WASHINGTON: The slowdown in Arab oil supply has denied the US military nearly half of its petroleum supplies and forced it to invoke a little-used Act giving it priority over civilian users, the Pentagon said. … [An official] said the Defence Department would have to make up its losses of 300,000 barrels oil a day from domestic supplies. … The White House, meanwhile, announced today [Nov 16] that President Nixon’s special Boeing-707, “Spirit of 76” will cut its speed down to 475 miles per hour to save Petrol and set a good example. …

In Brussels meanwhile, the US Agriculture Secretary … said yesterday that it would be “completely impractical” for the US to halt food shipments to Arab nations in retaliation for the oil embargo. “Our food shipments to the Arabs are not large, and the Soviet Union could make up any shortfalls,” he pointed out. However, US Vice-President designate Gerald Ford said … the United States should be prepared to ban food and technological exports to Arab nations if necessary to counter the oil cut-off. “We cannot give away our assets without some quid pro quo if the chips are down and the other side does not co-operate,” Mr Ford [said].

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2023