THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 23 OCTOBER 1969

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977053
• 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 23, 1969

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The President's Daily Brief
23 October 1969
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
23 October 1969
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The Lebanese Government's crackdown on fedayeen ac-
tivities is having reverberations throughout the
Arab world and could lead to armed conflict in Jordan
as well as in Lebanon itself. (Page 1)
A recent speech broadcast by Hanoi adds to evidence
that Truong Chinh may be the "first among equals" in
North Vietnam's new leadership. (Page 3)
\
In Laos, the government still holds the military in-
itiative in the Plaine des Jarres area, but in the
south its gains continue to be eroded. (Page 4)
The Chilean Army dissidents achieved at least one
objective during their short-lived revolt--the dis-
missal of the unpopular defense minister. (Page 6)
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ARAB STATES
The Lebanese Government's crackdown on feda-
yeen activities has caused an uproar in the Arab
world.
Major fedayeen political leaders meeting in
Amman yesterday called upon the heads of Arab states
to intervene with Lebanon on behalf of the guerril-
las. The radical governments of Iraq and Syria had
already voiced their support. Iraq offered its
army's assistance, and Syria threatened to take
firmer action, closing its border with Lebanon.
Later in the day Lebanese posts along the Syrian
border reported Syrian Army and fedayeen units sup-
ported by tanks and armored cars massing at border
positions. Beirut Radio announced early this
morning that armed infiltrators had crossed the
Syrian border, attacked several Lebanese frontier
posts, and abducted a number of police, customs,
and security personnel.
Libya has withdrawn its ambassador from Beirut,
and Algeria has hinted it might also break relations.
Egyptian President Nasir has informed President Hilu
of his concern and has asked him to end the army-
fedayeen confrontation. Lebanon last night an-
nounced it would submit the fedayeen question to
the Arab League.
It is unlikely that the Lebanese will be
successful in gaining League support for
their position.
Jordan's King Husayn, who has been having his
own problems with the fedayeen, is said to have met
with his advisers to review the political and mili-
tary situation in his country. There was a large
demonstration yesterday in Amman protesting the
Lebanese Government's actions. In addition, recent
fedayeen broadcasts to Jordan have been calling on
the army, the bedouins, and the East Bank's popula-
tion to stand behind the guerrillas.
The fedayeen, fearing a coordinated crack-
down on their activities in both Lebanon
and Jordan and emboldened by the actions
of the radical Arab states, might decide
to challenge both the Lebanese and Jorda-
nian governments at this time.
(continued)
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In Lebanon itself, demonstrations occurred in
Beirut and Tripoli yesterday. Following an attack
by fedayeen on seven soldiers near a refugee camp
in Tripoli, the Lebanese Army Command ordered army
and gendarmerie units to enter all refugee camps
and disarm the occupants. Other units are standing
by to bring any civil disturbances that might erupt
in major urban centers under immediate control.
Leftist-organized demonstrations are planned for
tomorrow. These may lead to even further clashes
between the army and fedayeen supporters.
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VIETNAM
A speech broadcast by Hanoi on 19 October adds
to evidence that Truong Chinh may be the "first
among equals" in North Vietnam's new leadership.
Chinh bluntly told personnel of a propaganda publi-
cation that they had been overemphasizing the war
and ignoring the "building of socialism" in North
Vietnam. He charged that this had been going on
since 1966 and he left no doubt that the emphasis
was going to be changed in the future.
Truong Chinh is the only member of the leader-
ship in Hanoi who can be solidly identified with
the view that North Vietnam must devote more atten-
tion to domestic issues and less to the war. It is
a theme he has been pushing at least since mid-1968,
most recently in a speech he made to the National
Assembly last month. The text of this speech is
among the study documents of a current Politburo
indoctrination campaign. All other documents used
in the campaign are either works of Ho or attributed
to the Central Committee.
The two Chinh speeches are the only sig-
nificant policy statements by an individ-
ual North Vietnamese leader to be broad-
cast by the regime since Ho Chi Minh's
death. Although not conclusive, this
special treatment seems to us a good indi-
cation that he may be the dominant figure
in the new regime. Moreover, the latest
speech supports the thesis that Truong
Chinh has been the principal figure be-
hind policies of phasing out the big-unit
war in the south.
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Laos: Current Situation
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LAOS
The government still has the initiative in the
Plaine des Jarres area. General yang Pao's Meo
guerrillas have moved into important enemy logis-
tical and staging areas during the past few days,
inflicting additional supply losses on the Commu-
nists. Intercepted enemy messages indicate that
North Vietnamese elements are trying to retake some
high ground north of the Plaine, but their inability
to put together a concerted assault suggests that
they are still hampered by supply and manpower short-
ages there.
Recent communications intelligence indi-
cates that over 2,000 men of the North
Vietnamese 312th Division remain in North
Vietnam waiting for transportation to the
Laotian border. It may be some weeks be-
fore fresh enemy troops can significantZy
alter the power balance in and around the
Plaine des Jarres.
In the sensitive corridor area in southern
Laos, government advances toward the Muong Phine
area seem to have been dealt a fresh setback. A
North Vietnamese force is reported to have overrun
the government outpost at Ban Tang Vai Tuesday.
The government base at Muong PhaZane would
be an important target for the Communists.
The base supports government guerrillas
operating farther to the east in the in-
filtration corridor.
Government commanders in the northwest, faced
with more concerted enemy resistance, have called
a halt to a month-old operation to recapture some
advance bases. Guerrilla elements have for some
years enjoyed considerable success in disrupting
Communist supply lines in this region.
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LIBYA
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CHILE
We are beginning to get some idea of General
Viaux's price tag for surrendering. The unpopular
defense minister, one of Viaux's targets, has been
replaced by a close civilian associate of President
Frei. There are reports that the army commander is
on his way out as well. In his surrender speech,
Viaux claimed that Frei had also agreed to solve
some of the problems--low pay and outmoded equipment,
for instance--which touched off the dissidence.
We expect prolonged repercussions from all
this. Viaux's complaints that the armed
forces have been generally shortchanged in
recent years are widely shared. If he
and the officers who joined him are court-
martialed, they could become martyrs which
in turn would have important political im-
plications as the 1970 elections approach.
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Soviet
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NOTES
USSR:
Bolivia: Nationalization of two more US-affili-
ated companies may come on or before 31 October, the
seventeenth anniversary of the nationalization of
the tin mines. The government has already drawn up
a decree to nationalize the South American Placers
Company, a small gold mining enterprise
Speculation
is widespread that the large Matilde Mines (zinc,
lead, and silver) will also be nationalized. Mean-
while, about 100 employees of Gulf Oil, mostly US
citizens, are leaving Santa Cruz.
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