THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 8 APRIL 1972

Document Type: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
0005993236
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
T
Document Page Count: 
13
Document Creation Date: 
August 14, 2016
Document Release Date: 
August 24, 2016
Sequence Number: 
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
April 8, 1972
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 The President's Daily Brief 8 April 1972 6 25X1 0 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 8 April 1972 PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS Communist military activity has increased sharply in the southern provinces, but continues at a re- duced level in the north. (Page 1) Moscow is expected to make a statement today on the Vietnam fighting. (Page 2) On Page 3, we discuss the motives behind the USSR's avid courting of Iraq. Satellite photography shows that Peking continues to make substantial progress in the construction of new jet airfields and underground facilities for aircraft storage and maintenance. (Page 5) Panama has again shifted its tactics on canal treaty negotiations. (Page 6) The Argentine Government is troubled by extensive rioting stemming from economic problems. (Page 7) Lao Prime Minister Souvanna is seeking additional air'support'in the Long Tieng.area. (Page 8) Contrary to earlier indications, Chilean,President Allende did not make a major issue of the ITT affair in his 6 April speech. (Page 8) FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 ?14 104 aSavannalthet THAILAND WarM Chamrap ? ? Siem Reap Tonle Sap ?12 ?10 ? C) PHNOM PENH NORTH VIETNA r ? ?:?? 0VANG, 181 Tchepone (he Sant Oa !, 0. ? Q 108 110 Demilitarized Zone 7-; Seavane LAOS Stung Tren CAM B .0 D I A mpong Cham District town Gulf of Thailand 104 Kratie AlOkono In Hue ? \ THuA ALS h a Oa Napg I QUA NG7 HAM MR 1 ? Bolovens '?Plateau - Attopeu ? District town overrun Sway Rien ? CH* U DOG KJEN HONG AN GIANG KIPN GIANG er SA Dr an Thu. PRONG DINH TAY RINK Toy Nmnh 10EN TUONG CHUONG un T T?I ? AN XUYEN HA NGHI 0114 TUON YIN H LONG 0 OLIANG TIN KONTUM , i(Kontum. PLEIKU ou.smo ? ()tang Ngai NAI PMu DON OAR LAC *Elan Me Thu at r 0 - C/UANG - DUC .PHUOC Olt Ninh LONG LON* Art, uan L OC PINK DUONG R:tEN HOA 'V'nh VINO PINK ne:Th Mau MR 4 116 LONG CHARM 08 911.1 C7A GON PH U00 TUY AM GONG, PINK TUT MR 3 Da Lat. ouc PINK THUAN VUng Tau Capital Special Zone 118 PHU YEN KHANH MOA HuvAl HUAN ui Nhon MR 2 ?Tuy Hoe soha Trang South China Sea SOUTH VIETNAM 16- 14- 12- 10- 190 MILES 552805 4-72 CIA Bc . . . Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 25X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY SOUTH VIETNAM Communist military activity has increased sharply in the southern provinces, but continues at a reduced level in the north. In the delta, the Communists yesterday launched a widespread series of ground probes and shelling attacks on government positions in five provinces. These actions were coupled with sapper attacks on several key highway bridges. Communist forces are reported to have overrun Kien Thien district town in Chuong Thien Province, and several outposts farther north in the Vinh Long - Sa Dec area have come under heavy at- tack. Regimental-size Communist forces are reported moving northwest of My Tho and into Chau Doc Prov- ince from Cambodia. The enemy is also maintaining heavy pressure on South Vietnamese positions in Military Region 3. In Binh Long Province, Communist forces captured the district town of Loc Ninh, and have conducted heavy shelling attacks against An Loc, the provin- cial capital. They are also hitting the major South Vietnamese artillery base near Quan Loi. Enemy sap- pers are said to have knocked out several bridges along Route 13, the key road link between An Loc and Saigon, and have cut ?Route I just west of Sai- gon. Communications intelligence and clandestine reports suggest that the Communists are preparing for further heavy attacks in Binh Long, as well as in Tay Ninh Province, where elements of the enemy's 7th Division may be headed. In the north, communications intelligence sug- gests that Hue may soon be the target of a combined rocket-infantry assault. A prisoner claims the Communists are constructing access routes to enable armor, artillery, and infantry units to move on the city. An intercepted message of 7 April disclosed plans to overrun a key fire support base west of the city. Some Communist antiaircraft artillery and sur- face-to-air missile units in the areas immediately north and south of the DMZ are relocating to new positions to reduce their vulnerability to air at- tack.? The North Vietnamese apparently are supplement- ing their forces in southern North Vietnam. There are signs in enemy communications that elements of the 325th Division--the only regular division re- maining in North Vietnam--are moving from the Hanoi area to the southern panhandle. 1 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY 25X1 25X1 25X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY USSR - NORTH VIETNAM Moscow still has not commented authoritatively on recent developments in Vietnam. The Soviets are reporting routinely on the fighting in the South, but the bulk of their propaganda is directed against US bombing raids over the North. The Soviets quote extensively from third party condemnations of recent US actions, but do not directly link the increased bombing raids to the North Vietnamese offensive. According to a Radio Moscow commentator, Moscow will make a TASS statement today in support of the one issued by the North Vietnamese Foreign Ministry on 6 April attacking the US bombing. The Soviets re- leased a formal government statement endorsing North Vietnamese condemnations of the bombings last Decem- ber. Yesterday Pravda front-paged a 65th birthday message to Nortii?VTJEnamese party boss Le Duan in which the Soviet leaders reiterated their support for the Vietnamese Communists in general terms. This is in keeping with usual Soviet practice. Le Duan received similar treatment on his 60th birthday when he was only number two man in the North Vietnamese hierarchy. Also yesterday, Premier Kosygin, in Iraq, expressed warm solidarity with the North Vietnamese people but did not specifically mention the current offensive. 2 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY USSR-IRAQ Soviet-Iraqi relations, which have blown hot and cold over the years, are now warming up consid- erably. There have been several high level visits recently, and a number of important military and economic agreements have been reached. Defense Min- ister Grechko visited Baghdad in December and Pre- mier Kosygin is there now. The major agreements thus far include a Soviet promise of over $200 mil- lion in military aid and the provision of extensive money, equipment, and expertise to help Iraq develop an oil producing capacity independent of the west- ern oil companies. The next step may be the sign- ing-of a treaty of friendship, which Kosygin could announce during his current visit. We believe the Soviets are moving quickly to take advantage of strongman Saddam Tikriti's eagerness to end Baghdad's iso- lation within the Arab world. Moscow sees an opportunity to establish a mili- tary and political position in the Middle East independent of the demands of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the Soviet pres- ence in Egypt. This would also serve to remind President Sadat that Moscow has other allies in the area besides Egypt. In addition, Moscow most likely believes that a stronger position in Baghdad would facilitate Soviet efforts to prevent Iraqi- Iranian hostilities, which could sour its relations with Tehran and damage Moscow's Long-term interests in the Persian Gulf. The Soviets would view a friendship treaty with Iraq much as they see their treaty with Egypt--that is, as a way of increas- ing Moscow's influence with the Arabs and of preventing uncontrollable military con- frontations. Belated to this is an effort to foster Iraqi internal stability. The Soviets are pressing the rebellious Kurds to enter a "national front" with the ruling Baath party. (continued) 3 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Although Egypt remains central to Soviet policy in the Middle East, these recent activities show that Moscow is intent on strengthening its position in other "pro- gressive" Arab states. This could involve treaty relations not onZ with Iraq but ossibZ with S ria. ft 4 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 25X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 China , 25X1 25X1 Declassified in Part-- Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-R$P79T00936A010600070001-2 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY CHINA Satellite photography shows that Peking con- tinues to make substantial progress in the construc- tion of new jet airfields and underground facilities for aircraft storage and maintenance. More than 100 jet airfields have been newly constructed or ex- tensively renovated throughout the country since 1964. China will soon have nearly 200 airfields suitable for combat operations, about one fourth of them able to support operations by TU-16 jet medium bombers. 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY PANAMA ? General Torrijos informed Ambassador Sayre-on Thursday that Panama would not bring up the canal issue at next week's OAS General Assembly session. Moreover, after consulting with a personal emissary he sent to Washington in late March to review treaty prospects, Torrijos has finally agreed to translate his negotiating objectives into specific treaty language so that the US and Panamanian drafts can be compared and negotiated point by point./ In the past Torrijos has only sporadically focused on the negotiations in any depth. He has, however, apparently become dis- enchanted with the advice of his own nego- tiators, and may now wish to participate personally in the drafting process. We anticipate that the Panamanians will avoid polemics while writing their version of the treaty. If the US gives the draft a poor reception, however, Torrijos may quickly resume public saber-rattling and propaganda attacks on the US, especially if domestic difficulties increase. FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY 6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 25X1 25X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY ARGENTINA The Lanusse government has been unable to con- trol extensive violence in the normally peaceful provincial city of Mendoza. Last Tuesday a mass demonstration over rising utility rates turned into a riot. Since then large gangs of youths have con- tinued to rampage through the city's outskirts and an almost total general strike paralyzed the city yesterday, despite the arrest of the leaders of the regional labor confederation. Some 2,000 army troops and police are patrolling the streets, and precaution- ary measures have been taken in other cities. Peron- ist political and labor leaders have accused the gov- ernment of provoking the violence. Similar violence contributed to the down- fall of President Lanusse's two predeces- sors. Even if the current trouble is con- fined to Mendoza, the show of popular dis- content will place Lanusse under heavy pressure to correct the underlying economic causes. In any event labor's movement into more direct opposition is likely se- riously to impede Lanusse's effort to re- turn Argentina to elected government next year. 7 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY NOTES Laos: Prime Minister Souvanna called in Ambas- sador Godley yesterday to request additional air sup- port in the Long Tieng area. ? He said he had just talked with yang Pao, who was "extremely discouraged" because of the diversion of US air support to South Vietnam. The Thai commander at Long Tieng, General Dhep, also has charged US personnel with letting him down and jeopardizing the Thai irregular program. The Thai commanders hope to have Marshal Thanom and Souvanna appeal directly to President Nixon, via Dr. Kissinger, for more air support'. Chile: Contrary to earlier indications, Presi- dent Allende did not make a major issue of the ITT affair in his speech on 6 April. Allende decided that the ITT documents published last week in Chile are already serving his purposes. He apparently believes that the publicity of the ITT affair helps to deflect unrest in the armed forces and to strengthen Chile's position in debt renegotiations. Allende is said to believe that ITT's complicity in efforts to-pre- vent his assumption of power is well-documented, but that official US involvement has not been proved. 8 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY ? Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 25X1 25X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2 Top Secret Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010600070001-2