THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 9 OCTOBER 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993561
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: October 9, 1972

Declassified in Part: Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79-1-00936A011200070001-5
The President's Daily Brief
9 October 1972
45
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Exempt from general'
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 513(11,(21131
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Ceded l Intelligence
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
9 October 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
In South Vietnam, sporadic fighting continues north
of Saigon in Binh Dinh Province, and the Communists
evidently intend to increase the pace of their ac-
tivity in several other provinces near Saigon.
(Page 1)
The sapper raid on Phnom Penh Saturday morning was
less damaging than appeared at first, but it will
further shake public confidence in the Lon Nol gov-
ernment. (Page 2)
Anti-Adeni dissidents have seized Aden's Kamaran Is-
land in an action that may bring the Sana and Aden
governments closer to direct conflict. (Page 3)
The peace agreement signed by Uganda and Tanzania
?only glosses over the sharp differences between
presidents Amin and Nyerere. (Page 4)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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Saigon and Capital Special Zone
QUANG TRI
a Nang
QUANG
QUANG TIN NGAI
KONTUM
BINH
DINH
Saigon
H A Cu Chi ?"'"N Phu Cuong
.
Duc Hoa
SAIGON
\
55369710-72 CIA
STATUTE MILES
?
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
VIETNAM
Sporadic sharp skirmishing continues north of
Saigon along Route 13 in Binh Duong Province. Most
of the fighting results from South Vietnamese defen-
sive operations along the Saigon River corridor some
ten to 15 miles north of the capital and involves
small units from the North Vietnamese 7th Division
as well as sapper elements.
The Communists hold several hamlets a few miles
west of Phu Cuong, the provincial capital, and have
infiltrated two battalions of the 7th into the south-
ernmost district of Binh Duong, about ten miles from
Saigon./
The government has moved two regular battalions
into blocking positions near Bien Hoa; additional
Ranger battalions already had been deployed along
Route 13. Numerous sources indicate that the Com-
munists intend to increase the pace of the military
activity in several other provinces around the capi-
tal as well as in the delta.
In other action, in Kontum Province in the cen-
tral highlands three days of heavy Communist shell-
ings as well as stiff resistance to government clear-
ing operations near Kontum City resulted in heavy
casualties to both sides. South Vietnamese forces
in the coastal area, meanwhile, have recaptured sev-
eral key positions in Binh Dinh, Quanq Nqai, and
Quang Tin provinces.
South Vietnamese Marines report some progress
in a limited offensive launched on Saturday north
of Quang Tri City.(
1
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CAMBODIA
A military assessment of the sapper raid on
Phnom Penh Saturday morning shows that the damage
was less extensive than was initially indicated.
Of the army's armored personnel carriers caught nap-
ping, only seven were destroyed, considerably fewer
than first reports indicated. The attack on Pochen-
tong Airfield caused no damage to the runways, build-
ings, or aircraft. The fallen spans of the Tonle
Sap bridge, however, are blocking the shi in chan-
nel that leads to the ?city's POL docks.
jthat it will be impossible
to repair the bridge quickly.
More significant than the material damage,
the complete surprise the attackers achieved
will further shake public confidence in
the government. The defenders' Zack of
preparedness also underscores how far Ma-
jor General Sosthene Fernandez, the new
chief of staff, has to go in organizing
and disciplining the armed forces.
Meanwhile, Phnom Penh may soon face another
rice crisis. No deliveries of foreign rice have yet
been arranged for the last week of this month. The
US Embassy estimates that the capital's stocks could
then dip to a few days' supplies.
The closing of Route 5 for nearly two
months has prevented the delivery of 20,000
tons awaiting shipment in Battambang Prov-
ince and forced Phnom Penh to depend on'
supplies from abroad. Sosthene Fernandez
is fully aware of the urgency of reopening
the route, but the recent destruction of
a second bridge north of Phnom Penh will
further delay the road's availability.
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1 f
,
Kharnis
..tvItighayt
Sk
-
, ?
.6
SAUDI ARABIA
Jizan .Sadah
-
Red
Sea
fr
- YEMEN
(Sana)
iSana
< * c
Katharan Island
Yemen has no established
boundaries in the east.
Wudayah.
.AI Abr
.Bayhan
Thamud.
%HADH AMAUT
YEMEN
(Aden)
Qataba
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ETHIO
44?
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FRENCH TERR TORY
OF AFARS AND ISSAS
Aden
cene of recent fighting
MILES 5.
I Mukalla
Gulf of Aden
553696 10-72 CIA
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE YEMENS
Anti-Adeni dissidents based in Yemen (Sono) on
Friday seized the Red Sea island of Kamaran, a pos-
session of Yemen (Aden), according to a dissident
radio announcement yesterday./
?Kamaran, which has a population of only a
few thousand, was administered by the
British until Aden became independent in
1967. Its seizure may well bring Sana
into a direct clash with the extreme left-
ist regime in Aden, which will not distin-
guish between the dissidents and Sana's
regular army. Previously fighting had
been limited primarily to border skirmishes
between the dissidents and the Adeni army.
The occupation may be the first step of
President Iryani's recent decision to
take firmer action against Aden.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
UGANDA-TANZANIA
The peace agreement signed by the two countries
last week in Mogadiscio only glosses over their sharp
differences. According to details announced on Sat-
urday, both countries have pledged to cease all mil-
itary operations against each other and to pull their
forces back six miles from the frontier by 19 October.
Somalia has agreed to provide a temporary observer
force during the withdrawal period.
The detente is an uneasy one at best. Any
Lasting resolution of the dispute seems
likely only if presidents Amin and Nyerere
agree to negotiate directly. Nyerere does
not recognize the Amin regime, refuses to
meet with Amin, and continues to harbor
Uganda's ex-president Obote and his fol-
lowers who, with Tanzanian support, Zed
the abortive invasion of Uganda last month.
For his part, Amin continues to charge
that Tanzania and other countries are
still planning to invade his country.
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Top Secret
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