CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1955/12/17

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03020465
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: September 20, 2019
• Document Release Date: September 26, 2019
• Publication Date: December 17, 1955

c .e0
Approved for Release: 2019/09/16 C03020465, TOP ECRET
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
17 December 1955
Copy No.
103
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO -2-9
NO CHANGE IN CLASS. Of
Li DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE. 0/ 0
AUTH: HR 70Aoloo
DATci 41% 14 REVIEWER
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP SECRET
Approved for Release: 2019/09/16 C03020465
Approved for Release: 2019/09/16 C03020465
4,41.01
40
Approved for Release: 2019/09/16 C03020465
Approved for Release: 2019/09%16 C03020465
*pi
CONTENTS
1. INDONESIAN AIR FORCE INCIDENT BECOMES MAJOR
GOVERNMENT ISSUE (page 3).
2. MORRISON-KNUDSEN COMPANY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT
REMAINING IN AFGHANISTAN (page 4).
* * * *
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(page 5)
17 Dec 55
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 2
Approved for Release: 2019/09/16 C03020465
Approved for Releasc:7079707/76 C03020465
Nue NOV
1. INDONESIAN AIR FORCE INCIDENT BECOMES MAJOR
GOVERNMENT ISSUE
A government crisis has developed in
Indonesia following an incident on 14
December when a ceremony to install
a new deputy air chief of staff was
broken up by a show of arms by disaffected air force person-
nel. The incident was apparently planned by Air Chief of
Staff Suryadarma, who seems to have had the backing of
President Sukarno. Suryadarma has reportedly eluded
house arrest and taken refuge at the president's palace.
Sukarno and leftist elements may have
hoped to bring down the government by this maneuver so
that they could exercise a decisive influence over the gov-
ernment reorganization that is to take place during the next
few months.
The cabinet, after a long meeting late
on 15 December, was reported determined to press for the
arrest of Suryadarma and ][wa, the pro-Communist former
defense minister, who apparently backed Suryadarma. The
prime minister, however, apparently had difficulty getting
support for this decision from the representatives of small
parties in his coalition cabinet who are reluctant to come into
open conflict with Sukarno. Even the army, which is support-
ing the prime minister, does not relish a contest with the
president.
The situation has widened the cleavage be-
tween the leftists and the moderates, and intensifies the dif-
ficulties of establishing a stable government when the new
parliament is seated next April.
17 Dec 55
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 3
orriDerr
Approved for Release: 2019/09/16 C03020465
Approved for Release: 2019/09/16 C03020465
Noel Nair
2. MORRISON-KNUDSEN COMPANY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT
REMAINING IN AFGHANISTAN
e merican construction firm of
Morrison-Knudsen Afghanistan is
optimistic about its future in Afghani-
stan despite Kabul's continued insist-
ence that the company obtain a transit
guarantee from Pakistan as the only
alternative to shipping through the
USSR.
The company's optimism derives from
the fact tha t weeks the Afghan government has re-
leased to it and authorized the release of
more. This covers commitments made by the company up
to 1 December.
The American embassy in Kabul has re-
cently reported that Prime Minister Daud is stronger than
ever and that no Afghan leader is prepared at present to op-
pose his policy of increasing economic ties with the USSR.
There have also been rumors that the Soviet Union has of-
fered to take over Morrison-Knudsen operations in Afghani-
stan, and it has been suggested that government pressure
on the firm is designed to force it to cancel its contract.
Comment
Continued willingness to release operat-
ing funds, however, suggests that Daud is
not prepared to demand the departure of the company. The
Afghan government about 11 December requested American
aid in conducting an irrigation survey in the Helmand valley
area where the Morrison-Knudsen company is working.
17 Dec 55
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 4
rf rri
Approved for Release: 2019/09/16 C03020465
Approved for Release: 2019/09/16 C03020465
Noe
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 16 December)
A Syrian claim that .a border clash with
Israeli patrols occurred on 16 December near the scene of
the 11-12 December incident has been denied by an Israeli
army spokesman. No other significant military action has
been reported. American observers have found no evidence
of Israeli mobilization, and the Israelis say they have no in-
dication of an Egyptian or Syrian build-up.
Ambassador Moose in Damascus reports
that public emotion there has been deeply stirred by the
Israeli raid. He believes that unless Syria obtains satisfac-
tion through the UN or by some other means, there is serious
danger that the present government may be forced to choose
between suicidal military action and abdicating its authority
to left-wing extremists.
The American ambassador in Tel Aviv
believes that because of the Israeli raid on Syria there will
be "fireworks" in the Mapai party leadership and possibly in
the Israeli cabinet after Foreign Minister Sharett's return on
18 December. Sharett may reiterate the thesis he stated
during a policy debate with Ben-Gurion last summer, that a
successful foreign policy cannot be conducted under the handi-
cap of border operations initiated in the name of Israel's
security.
the Israelis have
hauled three motor torpedo boats overland to Eilat on the
Gulf of Aqaba, and that their presence there has been con-
firmed by aerial photography. These vessels, plus two new
fishing boats reportedly floated in the gulf off Eilat in early
October, might become the nucleus of an Israeli amphibious
force. Such a force presumably would be used against Egyptian
positions at the entrance of the gulf which now bar the passage
of Israeli ships. High Israeli officials have stated that force
would be used if necessary to break this blockade.
17 Dec 55
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 5
Approved for Release: 2019/09/16 C03020465
Approved for Release: 2019/09/16 C03020465
'Noe
the hold cargoes
unloaded at Alexandria early this month irom the Soviet
freighters Alexander Nevsky and Admiral Ushakov included
antitank guns, tracked self-propelled guns and military search-
lights. These ships carried crated cargo on deck, possibly
consisting of tanks and disassembled jet aircraft. Two Polish
freighters are presently en route to Alexandria carrying un-
ated cargoes from Satellite ports.
There is reason to believe that the
etroleum products carried to the Suez area in early
December aboard the Soviet tankers Gregory Vakulentchuk and
Sverdlovsk are intended for military use and that the cargo of
the Vakulentchuk may have included jet fuel.
17 Dec 55
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 6
d't rwl
Approved for Release: 2019/09/16 C03020465