376. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to President Johnson1
Saudi/UAR tension over Yemen is heating up. The worried Saudis have asked us to send a fighter squadron to scare off the Egyptians, who have increased minor crossborder activities from Yemen into Saudi territory. They’ve also asked us to speed up a destroyer visit already scheduled for Jidda on 25 August and to schedule a few more closer to the Saudi-Yemeni border. Faisal has asked through his Defense Minister that we bring this to your attention.
We’re prepared to authorize the destroyer visit, but not any more jet fighters like we sent to Saudi Arabia in 1963. We only sent the unit after the Saudis agreed to stop clandestine arms supply, etc. to the Yemeni royalists. Now the story is repeating itself. Fortunately, we’ve told the Saudis repeatedly we couldn’t send another air unit to deter Nasser, if it would only serve as an umbrella for renewed secret aid to the Yemeni royalists. Should the Egyptians unexpectedly launch a full-scale attack on Saudi Arabia, however, that would change the name of the game (and we’d reconsider). Meanwhile, we want to keep the pressure on both Saudis and Egyptians to talk out a Yemen settlement themselves.
To protect your freedom of action on the above, I’ve said no air deployment without Presidential OK. I’ve taken the same precaution with another step State and Defense are considering—a long planned exercise to stage a 500 man rifle team into Dhahran for a two week exercise demonstration—as a quiet reminder to the UAR to lay off. This isn’t as risky, or as expensive as an air squadron, but I think State and DOD ought to get your express approval before starting down this Yemen road again.2