THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 12 OCTOBER 1973

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993955
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: October 12, 1973

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The President's Daily Brief
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12 October 1973
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B(15.12).13)
dectanified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
12 October 1973
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The current situation in
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the Middle East is discussed
Lon Nol and Sink Matak want In Tam to remain on High
Political Council; President plans to appoint little
known bureaucrat as Prime Minister. (Page 3)
Tensions running high in Bangkok over student arrests
and it may be difficult to find way to defuse the
situation without appearing to have capitulated.
(Page 4)
Peron's inauguration in Argentina today will be austere,
setting tone for an attempt to solve serious political
and economic problems. (Page 5)
Chinese to participate in airlift of Pathet Lao per-
sonnel from Communist-controlled areas to principal
Lao Government centers. (Page 6),
Notes on the International Monetary Situation, Uganda,
Soviet satellite reconnaissance of the Middle East,
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Mediterranean
1967 Cease-Fire
Line
?
'Israel ,
Tiberia
554689 10-73 CIA
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ARAB STATES - ISRAEL
Ground fighting on the Syrian front subsided
at nightfall; the Israelis are probably trying to
consolidate advances made during the day. The point
of deepest penetration is believed to be only about
six miles beyond the 1967 cease-fire line between
Mount Hermon and Qunaytirah. Israeli aircraft con-
tinued to pound Syrian Army positions through the
night, particularly on the flanks of the most ad-
vanced units. Late last evening, Tel Aviv
characterized the Israeli position in the Golan
Heights as a "partial" breakthrough with several op-
tions open to them when action resumes at daybreak.
It is not clear whether Israeli units will push to-
ward Damascus and engage Syrian and Iraq forces be-
tween them and the capital, or whether the Israelis
will instead turn southward to strike at the remain-fl Syrian units in the Golan Heights area. General
Herzog, the Israeli military spokesman, said today
that their target will more likely be Qatana, "a
bristling military center" 12 miles south of Damascus.
/ The Syrians prob-
ably still have a viable military force remaining
along the cease-fire line and it does not seem likely
that the Israelis will launch an early drive up the
Damascus road leaving these units intact along the
Israeli flanks.
\\
Israeli aircraft operating over Syria
today encountered more SA-6 surface-to-air missiles
than yesterday. This lends credence to speculation
that a major purpose of the ongoing Soviet airlift
has been to resupply the Arabs with air defense mis-
siles.
The situation on the east bank has not changed
appreciably in the past few days. The Egyptians have
not expanded their positions on the east bank nor have
they launched a major drive toward the Sinai passes.
Israeli forces opposite the main concentrations appear
to be awaiting Egyptian moves before initiating coun-
terattacks. The Israeli Air Force continues to at-
tack Egyptian positions and some 120 sorties were
flown today. The Egyptian Air Force did not attempt
to engage the attackers, but ground fire continued to
take a toll, downing several aircraft yesterday.
(continued)
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Baghdad has officially acknowledged the first
Iraqi combat losses in the conflict. According to
an Iraqi General Staff Headquarters statement, 12
Iraqi aircraft have been shot down over the Syrian
front since last Saturday with six pilots killed.
Although the Iraqis have theoretically committed
their entire armed forces to the Arab cause, it is
believed that only about 16,000 men, 100 tanks, and
a few squadrons of aircraft have actually been dis-
patched to Syria.
A Soviet merchant vessel was reportedly struck
by two rockets in the Syrian port of Tartus yester-
day. It has settled in shallow water and apparently
been abandoned.
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CAMBODIA
Charge Enders reports that President Lon Nol
and Sink Matak are opposed to In Tam's remaining
as prime minister. They want In Tam to remain on
the High Political Council, however, and will make
him a major general as an enticement. Meanwhile,
agreement is emerging between the President and Matak
on the shape of a new government which Lon Nol wants
to set up as soon as possible. The President plans
to designate Hou Hong as the new prime minister.
Hong is a little-known bureaucrat with a reputation
as a skilled administrator and coordinator. Polit-
ically, he is a nonentity. He was probably picked
because Lon Nol has had trouble finding an acceptable
replacement for In Tam, and because he apparently de-
sires to make the prime ministership an unimportant
post.
? Lon Nol reportedly is also planning to. divide
the ministerial portfolios, among four vice prime.min-
isters; all.of them are experienced and generally
capable officials. If they agree to accept their
allotted roles, a more efficient government could
result--provided Lon Nol gives them sufficient free-
dom of action.
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THAILAND
Prominent Thai citizens, student circles, and
the press, are reacting critically to the arrest of
several student activists. Tensions are high on
campuses in Bangkok, and at least one mass demonstra-
tion has been held to demand the students' release.
The US Embassy reports students moving into Bangkok
in large numbers and the protesters are said to
total 35,000.
Both Deputy Prime Minister Praphat, who per-
sonally ordered the arrests, and Prime Minister
Thanom claim that the police have uncovered documents
indicating that the students were part of a Commu-
nist-inspired plot to overthrow the government.
Efforts are now under way to calm the volatile
situation. The King has urged Thanom and. Praphat to
go easy on the students, and the latter has already
met with student leaders: in an apparent effort to
carry out the King's wishes..
Praphat turned down demands that
the students be released.' With tempers running high
it will be more difficult for the:government to find
a formula for defusing the situation without appearing
to have capitulated.
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ARGENTINA
The austere ceremony scheduled for Juan Peron's
inauguration today will set the tone for an intense
government effort to resolve the country's serious
economic and political problems. Although strict
security measures will be in effect, terrorists may
try to mar the inaugural with some dramatic act of
violence.
Bitter conflicts between left and right wing
factions in the Peronist movement and the increase
in terrorism by extreme leftists will absorb Peron's
immediate attention. Peron is unlikely to make any
major administrative changes until he obtains a first-
hand assessment of the government team he will in-
herit.
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CHINA-LAOS
The Chinese will participate in an airlift of
Pathet Lao personnel from the Communist-controlled
areas to principal Lao Government centers.
Peking hopes to demonstrate that it intends to
play a constructive role in post-war Laos. China
supported efforts to end the fighting and to find a
political settlement in Laos, and presumably worked
behind the scenes to help compose differences durin7
the last year or so of hostilities.
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NOTES
International Monetary Situation: The dollar
weakened slightly on major foreign exchange markets
this week, and the price of gold was pushed back above
$100 an ounce. Pressure on the dollar and the rise in
the gold price are primarily attributable to increased
anxiety over the possibility of prolonged Middle East
hostilities and the associated threat to oil supplies.
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Uganda: President Amin warned US charge Keeley
yesterday that if the US becomes involved in the Mid-
dle East war, he will break relations and imprison
all 276 private and official Americans in Uganda until
the US withdraws. Amin was undeterred by Keeley's
assurances that Sixth Fleet movements were designed
only to protect US citizens in the areas of conflict.
Amin's threats may be sheer bluster but he does seem
?to be in one of his periodic irrational moods. He
did not make clear what would constitute US involve-
ment in the Middle East fighting.
USSR: Soviet satellite reconnaissance of the
Middle East has increased during the current crisis.
Two high resolution photoreconnaissance satellites
currently are in orbit. One of these, which will
provide optimum coverage of the Middle East, appar-
ently will be brought down this morning, only six
days after it was launched. A low resolution satel-
lite was brought down early on October 9 after com-
pleting one half of its normal 12-day mission. So-
viet Elint satellite monitoring of the Middle East
has also been at a high level since October 4.
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Top Secret
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