73. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to President Johnson1
Letter to King of Libya. Our Libyan affairs have taken a turn for the better and the pressure is off Wheelus Base for the moment, because King Idris fears Nasser so much he wants to keep the US and UK around. He’s also worried by the talk that Britain may pull back various places for payments reasons, so has asked for reassurances we’d help defend him if attacked.
The chances of such an open aggression are quite remote; far more likely that Nasser would try to trigger an internal upset, perhaps when King Idris (now 74) died. We also want to avoid any firm commitments and to keep the UK, which has a defense treaty with Libya, out in front. But with over a billion oil investment plus Wheelus in Libya, it pays to buck up the King’s morale by some response to his request.
Hence the attached letter,2 which is very carefully drafted. It says in effect only that we’d “consult immediately” if there were an unprovoked attack on Libya, but surrounds this with a lot of mood music.
- Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Files of Robert W. Komer, Libya, 1965–March 1966. Secret.↩
- A handwritten note in the margin reads: “Att Signed 9/1/65.” For the letter, see Document 74.↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩