When Secretary of State William Rogers announced last week that the U.S. had denied Israel's request for 25 Phantom jets and 80 Skyhawks, the Middle East reacted with something less than stunned surprise. The Arabs were unhappy because, it was only an "interim" decision and because Rogers had promised that the U.S. would "provide additional as well as replacement aircraft promptly if the situation requires." Israel accepted the decision with unexpected restraint, perhaps because Rogers sugar-coated the "no" with surplus-food agreements and credits on earlier aircraft purchases that could total $150...
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