THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 13 NOVEMBER 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977796
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: November 13, 1970

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The President's Daily Brief
13 November 1970
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
13 November- 1970
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PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
South Vietnam
/Cambodia. (Page 1)
On Page 2 we discuss president Sadat'S new role'as-
chairmam Of Egypt's only legal political organiza-
tion..
The Communists continueto challenge recent govern-
ment:gainS-west of the Plaine des Jarres,.but have
not mounted. any major counteroffensive. (Page 3)
The truce situation in Jordan is discussed on Page 4.
Britain remains negative toward the current NATO
burden-sharing proposal under consideration by the
European allies. (Page 5)
Egypt
(Page 6)
Business in Chile has begun to recover some confi-
dence. (Page 7)
North Vietnamese infiltration may pick up consider-
ably in the second half of November. (Page 7)
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SOUTH VIETNAM - CAMBODIA
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EGYPT
The ratification last night of President
Sadat's appointment as chairman of the
Arab Socialist Union (ASU) further Legit-
imizes his role as Egypt's leader. The
ASU is Egypt's only officially approved
political organization and Nasir previously
was its chairman. Although the ASU has
never attained the popular support envis-
aged by Nasir, its legal status does give
it moderate influence, and Sadat's new
position thus gives him another lever of
power.
Sadat seems to be playing an increasingly
dominant role in the decision-making proc-
ess and is being treated with increasing
deference by other Egyptian Leaders.
Nevertheless, we think he still needs the
support of other members of the inner
circle. Further political maneuvering at
the cabinet level is likely.
In his first major policy speech last
night, Sadat invoked Nasir's memory sev-
eral times in an apparent effort to re-
assure the people that he was following
the same course as the departed leader.
Sadat in fact broke no new ground in his
address. He concentrated on the alleged
duplicity of the US in the Middle East,
claiming that while it accused Egypt of
violating the cease-fire, the US itself
was supplying Large quantities of arms
to Israel.
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77 -
AREA OF
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LAOS
Elements of the North Vietnamese 148th Regiment
are active on a daily basis chipping away at govern-
ment outposts and probing for weaknesses in the Ban
Na defensive perimeter southwest of the Plaine des
Jarres. Since retaking Phou Seu mountain on 1 Novem-
ber, enemy forces have concentrated on key terrain
features to the west of Ban Na, employing artillery
fire followed by company-sized ground attacks. In
one of these bombardments on 10 November, the enemy
used 85-mm., 105-mm., and 122-mm. artillery pieces.
Farther north, the presence of two elements of
the North Vietnamese 174th Regiment near Muong Soui
has been confirmed,
There is no indication
but
that an
attack is imminent,
Communist forces have become more active in the past
three days. On the basis of past performance, the
neutralists are unlikely seriously, to contest an
enemy attack.
The presence. of 122--mm, artillery among
Communist-forces.in the 'Flame' des Jarres
area has-been known for several months..
To date; the-enemy campaign in the.area-
weSt of the Plaine appears to_be a step-
by-step effort.to reduce the government's.
presence-rather.than'an all-out' counter-
offensive.
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JORDAN
Fedayeen leader Arafat told delegates to the
Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organization confer-
ence in Libya on 11 November that he expected new
fighting to break out soon between the Palestinian
organizations and the Jordanian Army. Arafat ac-
cused the US of helping the "anti-revolution"
forces prepare for war by sending them military aicL
No other recent statements or actions of
the fedayeen would' suggest an early re-
sumption of hostilities, and we suspect
that Arafat's remarks were tailored to
draw a' response from the pocketbooks of
his Libyan hosts. Arafat himself only'
recently stated in an interview with the
French paper Le Monde that he was "per-
fectly satisfied" with arrangements under
the truce agreement. According to press
reports, both' the fedayeen and the army
have indicated that their units are pre-
pared to leave the few remaining urban
areas they still garrison. The Arab
truce commission chief also characterizes
the situation as quiet and returning to
normal.
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NATO
At the meeting of European defense ministers
in Brussels Tuesday, the West Germans and Italians
suggested that the Europeans invest approximately
$500 million in a NATO burden-sharing fund over a
five-year period. The Germans reiterated their
willingness to finance up to 40 percent of this.
Most of the other Allied governments indicated that
they are seriously considering participation in the
fund, as well as making quality improvements in
their national forces. The British defense minister,
Lord Carrington, however, adamantly insisted that
the UK effort could not go beyond the small increase
in its own NATO force commitments recently announced
by London. West German Defense Minister Schmidt
will visit London next week to try to get the Brit-
ish to change their position.
Unlike the previous plan, which envisioned
a lump sum payment to the US, this fund
would be used to finance improvements in
the quality of NATO facilities and sys-
tems. London's participation is crucial,
and if the British remain negative, Nor-
way, Denmark, and the Netherlands might
withdraw their support for the fund.
This would make it virtually impossible
for the ministers to produce a meaningful
program for the NATO ministerial meeting
in early December.
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NOTES
Chile: Business activity, while still below
normal, has begun to recover from its postelection
setback. Wholesale and retail sales are up, the
stock market has improvedi.andHpressureon bank de-
posits is easing somewhat.. Foreign exchange reserves,
however,.fell-in October from $390 million to $345
million, largely because of declining copper prices
and capital flight. Many businessmen apparently are
accepting the factthatiChile will be moving toward
statism at:a faster pace, but they regard the admin-
istration's initial statements as a sign that radi-
cal changes are not: imminent- The Allende govern-
ments recognition of Cuba yesterday also will:have-
the approval of business groups which have been?.
anxious to cash in on trade opportunities with Cuba.
Vietnam: A recent intercept indicates the al-
ready high rate of infiltration may soon increase
further. The main station from which infiltrators
start their trek southward noted that beginning
around 16 November there will be anew group depart-
ing each day with an average strength of 600 to 750
troops. This would add some 9,000 to 11,250 troops
to the more than 6,000 already counted starting
south in November. If the North Vietnamese follow
these plans, the November total may be close to or
greater than last month's and could be the highest
since February 1969, when a figure of 25,000 was re-
corded.
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