached at Geneva for the future of Southeast Asia.

The people of Laos want to be left alone.

The people of Viet-Nam want to be left alone.

The people of Cambodia want to be left alone.

When their neighbors decide to leave them alone as they mustthere will be no fighting in Southeast Asia and no need for American advisers to leave their homes to help these people resist aggression. Any time that decision can be put in enforcible terms, my Government will be only too happy to put down the burden that we have been sharing with those determined to preserve their independence. Until such assurances are forthcoming, we shall stand for the independence of free peoples in Southeast Asia as we have elsewhere.

That is what I said to this Council in May. That is what I repeat to this Council in August.

When the political settlements freely negotiated at the conference tables in Geneva are enforced, the independence of Southeast Asia will be guaranteed. When the peace agreements reached long ago are made effective, peace will return to Southeast Asia and military power can be withdrawn.

48. SOUTHEAST ASIA RESOLUTION 1

Whereas naval units of the Communist regime in Vietnam, in violation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and of international law, have deliberately and repeatedly attacked United States naval vessels lawfully present in international waters, and have thereby created a serious threat to international peace; and Whereas these attacks are part of a deliberate and systematic campaign of aggression that the Communist regime in North Vietnam has been waging against its neighbors and the nations joined with them in the collective defense of their freedom; and

Whereas the United States is assisting the peoples of southeast Asia to protect their freedom and has no territorial, military or political ambitions in that area, but desires only that these peoples should be left in peace to work out their own destinies in their own way: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Congress approves and supports the determination of the President, as Commander in Chief, to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression.

SEC. 2. The United States regards as vital to its national interest and to world peace the maintenance of international peace and security in southeast Asia. Consonant with the Constitution of the United States and the Charter of the United Nations and in accordance with its obligations under the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty, the United States is, therefore, prepared, as the President determines, to take all necessary steps, including the use of armed force, to assist any member or protocol state of the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty requesting assistance in defense of its freedom.

SEC. 3. This resolution shall expire when the President shall determine that the peace and security of the area is reasonably assured by international conditions created by action of the United Nations or otherwise, except that it may be terminated earlier by concurrent resolution of the Congress.

1 Text of Public Law 88-408 [H.J. Res. 1145], 78 Stat. 384, approved Aug. 10, 1964.

49. COMPARISON OF RESOLUTIONS RELATING TO THE MAINTENANCE OF PEACE AND SECURITY IN VARIOUS AREAS

Southeast Asia

Whereas naval units of the Communist
regime in Viet-Nam, in violation of the
Charter of the United Nations and of
international law, have deliberately and
repeatedly attacked U.S. naval vessels
lawfully present in international waters,
and have thereby created a serious threat
to international peace;
Whereas these attacks are part of a deliberate
and systematic campaign of aggression
that the Communist regime in North
Viet-Nam has been waging against its
neighbors and the nations joined with
them in the collective defense of their
freedom;

Whereas the United States is assisting the
peoples of Southeast Asia to protect their
freedom and has no territorial, military or
political ambitions in that area but desires
only that they should be left in peace to
work out their own destinies in their own
way: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of America in
Congress assembled, That the Congress ap-
proves and supports the determination of

Cuba

Whereas President James Monroe, an-
nouncing the Monroe Doctrine in 1823,
declared that the United States would
consider any attempt on the part of
European powers "to extend their sys-
tem to any portion of this hemisphere as
dangerous to our peace and safety"; and
Whereas in the Rio Treaty of 1947 the
parties agreed that "an armed attack by
any State against an American State
shall be considered as an attack against
all the American States, and, conse-
quently, each one of the said contracting
parties undertakes to assist in meeting
the attack in the exercise of the inherent
right of individual or collective self-
defense recognized by article 51 of the
Charter of the United Nations"; and
Whereas the Foreign Ministers of the
Organization of American States at
Punta del Este in January 1962 de-
clared "The present Government of
Cuba has identified itself with the prin-
ciples of Marxist-Leninist ideology, has
established a political, economic, and
social system based on that doctrine,
and accepts military assistance from
continental Communist powers, includ-
ing even the threat of military inter-
vention in America on the part of the
Soviet Union;" and
Whereas the international Communist
movement has increasingly extended
into Cuba its political, economic, and
military sphere of influence: Now,
therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of America in
Congress assembled, That the United
States is determined-

Formosa

Whereas the primary purpose of the
United States in its relations with all
other nations, is to develop and sustain
a just and enduring peace for all; and
Whereas certain territories in the West
Pacific under the jurisdiction of the
Republic of China are now under armed
attack, and threats and declarations
have been and are being made by the
Chinese Communists that such armed
attack is in aid of and in preparation for
armed attack on Formosa and the
Pescadores;

Whereas such armed attack if continued
would gravely endanger the peace and
security of the West Pacific area and
particularly of Formosa and the Pes-
cadores; and

Whereas the secure possession by friendly
governments of the Western Pacific
Island chain, of which Formosa is a part,
is essential to the vital interests of the
United States and all friendly nations in
or bordering upon the Pacific Ocean;
and

Whereas the President of the United

States on Jan. 6, 1955, submitted to the
Senate for its advice and consent to rati-
fication a Mutual Defense Treaty be-
tween the United States of America and
the Republic of China, which recognizes
that an armed attack in the West Pacific
area directed against territories, therein
described, in the region of Formosa and
the Pescadores, would be dangerous to
the peace and safety of the parties to the
treaty: Therefore be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of America in
Congress assembled, That the President of
the United States be and he hereby is au-

Middle East

Resolved by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of America in
Congress assembled, That the President be
and hereby is authorized to cooperate with

130

1330

SOUTHEAST ASIA AND VIETNAM

49. COMPARISON OF RESOLUTIONS RELATING TO THE MAINTENANCE OF PEACE AND SECURITY IN VARIOUS AREAS-Continued

SEC. 2. The United States regards as vital
to its national interest and to world peace
the maintenance of international peace and
security in Southeast Asia. Consonant
with the Constitution and the Charter of
the United Nations and in accordance with
its obligations under the Southeast Asia
Collective Defense Treaty, the United
States is, therefore, prepared, as the Presi-
dent determines, to take all necessary steps,
including the use of armed force, to assist
any protocol or member state of the South-
east Asia Collective Defense Treaty request-
ing assistance in defense of its freedom.

Cuba

(a) to prevent by whatever means may
be necessary, including the use of arms,
the Marxist-Leninist regime in Cuba from
extending, by force or the threat of force,
its aggressive or subversive activities to
any part of this hemisphere;

(b) to prevent in Cuba the creation or
use of an externally supported military
capability endangering the security of the
United States; and

(c) to work with the Organization of
American States and with freedom-loving
Cubans to support the aspirations of the
Cuban people for self-determination.

This resolution shall expire when the
President shall determine that the peace
and security of the area is reasonably assured
by international conditions created by
action of the United Nations or otherwise,
and shall so report to the Congress, except
that it may be terminated earlier by a con-
current resolution of the two Houses.

This resolution shall expire when the
President shall determine that the peace
and security of the area is reasonably
assured by international conditions
created by action of the United Nations or
otherwise, and shall so report to the Con-
gress.

SEC. 2. The President is authorized to
undertake in the general area of the Middle
East, military assistance programs with any
nation or group of nations of that area de-
siring such assistance. Furthermore, the
United States regards as vital to the national
interest and world peace the preservation of
the independence and integrity of the na-
tions of the Middle East. To this end, if
the President determines the necessity
thereof, the United States is prepared to use
armed forces to assist any nation or group of
such nations requesting assistance against
armed aggression from any country controlled
by international communism; Provided,
That such employment shall be consonant
with the treaty obligations of the United
States and with the Constitution of the
United States.

This joint resolution shall expire when the
President shall determine that the peace and
security of the nations in the general area of
the Middle East are reasonably assured by
international conditions created by action of
the United Nations or otherwise except that
it may be terminated earlier by a concurrent
resolution of the two Houses of Congress.