Cyrus Vance Quotes
In short, the time has come for us as American and Iranian citizens to apply our mutual energy, intellect, and goodwill toward strengthening relations between our two countries, as their destinies are intertwined.
This letter to the Pasha (ruler) of Tripoli was contained in the original Arabic text of the American treaty with Tripoli in 1796. The letter was found between articles 10 and 12 with the eleventh article, as it appears in the English version by Joel Barlow, not included. Interestingly, the eleventh article of the Treaty of Tripoli has been the subject of attention in the debate over the separation of Church and State in America, see Barlow. The article’s lack of inclusion in the original version of the treaty is still a mystery.
Pakistan while feigning alliance during the Afghanistan War was actually supporting terrorist groups and giving safe haven to the Taliban. America poured billions into Pakistan much of which was siphoned off by corruption and much of the money actually funded the Pakistani Intelligence Service which was supporting terrorist groups who in turn were attacking Americans in Afghanistan. Pakistan was paranoid about India and used terrorist groups to harass and attack that country. America had been a little reluctant to form a strong alliance with India as during the cold war they were neutral and did not support us. But it was a real democracy, as opposed to Pakistan, and not duplicitous like Pakistan had been.
Although, on sever occasions Mao tried to reach out to the United States, the fact that he was leading a communist movement and Chiang Kai-shek, our recognized ruler of China hated Mao caused his overtures to be rebuffed. American military leaders knew very little about China and our intelligence was almost non-existent. They assumed that he was under the control of Russia and Joseph Stalin when in fact, the Russians wanted to oust Mao for not following Stalin’s communist orthodoxy. They succeeded in firing him as head of the party and replacing him with a committee of more loyal communists. Not only did the US rebuff Mau’s outreach attempts, but American money and military material financed 6 different military campaigns by Chiang to exterminate Mao and his communists.
None succeeded as the vast majority of the peasants supported Mao and his troops and provided support and information in Chiang’s attempts. Some historians believe we “bet on the wrong horse”.
Cyrus Roberts Vance was an American lawyer and United States Secretary of State under President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1980. Prior to serving in that position, he was the United States Deputy Secretary of Defense in the Johnson administration. During the Kennedy administration he was Secretary of the Army and General Counsel of the Department of Defense.
