AMBASSADOR LODGE'S WEEKLY REPORT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01720R000500060088-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 21, 2004
• Sequence Number: 88
• Publication Date: March 30, 1967
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2004/06/14: CIA-RDP80RO172OR000500060088-1
SECRET
30 March 1967
SUMECT.
tasaador Lodge's Veeekly Report
The following paragraphs ism the Ambassador's weekly report
qr "f
to the President are worth noting. deal with the by-play involved in
the final approval of the new draft o , tion by the Armed Forces Council.
"W .I a, 44,4m Marshal Ky almost failed to carry the r and would have been unable to do
so had not General Thieu finally came o his aid. It is not yet clear to what
*, Ii Ak
extent Ky may have jeopardized hid q MOM41 future by forcing through a
decision over the opposition of the y of his colleagues.
40Uxovai tiawe oaal~ 61
: e 47 t .
X mere tai caa to their efforts to e
X
object" to what reerred to as the 'imbalance'
between the branches of the goverl"da&t meaning that they think the leegisla-
tuuree is too powerful and the executye #,q of strong enough. They also were
rraost reluctant to agree to the comer tae on transitional provisions which
Ky arranged just before coming to W* -_.i Conference.
3. "To their great credit1 12 _ and Ky stood together and argued
down the opposition. Thf eeu ink as ght have tried to further his own
presidential ambitions by catering ents of the Constitution, but did
not do so. It required two votes -. one in the morning session going
aga-instaraaatilitary acceptance of ah c t xtiean. After 'some music and some
drink' at lunch, and a great deal of hard reasoning by Thieu and Ky. the
Council voted approval.
4. "While a good case a be made that the President is not strong
enough, I think a forceful Pres . ng with a reasonable majority in
the legislature should have no ggoat difficulty in governing the nation under
this Constitution. The belief of the r officers that so-called 'civilian 10
politicians' cannot be trusted to large role in running the nation has
merit because these civilians are t real 'politicians' as we understand the
word, but survivors from consptr 4 a. against the French and Diem.
SEQRET
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 Approved For Release 2004/06/14: CIA-RDP801720R000500060088-1
5. "That Thieu and Ky were able to overcome this resistance is a
welcome sign of political responsibility and maturity among the top officers
in the Vietnamese military establishment. It is also another welcome
indication of their discipline and unity,. It is significant that the Armed Forces
Council coupled its acceptance of the Constitution with a formal statement of
continuing support for the Directorate. Without the unity and discipline of
the military, the relative political stability which has prevailed here for the
past twenty-one months would not have occurred. I trust it will continue. "
GEORGE W. ALLEN
Acting Special Assistant for Vietnamese Affairs
Approved For Release 2004/06/14: CIA-RDP80RO172OR000500060088-1