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→South Asia
===South Asia===
===South Asia===
During the South Asian crisis in 1971, the White House, stood firmly behind Pakistani president Yahya Khan and demonstrated a disdain for India and particularly its leader, [[Indira Gandhi]] because of India's tilt or favoritism toward the Soviet Union. Kissinger had disdain for India and was using Pakistan as a tool to reach China, which he considered much more important to the U.S.
During the South Asian crisis in 1971, the White House, stood firmly behind Pakistani president Yahya Khan and demonstrated a disdain for India and particularly its leader, [[Indira Gandhi]] because of India's tilt or favoritism toward the Soviet Union. Kissinger had disdain for India and was using Pakistan as a tool to reach China, which he considered much more important to the U.S.
Nixon relayed messages to Yahya, urging him to restrain Pakistani forces.<ref>Black, Conrad, Richard Nixon: A Life in Full (2007), p. 751.</ref> His objective was to prevent a war and safeguard Pakistan's interests, though he feared an Indian invasion of West Pakistan that would lead to Indian domination of [[Indian subcontinent|the sub-continent]] and strengthen the position of the [[Soviet Union]].<ref>http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,877618-2,00.html</ref> Similarly, Yahya Khan feared that an independent Bangladesh could lead to the disintegration of Pakistan. Indian military support for Bengali guerillas led to war between India and Pakistan.<ref>http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,878408,00.html</ref>
Nixon met with Indian Prime Minister [[Indira Gandhi]] and did not believe her assertion that she would not invade Pakistan;<ref>Black, Conrad (2007), p. 752</ref> he did not trust her and once referred to her as an "old witch". Kissinger maintained that Nixon made specific proposals to Gandhi on a solution for the crisis, some of which she heard for the first time; for example, mutual withdrawal of troops from the Indo-East Pakistan borders. Nixon also expressed a wish to fix a time limit with Yahya for political accommodation in East Pakistan. Nixon asserted that India could count on US endeavors to ease the crisis within a short time. But, both Kissinger and Gandhi aide Jayakar maintained, Gandhi did not respond to these proposals. Kissinger noted that she “listened to what was in fact one of Nixon's better presentations with aloof indifference” but “took up none of the points.” Jayakar pointed out that Gandhi listened to Nixon “without a single comment, creating an impregnable space so that no real contact was possible.” She also refrained from assuring that India would follow Pakistan's suit if it withdrew from India's borders. As a result, the main agenda was “dropped altogether.”<ref>Jayakar, Indira Gandhi, p. 232; Kissinger, White House Years, pp. 878 & 881-82.
</ref> On December 3, Yahya preemptively attacked the Indian Air Force and Gandhi retaliated, pushing into East Pakistan.<ref>Black, Conrad (2007), p. 753.</ref> Nixon issued a statement blaming Pakistan for starting the conflict and blaming India for escalating it, because he favored a cease-fire.<ref>Black, Conrad (2007), p. 755.</ref> The United States was secretly encouraging the shipment of military equipment from [[Iran]], [[Turkey]], and [[Jordan]] to Pakistan, reimbursing those countries despite Congressional objections.<ref>http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB79/<ref> The US used the threat of an aid cut-off to force Pakistan to back down, while its continued military aid to Islamabad prevented India from launching incursions deeper into the country. A cease fire was reached on December 16, leading to the creation of the independent state of [[Bangladesh]]. Sheikh Mujib led the newly established People's Republic of Bangladesh as a one-party, dictatorial state.
A 2008 study in the ''British Medical Journal'' concluded that 269,000 civilians were killed by all sides in the war.<ref>http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/269000_died_in_Bangladesh_war/articleshow/3147513.cms</ref>
The US remained hostile to the Mujib regime, and considered Mujib himself to be a demagogue. His government's mismanagement of food grain stocks ultimately caused a massive famine in Bangladesh from March to December 1974, leading to the death of more than one million people. During this famine, Mujib rejected food aid from the United States and exported food to [[Cuba]]. By the time Mujib agreed to end support for Cuba, and the US began shipments of food to Bangladesh, it was 'too late for famine victims'.<ref>http://www.indiatogether.org/agriculture/opinions/dsharma/faminecommerce.htm</ref> In addition, his regime committed widespread human rights violations and tortured and executed thousands of dissidents. Nixon and Kissinger argued that these atrocities were far worse than anything Pakistan had committed in Bangladesh.
===Losing power===
===Losing power===