As US bombers returned to their bases after the 15 August halt to the Cambodian bombing, Robert Thompson, advisor to the Nixon government on counter-revolutionary warfare, expressed his faith in the ability of the puppet Lon Nol regime to hold its own for at least six months. Nixon himself didn't seem to be so sure, however. He promptly announced that he would seek authority from Congress.to resume air raids over Cambodia if North Vietnam were to mount an offensive which jeopardises the stability in Indochina'. The liberation forces in Indochina have always based their tactics on a close watch of developments inside the US. Not since the 1968 crisis of the Johnson administration have divisions inside the American ruling dass been so deep. The present period thus offers excellent opportunities for decisive military and pothe Liverpool Tradés Council decided to convene a national conference of trade unionists to build support for the 24 North Wales building workers who face trial in Shrewsbury this autumn for picketing activities. Dodla.
The current tactics of the Cambodian liberation forces (the FUNK) seem fairly clear. An immediate offensive capture the capital of Phnom Penh would have imposed a heavy burden on the liberation forces, who have already undergone great hardship. It would also have endangered. the civilian population of the city (because of the possibility of the puppet troops resorting to mass bombing in desperation), and reunited the various factions around Lon Nol who are rapidly falling out with one another.
The liberation forces have therefore adopted a different course. immediate aim is to re-establish their lines of communication and provide rest and new equipment for their front line troops. At the same time this gives them an opportunity to carry out systematic propaganda aAt a meeting on Wednesday night, The Trades Council also decided to call a Merseyside conference to plan local solidarity actions in support of the Shrewsbury 24. This will take place on Wednesday, 29 August, at 7.30 p.m. in the AUEW building.
Mount Pleasant, Liverpool. of the liberated areas, in preparation for the final seizure of power. They have already begun to carry out mopping up operations against several provincial capitals. Most importantly, they can cut the capital's main supply routes, in particular the road to the port of Kompong Som. This will draw the enemy out of the city and on to the more favourable terrain countryside, where they will be cut to pieces. This will speed up both the demoralisation of the puppet army and the political decomposition of the Lon Nol regime. The dangers presently facing the liberation forces all come from outside, with the exception weather. There is always the possibility of an invasion from Vietnam but such a move would be a very risky gamble on the part of the Saigon government.
Nixon might attempt to resume for the movement in defence of the Shrewsbury 24, and the September conference will be an important op portunity to work out a plan of action to defeat the state offensive against trade union pickets.
It is important that all local Shrewsbut such a move would be very difficult politically. A more serious threat is some form of arm-twisting from either Moscow or Peking. Moscow has very little influence with the Cambodian liberation forces, and still maintains diplomatic relations with the Lon Nol regime, but they might try and exert pressure via the North Vietnamese. Pressure from Peking is already a fact, which is why Sihanouk was forced to make a public call for international military aid two months ago.
However the most immediate danger seems to be the possibility that the monsoon will arrive before the Lon Nol regime has finally fallen. overall balance of forces is undeniably favourable to the national liberation forces, and everything points to the correctness of Sihanouk's description present period as 'the lull before the storm." John Watts Workers at Laing's Cryfield building site at Warwick University took a major step towards eradicating all lump and non union labour when management agreed on Tuesday to reinstate a labourer who had been sacked for carrying out a site resolution blacking non-union labour. Thirty workers, members of the construction union UCATT, had been on strike for nine days before management capitulated. UCATT representatives alsc secured immediate negotiations to end the employment of lump and sub-contracted labour on all Laing's sites.
The Cryfield victory was brought about firstly through solidarity strikes at other Laing's sites (notably at Sutton Coldfield and Warley), and also through efficient co-ordination of action with the othe unionised sites (both Gleeson's Jat Warwick University. A joint shop steward recently set up, which committee was organised such actions as a mass picket Gleeson's men at the Laing's site. Local union officials also contributed to the success of the strike by rapidly making IT oTTicial Recent press reports on the London bombings have contained statements as