James Burnham

In these first weeks President Johnson, trusting his ship to keep moving along the course set by his predecessor, has taken no independent initiative in foreign policy. This is natural enough. There has been no acutecrisis, and he needs time to become better acquainted with his job; and, as everyone knows, Mr. Johnson is in any case not much interested in foreign affairs. However, it will not be possible forhim to continue this discreet abstention much longer. Too many rocks, storms and shoals are close ahead, and long before November our new President is going to have to make some entries of his own on the chart. Approaching catastrophe in Vietnam; Indonesia’s war against Malaysia, already in its psycho-political and paramilitary phase; gathering war against Angola, South Africa and Southern Rhodesia; de Gaulle’s global anti-American campaign; turmoil in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Nicaragua; the consequences of a probable Labor victory in Britain; Moscow squeezes on Germany and Berlin; resumption of the Congo battle; Communist infiltration of East Africa. . . . Mr. Johnson will not lack occasion for trying his hand.

Burnham

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In these first weeks President Johnson, trusting his ship to keep moving along the course set by his predecessor, has taken no independent initiative in foreign policy. This is natural enough. There has been no acutecrisis, and he needs time to become better acquainted with his job; and, as everyone knows, Mr. Johnson is in any case not much interested in foreign affairs. However, it will not be possible forhim to continue this discreet abstention much longer. Too many rocks, storms and shoals are close ahead, and long before November our new President is going to have to make some entries of his own on the chart. Approaching catastrophe in Vietnam; Indonesia’s war against Malaysia, already in its psycho-political and paramilitary phase; gathering war against Angola, South Africa and Southern Rhodesia; de Gaulle’s global anti-American campaign; turmoil in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Nicaragua; the consequences of a probable Labor victory in Britain; Moscow squeezes on Germany and Berlin; resumption of the Congo battle; Communist infiltration of East Africa. . . . Mr. Johnson will not lack occasion for trying his hand.

Burnham