policy - The Black Vault

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if
they knew both the complete outline of those policies and the means
employed in their attainment.
The Vietnam war experience illustrates that i.f the government embarks 41
on future limited war policies, it is important that the American people be
told the objectives, and the extent of the involvement.
Unless this is
done with extraordinary candcr, it is certain that the experience of Vietnam
and WF.tergate will stimulate further degradation of the credibility of
the oover'nment.
There is no certainty that there will be consensus among
the Amarican people that those policies are the wise or desirable ones.,
•:,d it may be expected that those policies will b.come the object of partisan
attacks. Nevertheless, if the government has presented its position
candidly, the debate will not center on the question of whether the government
has lied, but rather on the wisdom of the course it is pursuing.
I
Wisdom could prevail.
In an age in which limited wars and undeclared wars have established
precedents, American presidents have some special domestic factors to consider.
While it is true that situations often arise such that great
secrecy and speed are called for in dealing with them, the president has a
certain responsibility to inform members of Congress and ultimately the
American public regarding these matters. Congressional response to what it
unders•ood to be a dangerous broadening of presidential war powers ard a
certain lack of c...idor ir executive interaction with Congress on the subject
of the war came in the form of a range of restrictions placed upon the
president and more broadly upon the executive branch of .government.
of the restrictive legislation that was passed in Congress after direct US
involvement in Vietnam carried a very clear message - Ini t;ie future, Congress
would exercise a much greater oversight role in US operations cver-
"seas.
Historically, one of Congress's major disadvantages in advising and 4
consenting on matters of foreign policy has been the lack of adequate information
on which to make decisions. Executive control of information on
f:wreign affairs has ccnsiderabie precedent. The t;-emendous build-up of
A congressional staffs ald of legislative research bodies is part of the
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