The bombing began on the night of 18 March, 1969 with a raid by 60 B-52 Stratofortress bombers, based at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The target was Base Area 353, the supposed location of COSVN in the Fishhook. Although the aircrews were briefed that their mission was to take place in the South Vietnam, 48 of the bombers were diverted across the Cambodian border and dropped 2,400 tons of bombs. The mission was designated Breakfast, after the morning Pentagon planning session at which it was devised. Breakfast was so successful that General Abrams provided a list of 15 more known Base Areas for targeting. During the next 14 months the operation continued. The five remaining missions that made up the operation and their targets were: Lunch (Base Area 609), Snack (Base Area 351), Dinner (Base Area 352), Supper (Base Area 740), and Dessert (Base Area 350). SAC flew 3,800 B-52 sorties against these targets, and dropped 108,823 tons of ordnance during the missions. Due to the continued reference to gastronomic situations in the codenames, the entire series of missions was referred to as Operation Menu. Assessment of bomb damage to the targets was difficult to obtain, due to the covert nature of the operation. Instead of utilizing Air Force aircraft for the missions, SOG forward air controllers were tasked with obtaining intelligence on target damage. Nixon and Kissinger went to great lengths to keep the missions secret. The expansion of the American effort into "neutral" Cambodia was sure to cause serious debate in Congress, negative criticism in the media, and were sure to spark anti-war protests on American college campuses. In order to prevent this, an elaborate dual reporting system covering the missions had been formulated during the Brussels meeting between Nixon, Haig, and Colonel Sitton. First, the number of individuals who had complete knowledge of the operation was kept to a bare minimum. All communications concerning the missions was split along two paths - one route was overt, ordering typical B-52 missions that were to take place within South Vietnam near the Cambodian border - the second route was covert, utilizing back-channel messages between commanders ordering the classified missions. For example: General Abrams would request a Menu strike. His request went to Admiral John McCain, the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Command (CINCPAC), in Honolulu. McCain forwarded it to the Joint Chiefs in Washington, who, after reviewing it, passed it on to Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird (who might consult with the president). The Joint Chiefs then passed the command for the strike to General Bruce K. Holloway, Commander of SAC, who then notified Lieutenant General Alvin C. Gillem, Commander of the 3rd Air Division on Guam. During this time Air Force Major Hal Knight was supervising an MSQ-77 Combat Skyspot radar site at Bien Hoa Air Base, RVN. "Skyspot" was a ground directed bombing system which directed B-52 strikes to targets in Vietnam. Each day a courier plane would arrive from SAC's Advanced Echelon Office at Tan Son Nhut Air Base near Saigon. Knight was given a revised list of target coordinates for the next day's missions. That evening, the coordinates were fed into Olivetti Programma 101 computers and then relayed to the aircraft as they came on station. Only the pilots and navigators of the aircraft (who had been personally briefed by General Gillem and sworn to secrecy) knew of the true location of the targets. The bombers then flew on to their targets and delivered their payloads. After the air strikes, Knight gathered the mission paperwork, computer tapes etc, destroying them in an incinerator. He then called a special phone number in Saigon and reported that "The ball game is over." The aircrews filled out routine reports of hours flown, fuel burned, and ordnance dropped. This dual system maintained secrecy and provided Air Force logistics and personnel administrators with information that they needed to replace air crews or aircraft and replenish stocks of fuel and munitions. Although Sihanouk was not informed by the U.S. about the operation, he did remain quiet about the illegal bombing of his country. His silent acquiescence may have been prompted by a desire to see PAVN/NLF forces out of Cambodia, since he himself was precluded from pressing them too hard. After the event, it was claimed by Nixon and Kissinger that Sihanouk had given his tacit approval for the raids, but this claim has since been disproved. On 9 May 1969, an inaccurate article by military reporter William Beecher describing the bombing was run in the New York Times. Beecher claimed that an unnamed source within the administration had provided the information. Nixon was furious when he heard the news and ordered Dr. Kissinger to obtain the assistance of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and discover the source of the leak.. Hoover suspected Kissinger's own NSC aide, Mortin Halperin, of the deed and so informed Kissinger. Halperin's phone was then illegally tapped for 21 months. This was the first in a series of illegal surveillance activities authorized by Nixon in the name of national security. The administration was relieved when no other significant press reports concerning the operation appeared. By the summer, five members of the United States Congress had been informed of the operation. They were: Senators John C. Stennis (MS) and Richard B. Russell, Jr. (GA) and Representatives Lucius Mendel Rivers (SC), Gerald R. Ford (MI), and Leslie C. Arends (IL). Arends and Ford were leaders of the Republican minority and the other three were Democrats on either the Armed Services or Appropriations committees. For those in Washington who were cognizant of the Menu raids, the silence of one participant came as a surprise. The Hanoi government made no protest concerning the bombings. It neither denounced the raids for propaganda purposes, nor, according to Dr. Kissinger, did its negotiators "raise the matter during formal or secret negotiations." North Vietnam had no wish to either void Cambodia's neutrality or to acknowledge the presence of their forces there.
--- On Fri, 10/10/08, Thavary Ung <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: From: Thavary Ung <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: More than 100 former American ambassadors are endorsing John McCain and Sarah Palin for president and vice president. To: [email protected] Date: Friday, October 10, 2008, 9:07 AM Dear Lok Rick, I have my reasons to call Lok Nou Sarin "kid" and I don't have to explain to you why? Thank you, Thavary On Thu, Oct 9, 2008 at 4:58 PM, rick <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: regardless of how old one is; everyone is a kid at one point in time. If Nou Sarin was an ex 18 March Lycee student, he should be about 58 right now, much older than Obama. I might be wrong but what interest me is that Nou Sarin is called Lok, then Kid; Rick. On Oct 7, 1:55 pm, "Thavary Ung" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Chum Reab Sour Lok Nou Sarin,Were you a Koh Khsach Kandal, Khett Kandal kid? > Were you an ex18 March Lycee? If you don't mind my question. > Thanks, > Thavary Ung > > On Tue, Oct 7, 2008 at 11:38 AM, Sarin Nou <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Washington Insider with Ronald Kessler > > <http://www.newsmax.com/xml/kessler.xml> > > <http://www.newsmax.com/kessler/archive/> > > <http://www.newsmax.com/forward_page/> > > <http://www.newsmax.com/contact/editorial/> > > 100-Plus Former Ambassadors Endorse McCain > > Sunday, October 5, 2008 9:38 PM > > > *By:* Ronald Kessler > > More than 100 former American ambassadors are endorsing John McCain and > > Sarah Palin for president and vice president. > > To be announced by the McCain campaign later this week, the endorsements > > counter Barack Obama's claims that McCain is inflexible when it comes to > > diplomacy and negotiations with other countries, Newsmax has learned. > > Obama has specifically said that in contrast to McCain, he would sit down > > with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other world dictators to > > negotiate, without preconditions. > > "Senator Obama does not have sufficient leadership experience, nor has he > > been tested in difficult times," said Mark W. Erwin, a Democrat and former > > Hillary Clinton supporter who is a co-chairman of Former U.S. Ambassadors > > for McCain/Palin. Erwin was ambassador to the Republic of Mauritius. > > Endorsing McCain are Howard Baker, who was ambassador to Japan; former > > President George H.W. Bush, who was ambassador to the United Nations; Frank > > C. Carlucci III, who was ambassador to Portugal; and Jim Nicholson, who was > > ambassador to the Vatican. > > Others endorsing McCain are Bruce Gelb, former ambassador to Belgium; > > Margaret Heckler, who was ambassador to Ireland; John L. Loeb, Denmark; Ed > > Ney, Canada; and Julia Chang Bloch, Nepal. > > Former Ambassador Gilbert A. Robinson spearheaded the formation of the > > group. Besides Erwin, the other co-chairman is former Ambassador to Sweden > > Gregory J. Newell. Robinson was special adviser to Secretary of State George > > Shultz, director of the Office of Public Diplomacy, and deputy director of > > the U.S. Information Agency under President Reagan. Newell was an assistant > > to President Ford and assistant secretary of state under Reagan. > > Such designations carry ambassadorial rank and require Senate confirmation. > > > "Nobody could ask for a greater show of confidence," McCain said in a > > statement to be released to the press. "These former ambassadors are > > outstanding men and women who have served their country in foreign lands > > with great distinction and devotion to the values we hold dear. They have a > > deep knowledge of the challenges facing this country abroad as well as at > > home. I am honored by their endorsement." > > The former ambassadors endorsing McCain are Weston Adams, Malawi; Thomas H. > > Anderson, Barbados; Leonore Annenberg, chief of protocol; Cresencio Arcos > > Jr., Honduras; George Argyros, Spain; Catherine Todd Bailey, Latvia; Howard > > H. Baker Jr., Japan; Douglas H. Barclay, El Salvador; Stuart A. Bernstein, > > Denmark; Everett E. Bierman, New Guinea; Julia Chang Bloch, Nepal; Stephen > > F. Brauer, Belgium; Keith Lapham Brown, Lesotho and Denmark; Richard R. > > Burt, Germany; George H.W. Bush, United Nations and U.S. Liaison Office > > (Beijing); William J. Cabaniss Jr., Czech Republic; Richard G. Capen Jr.., > > Spain; Richard W. Carlson, Seychelles; Frank C. Carlucci III, Portugal; > > Bruce Chapman, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Sue McCourt Cobb, > > Jamaica; Charles E. Cobb Jr., Iceland. > > Also Walter J.P. Curley, Ireland and France; Peter H. Dailey, Ireland, > > special envoy to NATO countries; Richard J. Egan, Ireland; Mark L. Edelman, > > Cameroon; Donald Burnham Ensenat, Brunei, chief of protocol; Mark Erwin, > > Republic of Mauritius, the Republic of the Seychelles, and the Federal > > Islamic Republic of Comoros; Richard M. Fairbanks III, ambassador-at-large; > > William S. Farish III, United Kingdom, Versailles; Edward R. Finch Jr., > > Panama; David Funderburk, Romania; John R. Gavin, Mexico; Bruce S. Gelb, > > U.S. Information Agency (USIA), Belgium; Joseph B. Gildenhorn, Switzerland; > > Anthony H. Gioia, Malta; Luis Guinot Jr., Costa Rica. > > Also Margaret M. Heckler, Ireland; Charles A. Heimbold Jr., Sweden; Hans H. > > Hertell, Dominican Republic; Alfred Hoffman Jr., Portugal; Charles W. > > Hostler, Bahrain; Philip Hughes, Barbados, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent > > and the Grenadines; Jon M. Huntsman Jr., Singapore; Robert S. Ingersoll, > > Japan; James C. Kenny, Ireland; Alfred H. Kingon, European Union; Lester B. > > Korn, UN Economic and Social Council; Tom C. Korologos, Belgium; Mary E.. > > Kramer, Barbados and Eastern Caribbean; Paul C. Lambert, Ecuador; L.W. Lane > > Jr., ambassador-at-large and Australia and Nauru; Mark Langdale, Costa Rica; > > Howard Leach, France; Melvyn Levitsky, Bulgaria and Brazil; John L. Loeb > > Jr., Denmark; Earle I. Mack, Finland. > > Also Susan Rasinski McCaw, Austria; Thomas Patrick Melady, Burundi, Uganda, > > Holy See; J. William Middendorf II, Netherlands, Organization of American > > States (OAS), European Union; John A. Miller, ambassador-at-large; Steve > > Minikes, Commission on Cooperation and Security in Europe (CSCE); Thomas A. > > Nassif, Morocco; Gregory J. Newell, Sweden; Edward N. Ney, Canada; Jim C. > > Nicholson, Holy See; Herman W. Nickle, South Africa; Julian M. Niemczyk, > > Czechoslovakia; Keith Foote Nyborg, Finland; John D. Ong, Norway; Penne > > Korth Peacock, Mauritius; Joseph Carlton Petrone, UN European Office; > > Charles J. Pilliod, Mexico; John Price, Mauritius, Seychelles and Comoros. > > Also Charles H. Price II, Belgium, United Kingdom; James W. Rawlings, > > Zimbabwe; Otto J. Reich, Venezuela; Mercer Reynolds, Switzerland and > > Liechtenstein; Gilbert A. Robinson, special adviser to the secretary of > > state; Joe M. Rodgers, France; Sig Rogich, Iceland; John Rood, Bahamas; > > Francis L. Rooney III, Holy See; Bob Royall, Tanzania; Rockwell A. Schnabel, > > Finland, European Union; Peter F. Secchia, Italy; Martin J. Silverstein, > > Uruguay; Marion H. Smoak, chief of protocol; Ronald J. Sorini, chief textile > > negotiator, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; Michael G. Sotirhos, > > Jamaica. > > Also Robert D. Stuart Jr., Norway; Charles J. Swindells, New Zealand and > > Samoa; Peter Terpeluk Jr., Luxembourg; Timothy L. Towell, Paraguay; Rodolphe > > M. Vallee, Slovak Republic; Leon J. Weil, Nepal; John G. Weinmann, Finland, > > chief of protocol; Ronald N. Weiser, Slovak Republic; Pamela P. Willeford, > > Switzerland and Liechtenstein; Richard Williamson, assistant secretary, > > ambassador IAEA; Curtin Winsor Jr., Costa Rica; Dr. Aldona Z. Wos, Estonia; > > and Joseph Zappala, Spain. > > *Ronald Kessler is chief Washington correspondent of Newsmax.com. View > > his previous reports and get his dispatches sent to you free via > > e-mail. Go here now. <http://www.newsmax.com/kessler/>* > > > --- On *Tue, 10/7/08, Sarin Nou <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>* wrote: > > > From: Sarin Nou <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: The real Obama by Prof Thomas Sowell > > To: [email protected] > > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Date: Tuesday, October 7, 2008, 1:43 PM > > > Tuesday, October 07, 2008 > > [image: Thomas Sowell :: Townhall.com > > Columnist]<http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell> > > The Real Obama > > by Thomas Sowell > > > Critics of Senator Barack Obama make a strategic mistake when they talk > > about his "past associations." That just gives his many defenders in the > > media an opportunity to counter-attack against "guilt by association." > > We all have associations, whether at the office, in our neighborhood or in > > various recreational activities. Most of us neither know nor care what our > > associates believe or say about politics. > > Associations are very different from alliances. Allies are not just people > > who happen to be where you are or who happen to be doing the same things you > > do. You choose allies deliberately for a reason. The kind of allies you > > choose says something about you. > > Jeremiah Wright, Father Michael Pfleger, William Ayers and Antoin Rezko are > > not just people who happened to be at the same place at the same time as > > Barack Obama. They are people with whom he chose to ally himself for years, > > and with some of whom some serious money changed hands. > > Some gave political support, and some gave financial support, to Obama's > > election campaigns, and Obama in turn contributed either his own money or > > the taxpayers' money to some of them. That is a familiar political > > alliance-- but an alliance is not just an "association" from being at the > > same place at the same time. > > Obama could have allied himself with all sorts of other people. But, time > > and again, he allied himself with people who openly expressed their hatred > > of America. No amount of flags on his campaign platforms this election year > > can change that. > > Unfortunately, all that most people know about Barack Obama is his own > > rhetoric and that of his critics. Moreover, some of his more irresponsible > > critics have made wild accusations-- that he is not an American citizen or > > that he is a Muslim, for example. > > All that such false charges do is discredit Obama's critics in general... > > Fortunately, there is a documented, factual account of what Barack Obama has > > actually been doing over the years, as distinguished from what he has been > > saying during this election campaign, in a new best-selling book. > > That book is titled "The Case Against Barack Obama" by David Freddoso. He > > starts off in the introduction by repudiating those critics of Obama who > > "have been content merely to slander him-- to claim falsely that he refuses > > to salute the U.S. flag or was sworn into office on a Koran, or that he was > > born in a foreign country." > > This is a serious book with 35 pages of documentation in the back to > > support the things said in the main text. In > > ... > > read more » --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. This is an unmoderated forum. Please refrain from using foul language. Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/camdisc Learn more - http://www.cambodia.org -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
