A just and constitutional man

Comment on "Ex-Security officials to try easing tensions" and "Former Senator McGovern dies" (China Daily Oct 22, 2012)

I was on former US senator George McGovern's staff from 1970 to 1972 and drafted key passages of his testimony to the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the "Okinawa Reversion Treaty" of 1972.

Most of the news of McGovern's passing away on Oct 21 deals with his failed bid for the presidency and his opposition to the Vietnam War. Also worth mentioning in the context of the current Sino-Japanese tensions over Diaoyu Island is McGovern's opposition to the "Okinawa Reversion Treaty of 1972" in which the US gave the Okinawa archipelago and Diaoyu Islands to Japan.

McGovern testified against the treaty and voted against it because he believed the Diaoyu Islands belonged to China. He gave geographical and historical reasons in support of his argument against the treaty. Unfortunately, his principled and well-reasoned position on the issue as well as many others was crushed by former US president Richard Nixon.

Most Chinese fondly remember Nixon for his breakthrough visit to China and his meeting with Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai. In fact, McGovern was equally eager to normalize relations with China and during his election campaign was actively working behind the scenes to communicate with Beijing. Had McGovern been elected in 1972, he too would have reached out to Mao and Zhou. McGovern also wanted the US having normal diplomatic relations with Cuba.

History will show that on a broad range of issues, from the Vietnam War and relations with China to the Diaoyu Island and Cuba, McGovern's positions were not only politically wise, but also just and constitutional.

Jay Henderson, via e-mail

(China Daily 10/29/2012 page9)