Laos: Time Out

In Laos, whose soldiers are even more inept (but less savage) than the Congo's but whose politicians have better manners, the U.S. was also helplessly talking of "neutralization."

For the past seven weeks, the major assignment of 29,000 wellarmed, pro-Western troops of the Royal Laotian Army has simply been to clear a 50-mile stretch of road. It runs from the administrative capital of Vientiane, where sits the U.S.-backed government of Premier Prince Boun Oum, to the royal capital of Luangprabang, where King Savang Vatthana lounges under a white parasol taking little interest in the...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!