Saturday, May 6, 1972
S. Viets Believed Capable
WASHINGTON (AP) --The White House, offering its first assessment of military developments in South Vietnam, said Thursday there is no evidence that Saigon forces "are not capable of carrying out their task."Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler said South Vietnamese troops "certainly haven't broken."He said the United States had always "expected them to lose some territory" in the major battles under way.At another point, Ziegler said "it is far too early to draw any conclusions about the ability of" Saigon's troops or about the ultimate conclusion of the current situation.The press spokesman, who normally shies away from discussing military matters, said the South Vietnamese in some areas are conducting "good defensive operations" and have, in cases, taken the offensive.He kept emphasizing that Saigon's troops face a major, well-equipped force in conventional battle.Ziegler had been asked to give President Nixon's reaction to developments on the battlefield and the suspension of peace talks in Paris.He wouldn't do that but said anew that Nixon is "deeply involved in developments, at least from the standpoint of American support.""S. Viets Believed Capable", by (AP), published in the Pacific Stars and Stripes on Saturday, May 6, 1972 and reprinted from European and Pacific Stars and Stripes, a Department of Defense publication copyright, 2002 European and Pacific Stars and Stripes.