Foreign News: Top U.S. Envoy Hunted through Baghdad Streets

AMERICAN IN DANGER

Cabled TIME Correspondent John Mecklin, after coming out of Baghdad last week:

IT IS the consensus among responsible American observers in Baghdad that Iraqi Communists deliberately planned—even if they did not bring off—the mob murder of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State William Rountree when he arrived last week on his fact-finding tour. It is also clear that the revolutionary government of Brigadier General Abdul Karim Kassem knew this and was unwilling, or unable, to prevent it.

In the days preceding his visit, every Baghdad newspaper attacked Rountree as "the envoy of...

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!