THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 13 JANUARY 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993079
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: January 13, 1972

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The President's Daily Brief
13 January 1972
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LATE ITEM
Ghana: Ghana radio announced early this morning
that Prime Minister Busia, who is currently in London,
had been deposed and that power had been taken by
Lieutenant Colonel Achampong, who commands one of
Ghana's two army brigades. Some firing was heard
near the Prime Minister's residence, but movement in
the capital has not been impeded and there is little
evidence of military activity. The coup group appar-
ently controls the airport in addition to the radio
station. Achampong, who only recently had commanded
a key security battalion in Accra, was known to be
personally bitter over budgetary and force cuts made
last June. His take-over announcement charged Busia
with economic mismanagement and with carrying out
arbitrary arrests. It stated that the government
will be placed in the hands of a "National Liberation
Group composed of representatives of the army and
civic groups."
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
13 January 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The ?Long Tieng situation is reviewed on Page 1.
The Vietnamese Communists are being unusually open
about their intentions regarding military activity
in South Vietnam. (Page 2)
Mujibur Rahman has taken decisive action to consoli-
date his power in Bangladesh. (Page 3)
Pakistani President Bhutto impressed Afghanistan's
leaders during a quick trip on 11 January. (Page 5)
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LONG TIENG AREA
-
? Governent-held location
? Communist-held location
A Highpoint
0 5
an Na
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oNG
000 I-
efam Thong
FSB Thunder
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Pot JA-RAES
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PLAs-1')V
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dha Tam Bleung
Attacked by NVA
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c five
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..ong Tieng
\-Trun
Khang Khoo
Phou Pha Sal
if ha Khao
_ _ ?? '
Long Tieng Valley looking southeast
?
Long Tieng Valley looking northwest
CONFIDENTIAL
552423 1-72 CIA
Ptivpong
_
? ? ?
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LAOS
The situation in the Long Tieng area remains
critical, but irregular troops are still holding on.
North Vietnamese troops in the Long Tieng Valley
are confined to the south slope of Skyline Ridge and
to a few pockets in the village of Long Tieng. Their
presence in the village may have prompted an an-
nouncement today by the Pathet Lao radio that Long
Tieng had been captured. A direct attack in force
has not yet developed, however.
Much will now depend upon the North Vietnamese
ability, to follow up with a major new attack. Vang
Pao, who seems to be in good spirits, is determined
to try to retake Skyline Ridge within the next 48
hours. He believes, however, that if this is not
possible, a withdrawal from Long Tieng would prob-
ably become necessary.
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VIETNAM
The Communists are spreading the word that a
"massive" spring military campaign is being planned
in South Vietnam to take place in the period sur-
rounding the Tet celebrations, which begin on 15
February, and President Nixon's trip to Peking.
The latest comment on Communist intentions comes
from a member of the North Vietnamese negotiating
delegation in Paris.
Much of the talk about a big offensive
may be rhetor.ic, but the volume and open-
ness of Communist discussion of their
military, intentions is unusual because
they normally work hard to conceal even
the outlines of their plans.
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Except for the border areas of Military
Regions 1 and 2, where a big spring effort
seems in the works, substantial evidence
is lacking regarding resupply and rede-
ployment activities ?that normally precede
a maximum Communist military effort. Some
activity of this type has been reported
recently in a few scattered areas around
the country, but these do not appear to
be enough to support extensive hostili-
ties. In particular, we will be watching
to see if the Communist divisions in Cam-
bodia begin to move into Military Region 3.
2
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BANGLADESH
Mujibur Rahman has shifted the country to a
parliamentary system of government and put himself
in as prime minister. He removed Tajuddin Ahmad
from that job without as yet giving him a new one,
and placed Abu Syed Chowdhury--a respected jurist
and educator--into the now largely ceremonial pres-
idency. The rest of the cabinet is little changed.
Mujibur Rahman is demonstrating an ability
to move decisively to consolidate his
power. The ouster of the left-leaning
Ahmad from the job removed a staunch ally
of India and the Soviet Union who might
contest Mujib's'desire to put his country
on as independent a course as possible.
Mujib still faces enormous problems, par-
ticularly Bangladesh's prostrate economy
and internal security. Attempts to cope
with these difficulties will require sub-
stantial Indian assistance. This reliance,
together with his expressed gratitude to
Mrs. Gandhi's government for its role in
the independence struggle, assures New
Delhi of paramount influence in Dacca for
some time to come.
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NOTE
Pakistan-Afghanistan: President Bhutto made a
favorable impression on Afghan leaders during his
surprise visit to Kabul on 11 January. The Afghans
are chronically suspicious of Pakistan, and only
recently King Zahir told Ambassador Neumann that
Bhutto was an "unbalanced man" and a "pathological
liar." Bhutto apparently was able to change this
impression, however, and the Afghans now say that
he has "matured." Both Bhutto and the King appeared
content to defer discussion for the time being of
the problem of the Pushtu-speaking area of Pakistan,
for which the Afghans have long advocated independ-
ence.
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Top Secret
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