First off - What substantiates the contents of that 'telegram' when it is being cabled by a person who lives behind close-doors at best & takes a walk in his lovely garden surrounded by US Marines at the very worst. How do you know that he didn't get a one-sided conditioned narrative of what was happening throughout the length & breadth of Bangladesh ?
Second - If the 'opinion' of a US official is what determines 'reality' from something that is 'unreal'; than how does one explain away the same 'cables' & the same 'press conferences' that happened since the beginning of the First World War all the way to Nicarugu, the regime changes in Iran, Vietnam, Korea & a plethora of events that have happened since then !
Thirdly - Whether it was 'acted upon' or not is 'conjecture' still for that is the deduction that we make after reading the opinion piece. And the same can be said about Mr.Blood being called back.
Fourthly - That telegram, not in the least bit, sheds any light on (a) the severity of what happened nor on (b) what the other party to the conflict did or did not do ! So extrapolating what he said in one telegram to substantiate every single aspersion that is cast on us is illogical at best.
Fifthly - If opinions of those that were there in the midst of it all are what matters & what substantiate every fact or figure labelled for or against Pakistan in '71 then do take a walk with me in Karachi & I'd introduce you to some of the Biharis from Chittagong that escaped from there & we can make these 'distinctions' there & then.