Editorial note: The President and National Security Adviser Henry A. Kissinger∇ discussed the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks and a leak of the administration's fallback negotiating position before turning to Amchitka.
[c70:39]
President Nixon: I thought we'd already approved Amchitka. I signed something. A Pentagon announcement.
Henry Kissinger: We approved it, but we don't want you to announce it this week--”
President Nixon: All right.
Kissinger: --”because all the environmentalists--”we'll just let it [unclear].
President Nixon: The hell with them.
Kissinger: [Unclear] with all the environmentalists [unclear]--”
President Nixon: Yeah, yeah. That's too damn bad. You know they've bled over every goddamn atomic test that's been made.
Kissinger: Oh, yes. They [unclear] exactly the same thing last year.
President Nixon: We'd be fighting Japan still if they had their way.