He observed that other international actors, including both allies and enemies, were concerned not whether the US could live up to its promise but rather whether the US could avert a disaster in time instead of squandering strategic capital in a struggle to assist a failed regime. If the US continued in its course, Ball argued, US loyalty would be less questioned than US strategic judgement would. Although Johnson considered the memorandum seriously, Ball had waited too long to deliver it. The decision had already been made, and sustained US bombing operations against North Vietnam commenced on March 2, 1965.