UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No F- 2016- 07743 Dec No C17980051 Date 07 31 2017 9234 '13ng new 22 If 42' 2-81 ammo 0122101221 use I cu annulus 7 Department of State I In I 2 INFO OTTAWA HAHTHENT 223 FROM Amconsul ANALYSIS 17 1972 SUBJECT Dissent Message U 8 Government Responsibility for My Lei 22 22 2 2-2222 22222 2 1222 now cm new 1 015 arm cum no usu -us_g This airgram transmits a dissenting view submitted by 90-2 ilexander L neaslee lrincipal Officer at this post note that procedures for retirement from the Foreign Service no longer require the retiring F50 to submit a letter to the Secretary of Gtate outlining reasons for departure from the Service This appears to be an unfortunate step in the direction of a forther reduc- tion of communications between officers and the Secretary I believe i t would be useful if means were retained for retiring officers to present the reasons for their action hopefully so that the Service may profit from their comments in the absence of such a channel of communication the dissent channel is used to express'this officer's unwillingness to be further associated with the actions of the executive branch of a government that initiated no steps to discipline a military unit that took action at My Lai similar to that perpetrated by fhe Nazis at Lidice The steps that were taken were initiated outside of the executive branch of the United totes Government and only th en did the Army reluctantly move 197a JUL 26 PM 5 25 COPYFLO-PBH In addition there has been much testimony by Vietnam combat veterans of the eye-witness accounts of the systematic use of electrical torture beatings and in some'cases murder _of men women and children by their military unitsjin Vietnam it the Nuremburg and Tokyo war crimes trials the principle was established by the United States Government that militarv and public Lgfficials were responsible for war crimes committed by troops under 1 meq tL USE 3910530 roam -eaten an I 5 7 United by 188' 1113457 ALPeaslee lcnrancu UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No F-2016-07743 Doc No C17980051 Date 07 31 2017 UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No F-2016-07743 Doc Date 0713112017 -- h 5 12 f1 794 311we T's-i a i - q cn t- -- n-v-nn I-H - Hyman I their-I mm command Do we practice this sour-selves wividly rec all 5 the remarks made hQ's about how all German officials-should haveprotested and refusedjta cooperate with a government that permitted Lidice and similar actions to' happen One of reasons for retiring at the age of 50 after 29 years 91' ovemment service is that I do f Inot tent to be associated with the means 0_ as 'e'z'cecutive branch that takes no egfective steps against atrocities too similar 'to those of the Nazis I do ght to be assolciated with toftpre done by a__cozmmnist or'ra cist govemmenti th e execu ve branc of the Uni ted - government that initiates no action when babies are-deliberately killed Sit- 522 inf-53states draf era may indicate thtIIgipistribution they desire I desire that this be distributed to each Foreign Service Officer My obvious - purpose is-to help-create ah' atmosphere in 1which the executive branch of the United %a es Government will not permit its units to murder and torture Jt oIreign and horror at such actions as My'liai hopeifullquressuge can be' developed to preveht a recurrence of sun sh event 3'71PEASLFE ranDede-581W magnesium onernguat - 39 those Ivho think IthisIIsort of thing always happens in war I recomend a on ylaipi 1such correspondentejesSeymour- ershu-may h - l u I- - ' Ila I-r - no mu slam- u I-I-I onQ IM-f qr' oau I-I-IIG coo-LIMITED USE - v s I UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No Doc No 017980051 Date 07131l2017 UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No F-2016-07743 Doc No C17980055 Date maul RELEASE IN FULL July 28 1972 Mr Alexander L Peaslee 1702 Burnley Avenue Charlotteeville Dear Mr Peaslee This will acknowledge receipt by the Department of State of the Dissent Channel messages you transr mitted prior to your departure from Halifax These messages have been brought to the attention of Principal Officers of the Department and the Assistant I Secretaries for East Asian Affairs and European 1 Affairs As the Dissent Channel is intended for 1 internal expression of views the LOU classification of these messages will be maintained beyond August 1 Sincerely yours signed William I- William I Cargo Director Planning and Coordination Staff UNCLASSIFIED US Department of State Case No Doc No C17980055 Date 07 31 2017