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19. The underlying purpose of U.S. assistance in the region is to aid in the development of governments whose objectives do not conflict with the vital interests of the United States. To this end it is necessary to help them develop more effective political organizations, strengthen their internal administration, and promote greater allegiance in both urban and rural districts and among the various ethnic groups present in certain of the countries. Efforts must be made to identify regimes that offer possibilities of stability and these possibilities must be developed. Where a regime appears foredoomed because of graft, corruption, or other reasons, the United States should seek through reorientation to develop it or to influence the establishment of one that does offer some hope for the future. In so doing, the United States should not identify itself indissolubly wish the person of the ruler but rather should aim toward the development of a system and institutions that can survive changing chief executives with little or no disruption of orderly governmental function. This normally involves a decentralization of authority to a degree unheard of in most, and presently unacceptable in some of the nations. Rh