THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 8 DECEMBER 1971

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993018
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: December 8, 1971

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
The President's Daily Brief
8 December 1971
50
Top Secret50X1
-
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
8 December 1971-
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The India-Pakistan situation is discussed on Page 1.
Large numbers of Communist troops are reported
around Cambodia's capital (Page 3), and the oppo-
sition to Prime Minister Lon Nol's conduct of the
war now includes high-ranking military figures.
(Page 4)
Libya is withdrawing its financial assets from the
UK. (Page 5)
Peru is moving to have the Organization of American
States review its policy toward Cuba. (Page 6)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
Kama.
Huh HiIli
BAY OF BENGAL
+..mt Indian attack
552238 12-71 CIA
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
INDIA PAKISTAN
Indian forces in East Pakistan continued to
gain ground yesterday. They captured the airfield
and military base at.Jessore, although the town it-
self was still being contested. The Indians also
claimed to have taken Sylhet town in the northeast
and to be moving on Jamalpur in the north. Paki-
stani forces apparently are still holding out in.
Huhand Comilla.
With the Mukti Bahini holding sway over
much of the countryside, particularly in
the northwest and to the south of Dacca,
the Indians and guerrillas appear to con-
trol about half the province. According
to Indian radio reports, as areas are
"liberated" they are being turned over
to the Mukti Bahini for administration.
There is no good evidence yet, however,
that Pakistani forces in East Pakistan
are falling into disarray or abandoning
military discipline. In fact, the In-
dians have apparently suffered fairly
heavy casualties in some encounters.
In the West, Indian officials have indicated
some concern over the Pakistani offensive in Indian
Kashmir and have admitted the loss of the town of
Chhamb near the border. The Pakistanis' other
drive into Kashmir has yet to take Poonch, however,
and their offensive toward Amritsar in India's
Punjab State may have been halted. Indian forces
in turn have penetrated a few miles into West Pak-
istan near Sialkot and both sides continue to make
air strikes on the western front, but neither has
yet gained the upper hand.
(continued)
1
50X1
50X1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
visr, Kabul
rintgar, -
4
..11:9\411,1ti, AND
?KASkIVIIR".\
AFGH ISTAN
Wawalpiridi
Jhelum
Sargod
-
ort
.Sandeman
/9 ?
,
Jull o,
EST
ISTA
? Ferozep ore
PUNJAB
zilka Amb
Kalat
New Delh
Jacobabad
Su kkur
Jaipur
Jodhpur.
Karachi
Hyderabad
+ow Indian attack
4-fflig Pakistani attack
552239 1-2-71 CIA
s
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
50 100
Miles
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
*
Moscow has not followed New Delhi's lead thus
far in recognizing Bangla Desh and probably will
hold off doing'so-in order to avoid a rupture in
diplomatic relations with Islamabad. Peking has de-
nounced India's recognition of Bangla Desh and has
again criticized Moscow for its role in the crisis,
alleging that the Soviets encouraged the Indians to
invade East Pakistan and create a Bengali state.
2
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY ,
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14: CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
CAMBODIA: Route 6 Area
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CAMBODIA
Cambodian commanders report that large numbers
of Communist troops are in the Phnom Penh area, and
intercepts confirm the presence of additional enemy
troops there. A regimental-level radio station has
been located near the crossroads town which the Com-
munists overran on Monday. This unit, as well as
another new regimental-level unit further to the
west, are subordinate to the Communists' Phuoc Long
Front.
The Phuoc Long Front, which now appears
to have at least four regiments, these two
and the 101D and 52nd regiments, moved into
the Phnom Penh area early last month.
US aerial observers continue to note extensive
Communist fortification efforts west of Phnom Penh.
Fresh enemy trenching and bunker construction has
been observed along Route 26 near the headquarters
of the 101D Regiment, and what appear.to be sev%,..'.
eral 12.7-mm, antiaircraft positions have been lo-
cated in the same area.
The government may have as many as 20 battal-
ions engaged in defensive operations near Phnom Penh,
as well as other troops in the capital itself. Its
efforts to counter the Communists' presence continue
to be ineffectual, however. Phnom Penh was shelled
yesterday, when several mortar or, rocket rounds fell
on the city. Pochentong airfield was also hit but
remains open to both military and civil air traffic.
In the Route 6 area, the Vietnamese Communist
271st Regiment, which was involved in fighting
around Kompong Thmar last week, has moved south near
the Chamkar Leu Plantation.
This move and Communist reconnaissance
activity south of Tang Kouk could be the
precursor of renewed pressure against gov-
ernment troops on Route 6. The Communist
force now poses a threat to the remnants
of the ChenZa II forces between Tang Kouk
and Skoun, as well as to government posi-
tions along Route 7.
(continued)
3
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
This is the first time that army leaders
have confronted Lon Nol directly on the
question of his "interference" in the war
effort. If Lon Nol continues to be in-
transigent, he could cause some of the
military leaders who have been his staunch-
est supporters to close ranks with Sirik
Matak. It is becoming increasingly clear
that Sink ?Matak is seeking such support
and is determined to force .Eon .Nol to
delegate more authority.
With the scent of change in the air, polit-
ically ambitious figures are trying to
take advantage of the situation, and there
are a number of political alignments that
could emerge.
while Sink Matak
maneuvers against Lon Nol, an effort is
also under way by Lon Nol 's supporters to
undermine Sirik Matak. Other reports in-
dicate that Constituent Assembly President
In Tam and another prominent civilian
leader, Son Ngoc Thanh, are again being
thought of as potential successors to Lon
Nol or Sink Matak.
4
50X1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LIBYA-UK
The Libyan Government has announced its decision
to withdraw its financial assets in the UK in retali-
ation for British complicity in the Iranian occupa-
tion of three islands in the Persian Gulf. The sub-
sequent nationalization of British Petroleum in Libya
is doubtless a further expression of Libyan pique.
Libya's action, however, will not have any
immediate impact on the UK. Libyan assets
there are probably no more than $400 to
$500 million and British foreign exchange
reserves are adequate to cover this. In
fact, the UK added some $400 million to
its reserves in November alone.
Over the longer term such irrational acts
could have a damaging impact. By the mid-
1970s the Arab oil-producing states are
expected to have accumulated financial re-
serves of some $25 billion, one fourth of
which will be held by Libya.
5
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
PERU-CUBA
Peru intends to request that the general commit-
tee of the OAS Permanent Council meet Monday to re-
examine the economic and diplomatic sanctions
im-
posed on Cuba, according to Peru's ambassador to the
OAS, Luis Alvarado. The general committee would then
be asked to meet four days later to take up a reso-
lution-allowing OAS members to lift sanctionsif they
so desire Alvarado assumes that the Council itself
would not consider the question-before January, when
it will be Chile!s-turn to chair the Council.
Whatever-the outcome, we expect Peru to
resume diplomatic relations with Cuba after
the OAS deals with the matter. Other coun-
tries, such as Ecuador, might well then
,follow Lima's lead.
6
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010200080001-5