In Pauker’s 1968 report, he argues against the US military presence and mingling in East and Southeast Asian affairs. He cites the failure of the Vietnam War and the lessons learned as the reasoning. During the 1970s, many Asian nations were undergoing a period of nationalism, where American involvement would be highly disruptive and unappreciative, as well as unnecessary. Pauker claims that in general, Asian nations did not assume offensive postures, and carried relatively minor nuclear threats in face of American retaliation and intervention. Pauker ultimately aims to lower American presence, limiting American intervention only to the threat of nuclear attack.
The devastation of the Vietnam War has led Pauker to argue against mass involvement by the US in Asian affairs. He gives examples of why the magnitude of American involvement was unnecessary and even harmful to the region.
“The United States need not participate in the plans that the countries of the area will make for their own defense; its function will be to make available its industrial resources to these agrarian societies, which cannot themselves produce equipment they will need to deal with the threats that will face them.” [p. 10]
This report was released to the Nautilus Institute under the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).