NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ARTICLE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01720R000800120001-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 6, 2004
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 29, 1973
• Content Type: MEMO

VIETNAMESE AFFAIRS STAFF
OHICE OF THAp' FO FQFr `fib 2#"WM4q CIA-RDI} 0RG800120001-6
DATE: 29 Sept 1973
TO: Mr. Thuerrner
FROM: George A. Carver, Jr.
SUBJECT: National Geographic Article
1. Appended to this note is the package
from the National Geographic. My associates
have reviewed it along with our colleagues in
25X1 EA~ Ted Shackley has also given it his
personal scrutiny. Also attached is a con-
solidated list of suggestions and corrections
done up as a blind memo so you can pass it
as ii to the National Geographic.
2. In returning this material, please
thank the Geographic warmly for their courtes
in letting us have a look at Mr. Garrett's
text. If the Geographic has any questions
about any of our suggestions, please have
their Research Staff get in touch with me.
25X1
Geor 7 A. rver, Jr.
Special Assistant for Vietnamese Affairs
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1 October 1973
SUBJECT: Requested Comments on Mr. Garrett's Article
"The Meo of Laos: Nowhere to Run"
Page 2, line 20: The figure of $5,000 per capita is
grossly exaggerated -- $500 per capita
is more realistic, but probably still is
excessive. The use of any such figure
is misleading unless it can be explained
just how it is arrived at. The best
course seems to be to delete.
Page 5, line 4: We know of no instances of Meo dying
from hunger. Many of the Meo who died,
died as a result of combat against North
Vietnamese regular forces.
line 6: The 300,000 refugee figure is not limited
to Meo but includes Lao and other refugees
as well. The population figure of 250,000
is at best a guess. There are no accurate
figures as to the total number of Meo in
Xieng Khouang Province.
Page 6, line 12: We do not believe that Vang Pao considers
his army to be totally defeated. The
military concept of operations called for
irregular warfare of position and maneuver
with the holding of only limited key posi-
tions. He has been successful in accom-
plishing his military objectives despite
overwhelming odds and can in no way be con-
sidered totally defeated.
Page 17: There is no reliable evidence to suQ'port
I claim that he was cap--
j ++c ratnet Lao. Suggest lines
16-27 be deleted.
Page 24: The runway at Long Tieng is 4,420 feet
long -- not 3,000.
STAT
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Muong (not "Hmong") have participated
(indirectly and in coordination) with
Air America in pilot rescue/body recovery
missions in Laos; however, we are not aware
of any recovery operations by the Muong in
North Vietnam. Also, suggest change the
Muong spelling throughout the text.
Page 26: We question the accuracy of the statement
about Vang Pao trying to proclaim a Muong
state in 1966. Suggest this sentence be
deleted.
Page 28: It is misleading to speak of Nam Phet sitting
in "one-third of the Golden Triangle," al-
through a part of Laos is one of the three
nations whose parts comprise the Triangle.
In actual area, however, a comparatively
small portion of the opium growing area is
located in Laos. The largest area is in
Burma, which produces the most opium, and
the next largest is Thailand, which produces
about twice as much opium as Laos (or did,
when Laos was producing 100 tons). The
Golden Triangle is not equilateral and Laos
does not constitute one-third of it.
Suggest minor rephrasing of lines 8-11.
Page 29: We have not heard of the defoliation (im-
plied) incident, and as far as we know, no
such incident has occurred.
There is no quarrel with the figures cited,
however, the fact is that a kilo of opium
which a Muong sold for $24 is most unlikely
to wind up on the streets of New York. Most
of the opium grown. in Laos is consumed in
Laos. Of the approximately 700 tons of
opium produced in the Golden triangle, per-
haps 600 tons were used in Southeast Asia.
Of that opium from the Golden Triangle that
eventually reaches the United States as
Number Four heroin, most was undoubtedly
grown in Burma. Similarly, we have r?O
reason to believe that the heroin which was
available to GIs in Vietnam was grown in
Laos, or that it was controlled by "Lao
officials." This heroin, too, probably
originated in Burma, but may well have
transited Laos enroute to Vietnam. Suggest
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Page 31:
deletion of entire portion beginning
with line 10 on Page 29 and through
line 2 on Page 31.
We know of no offer by the Lao Government for
preemptive buying of the opium crop at $24
per kilogram. That price is indeed lower
than the current going rate, which varies
from about $27, in one of the growing areas,
to $125 in Vientiane. There are, of course,
many prices in between, depending on the
particular area. Suggest deletion of sentence
beginning on line 7 with phrase "This year ...."
Page 33: did in fact lose a legSTAT
while flying over the Chinese road, but he
is now equipped with an artificial leg and
is now back on flight status with FAA approval.
Suggest appropriate changes.
Page 35: Line 14 should probably be changed to "dengue"
fever.
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