'Our man there [Laos, 1961], so to speak, was a general named
Phoumi Nosavan, a right-wing strong man, to use the phrase of
that era, but more of a comic-strip figure.
'Meeting him in Washington for the first time, Kennedy said, “If that’s
our strong man, we’re in trouble.”
'On a more practical level, he found Phoumi so small that he, assuming
that generals are bigger than privates, called for an immediate check
on weapons carried by Laotians, knowing instantly that the basic
American infantry weapon, the M-1, was too large for them.
'Since 1958, Phoumi had lived well off the Cold War, like many a strong
man, but there were additional benefits to being a Laotian military
leader: he was also in the opium trade, from which he profited
considerably. He had an army handsomely paid, but worthless in
battle. “Your chief of staff couldn’t lead a platoon around a corner
to buy a newspaper,” the American ambassador, Winthrop Brown, once
told him. “I know,” Phoumi answered, “but he’s loyal.”'