Ahead of 1971 war,Nixon branded his own envoy to India a ‘traitor’

The book is authored by Gary Bass,a professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University.

“Nixon said,‘Keating’s a traitor’ and told (the then Secretary of State) Henry Kissinger they should fire the ambassador. The Indians,Nixon said,were ‘awful but they are getting some assistance from Keating,of course’.”

“Kissinger agreed: ‘A lot of assistance; he is practically their mouthpiece’,” says the book.

“He (Nixon) added,‘He has gone native. I think we ought to get moving on him; he is 71 years old’.”

In another meeting at the Oval Office,Nixon wondered why every envoy who goes to India falls in love with it. “Highlighting US donations for the refugees,he for once mentioned ‘human suffering’,and said they must ‘go all out on the relief side’. But then he said,‘Now let me be very blunt’,and ripped into Kenneth Keating: ‘Every ambassador who goes to India falls in love with India’,” the book quotes Nixon as saying.