THE PRESIDENT'S INTELLIGENCE CHECKLIST 23 NOVEMBER 1963

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005996681
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: November 23, 1963

E21 lEM3 EM2 13 fa? , Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10: CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 THE PRESIDENT'S INTELLIGENCE CHECKLIST ISSUED BY THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 23 NOVEMBER 1963 T*615-1-EC.R.EL Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7  E_A i.?1 L==E4 1 1 1 1??-i ri r L - -1 L 1=1ri 1=1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 , 1. South Vietnam a. Vietnamese Communist ef- forts to discredit the new Saigon regime stayed in high gear this week. b. The number of armed attacks was off from the high of the previous week but still some 50% above the year's weekly average. c. These attacks have been, for the most part, small-scale efforts directed against the government's paramilitary forces in the villages. They have been designed more for their psychological impact than for immediate military gain. e. The new government is re- sponding by stepping up its own military operations. It is also setting about the hard job of re- vamping the Diem government apparatus and harnessing broader popular sup- port for the war effort. f. The generals have been dealing fairly effectively with (Cont'd) For The President Only - Too Secret Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 50X1 " Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 o`? 72 70 68 66 : ? 64 62 60 12 10 > I I ' I DGF(1,EIZA 1 /,,k\CUNRAC.A. ? ?O?l\-eth../''' BOtiAth .1/ - CARIBBEAN SEA - :,???"? Amoy. ...... ...??????' ... , Ab' ' \- I COLA., DE '-,-.EI-C?erdrin . ? VEVEZI 1: LA .S'?'.C-0;. 0 TOBAGO ..? ' ..10.- 00 ? CARACAS '1: La Asuncion ,,. . ?;....' '''''''S-a n ?-? 4, .. 0 Cardoso? nracoibo :Por . ,TRINIDAD 1 Cabimas Vale-ie Ik7"'"' _:bas,Teques Sotfin Barcelona ????-"-?cu..ni . r : ? ...--4' ., I ?? Carole11 ? A1A 11A CA 1130 Enconlraddi V ? 0 , C 0 *San Lorenzo .7.sr?11ti::"F"'. . . ..7-..... ......:-.? o Matuan ? / San Carlos 4 . los Mol'os Trujibr? `I, 0 GOOnare \ . El Calved? . .El Tigre . '',"? .9'Barinas.4; ' Puerto Ordar o ' 1,1 ''''VIFIM. de Apure . \ .1 - ; /3 I fPuerto Ayacucho a '.. ???..,..", , ( ./L.,i0 M B I A I .- Tocupda .; . --.? I 4 r f -, l7 2a, . ..,?, t, 4 (.. '... -j BRITISH 1 " P < ? ' \ GUIANA ? ' 1 ? `1 VENEZUELA - Selected 1:i -?-?? ...) ..% ' % ? 4t i ?? , . ..:q? ...P. ? ?? ?:;-; s,/,?,,,,,,,,,,, ? ? . \ I Rio W.A ' 1 ?. e... ..,,, 1 ? : s t a ' let : 4 -1-1?r?i- railroad , - o 50 100 200 Mile, . .. ..--) ,, . 0 0,? .--, 1 ?-r7---2 -BRAZIL / L 1\ ,_..... '"\..., 1 ? .../. 1 2 / 0 50 .100 200 Kilometers BRAZIL. .?K ? .? , _ 630730 1 I 72 70 68. . 66 64 621 60 . Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 1=1 J f 1 1=11 4-1 t=i [=IEI1 i---1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10: CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 . Venezuela their new responsibilities. There are, however, a few signs of dissen- sion within this group and between it and civilian politicians. h. The new regime has also embarked on a purge of high military officers who sided with Diem during the Buddhist crisis-and failed to ffet on the right side soon enough. a. The death toll from the terrorist outburst in Caracas last Tuesday and Wednesday now stands at about 30. b. This is the high water mark thus far in the campaign of the Castro-supported Communist extremists to disrupt the national elections a week from tomorrow. (Cont'd) For The President Only - Top Secret Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10: CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 50X6 50X1 1-1 r=i Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 c. The Betancourt government has struck back hard. Its new uni- fied command over the security forces, passed this flying colors, initial test with d. At least 500 extremists were arrested and the round-up is still going on. Their removal will hamper the Communist drive against elections in major cities like Caracas. e. We now expect the elections to be held on schedule, a consider- able achievement under the circum- stances. The elections will be fol- lowed, however, by a Communist ef- fort to prevent the MarckOnaugura- tion of the victor. f. The rub here is that none of the presidential candidates com- mands President Betancourt's con- siderable assets for dealing success- fully with the harsh realities of Venezuelan politics. The constitu- tion prevents Betancourt from suc- ceeding himself. g. In the background, as always, looms the military, which could intervene if the president- elect shows signs of being soft on communism. 1 For The President Only - Too Secret A Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 50X1 ? k e.-4- ? ,..11e Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10: CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 50X1 . ? Declassified in Part 7 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10: CIA-RDP79T00936A902000340001-7 ta Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10: CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 3. USSR-Cuba Cuban interpreters are now posted at several surface-to-air mis- sile (SAM) sites on the island. b. We think this means that on-site training of Cubans has begun on schedule. Field training is to last six months, after which the SAM system may be turned over to Castro. c. In the past month some 1,500 Soviets arrived in Cuba. Most of these were probably SAM experts, sent to monitor the training. (Contyd) For The President Only - Top Secret Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 50X1 50X1 50X1 por=nik -st e??,-S" 1'1 I I I I I I i A -r-ii-?1.1 ni-11 t-11-4-tV/I?ri. I I Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 &ST F'RM ANY AND fiER LI N Kiel s) Stralsund o0 Buech Schwanheide Prenzlau? ? Neuruppin S.0 VI ET enlierge Liebenwalde e isfelde lueterbog Dessau* ,e/7 H Cottbus ? Kassel* EPUBLIC - ha use Wartha OF G rankf uchho CZECHO OVAKIA es=._Declassified in Railroad Autobahn Canal t 1 Air Corridor Control Points for Allied Traffic: A Soviet A Allied Interzonal Border Crossing Points: A East L\ West Road Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10: CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 50X1 LJ t I _ 1 r=-1 r r - - a f___1 pg Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 4. Berlin f. All Soviet weapons intro- duced into Cuba last year have been withdrawn or turned over to the Cubans. The only significant excep- tion is the SAM svster. c. Moscow has tried on a num- ber of past occasions to assert its right to restrict Allied use of the air corridors. In early 1962, the Soviets attempted to reserve "blocks" of air space for their own use. They have since demanded that Western flights stay between stipulated al- titudes, that we file flight plans in advance and provide prior notice of border-crossing times. (Cont 'd) For The President Only - Ton Secret Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 50X1 50X1 7:)1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 d. This sort of harassment stopped in the spring of 1962 when Soviet leaders became convinced that the US was interested in a serious discussion of a Berlin settle- ment. Moscow may hope that the threat of more of this sort of har- assment will jog the US into talks on Berlin. 5. Iraq-Syria- a. It now appears that Presi- UAR dent Arif's role in last Monday's coup in Baghdad: may have been vir- tually that of a bystander. c. Whatever Arif's role may have been, the coup was primarily an effort by the Iraqi Army to cur- tail the activities of the extreme wing of the Baath Party. The Baath is an Arab nationalist political or- ganization, active throughout the Arab world, which has been ruling Iraq and Syria. (Cont'd) For The President Only - Top Secret Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 50X1 1= Ei=3 t7i3 C) ta3 Mai =I t=a ra MiZ1 . Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10: CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 d. The coup group has not thrown all Baathists out of the government; there are party members in the new cabinet. e. Syrian Baathists have wel- comed this retention of their Iraqi brothers. Their attitude springs from the recognition that the Baath in Syria cannot stay afloat without support from Iraq./ f. The reaction of Nasir's Egypt, which passionately desires to see the Baath go under, has been exactly the opposite. Cairo has been backing off its all-out support for the coup ever since the new cabinet was announced. For The President Only - Top Secret Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10: CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 50X1 50X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 50X1 50X1 A 1 --I E3 I 1 UiQ C 1 L i 1 - 1 ETD Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10: CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 NOTES A. USSR B. Congo-USSR Soviet embassy personnel have not yet left Leopoldville, but their departure is expected momentarily. They were ordered out of the country after the Congolese turned up good documentary evi- dence of their complicity in anti-government plots. a letter from an anti-Adoula leader now in Brazzaville asking for funds C. Britain The Labor Party scored again in the Dundee ? Vest by-election Thursday, increasing its 1959 majority of 719 to a thumping 4,955. Heartened by this, Labor is now pushing for general elections at ? once. ? Prime Minister Home is not likely to accede. D. Ecuador (Contyd) For The President Only - Top Secret Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10: CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 50X1 50X1 50X1 50X1 l_JA I bUX1 50X1 _50X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 50X1 50X1 12:21 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 A?f I?I -I 4 4 jt=1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 E. Thailand/ F.. USSR Cosmos 22, launched a week ago, was recovered yesterday. It is the eleventh unmanned satellite to be recovered. All recoverable satellites have been launched from Tyuratam, the main Soviet missile test center, and recovered after three to ten days aloft. For The President Only - Top Secret Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/09/10 : CIA-RDP79T00936A002000340001-7 50X6 50X1 50X1