Friday, March 8, 1968
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
13
Senators opposed to Vietnam war buildup
WASHINGTON—(UPI)—Senators who differ with President Johnson's Vietnam policy ranging from majority leader Mike Mansfield (D-Mont.) to Robert F. Kennedy (D-N.Y.) argued Thursday against sending more U.S. troops into the war.
"Are we like God of the Old Testament?" asked Kennedy, his voice rising with emotion, during a shouting debate on the conduct of the war. "Can we decide what cities and hamlets are going to be destroyed? Do we have the authority to kill tens of thousands of people ... because we say we have a commitment?"
Although Mansfield defended Johnson against those who personally blamed him for the war, he said, "We're in the wrong place and fighting the wrong kind of war." . we should not get in deeper."
Sen. J. William Fulbright, chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee and persistent opponent of the war, touched off the debate.
He apologized to the Senate for interrupting consideration of the civil rights bill, but noted widespread reports that Johnson was considering sending between 100,-000 and 200,000 more troops to Vietnam.
Fulbright said he wanted to appeal to the President to consult Congress before committing more troops.
He said he wanted to make known his feelings before Johnson decided to reinforce the 507,-600 U.S. troops already in Vietnam.
"I would like to know the purpose of sending more troops and why the troops there cannot now do the job." Kennedy demanded, been under review.
The White House declined comment on the debate, which lasted almost three hours. Press secretary George Christian said no specific recommendations to raise U.S. troop levels had been offered Johnson, but he acknowledged that all phases of the war have been under review.
ing from the public galleries, said:
Kennedy, with his wife listen-
"The administration should come to Congress and lay out all the facts before any major step is taken. I think that before we send 18- and 19-year-olds from the draft over there, the South Vietnamese should draft 18- and 19-year-olds.
"Before we send more men into Khe Sanh we should know why there are so few South Vietnamese there," Kennedy said. "Why were American troops the ones which had to capture Hue while in the background we saw pictures of the South Vietnamese looting the city?
"Last week's casualty figures showed the South Vietnamese suffered only one-third the number of our casualties. We have to have the answers before we send 200,000 or 50,000 more American men to fight- and die in South Vietnam," Kennedy said.
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ACME Salutes:
The fine performances of the KU Basketball Team this year. We know they will come through for us in the Iowa State game Saturday! Good Luck!
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