THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 16 FEBRUARY 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977301
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: February 16, 1970

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A008000130001-4
The President's Daily Brief
16 February 1970
48
Top Secret
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
16 February 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
In Laos, Communist forces are beginning to close in
on General yang Pao's main base on the Plaine des
Jarres. (Page 1)
South Vietnamese forces appear to have thwarted a
major Communist push into the northern reaches of
the Mekong -Delta. (Page 3)
Tension.between the fedayeen and the Jordanian Gov-
ernment has eased since Husayn's press conference,
but the situation.could easily flare up again'if
the fedayeen push the King too hard. (Page 4)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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Communist Military Activity on the Increase
AREA OF
MAIN MAP
.Pakse
kCommunist
rocket attack
Muong
SoL4
Ia
houn
Xieng Khoua
PLAINE DES JAR E
Enemy troops threate
gOvetnTent outposts
Tank convoy
ong
Sayan
hou
nouan Xieng
itheuarrgville,
hou
Khe
11.1 , 20M tles
s 10 2I0K I lometers
97612 2-70 CIA
I
Goven meat-held location
? COmmunist-held location
?
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LAOS
Communist forces are closing in on General
yang Pao's forward command post at Xieng Khouang
airfield, the government's main base on the Plaine
des Jarres. The enemy kept the airfield under spo-
radic mortar fire all day yesterday and overran
several government-positions four miles south of
the base.
forward ele-
ments of the North Vietnamese tank convoy on-Route
7 were near Phong Sayan, about three miles east of
the Xieng Khouang airstrip. In addition, .a radio
terminal of a North Vietnamese battalion associated
with the 312th Division moved into the vicinity of
Phong Sayan.
The North Vietnamese now dominate all of
the high ground on the northeast side of
the Plaine. yang Pao's Meos yesterday
lost their last outpost northeast of Nong
? Pet. The pullback Leaves no government
forces to harass Communist supply convoys
on Route 7 between Ban Ban and Khang Khay.
Recent intercepts point up the concern the
North Vietnamese have for the security of their
Route 7 supply line. One message ordered that if
a mine sweeper was not immediately available, in-
dividuals were to "pick up the mines in order to
destroy them."
Little new fighting has been reported south-
east of the Plaine, but enemy troops are moving
into position against the two pieces of high ground
still held by government forces. There are also
signs of increased Communist activity near govern-
ment positions defending the approaches to yang.
Pao's headquarters at Long Tieng.
There does not seem to be a major enemy
build up under way at this time, but even
small-scale skirmishing around Long Tieng
might distract yang Pao's efforts in other
active areas.
(continued)
1
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Marginal visibility continues to impede:effec-
tive tactical air. support to government forces. In-
tensive .air strikes have caused lingering secondary
fires-that contribute to the haze and smog overlying
much of the Plaine. The enemy is well aware of this
situation and may be awaiting a further deteriora-
tion of weather conditions before making an all-out.
drive against the. Plaine,
In the southern panhandle, the Communists
launched a limited rocket attack against the gov-
ernment's military headquarters at Pakse early this
morning. Several houses belonging to the Lao Army
were destroyed; one person was slightly wounded.
This is the second rocket attack in as many months
against Pakse. Both the timing and the limited na-
ture of the attack suggest it was intended as a di-
versionary measure in support of the Communist of-
fensive against the Plaine.
2
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SOUTH VIETNAM
CAMBODIA
South Vietnamese Forces Disrupt Attempts
by NVA 88th Regt. to Move into the Delta
IV Corps
?
13 Feb. Location of HQ.
NVA 88th Regt.
of Recent-C ntacts
KIEN
CHAU DOC
PRONG
mmunist Base Are
Longe
Xuyen
AN GIANG
sMoc Hoe
IEN TUONG
III CORPS
Cao Lanh
\\ N H
TUONG
My Tho
Sa Dec?
SA DE
GO?
Go Cong
CONG
inh Lo
KIEN
Rach Gia
Can Tho
PRONG
Phu Vin
(Ira Vinh)
GULF
OF
Vi Thanh
CH UON G THIEN
BAC LIEU
4
Bac Lieu
(Vinh Loi)
SIAM'
Quan Long
(Ca Mau)
. SOUTH CHINA SEA
97610 2-70 CIA
CON SON
50X1
? (Administered Iron, Snigon)
25 50 Miles
25 50 Kilometers
?
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTH VIETNAM
South Vietnamese forces appear to have thwarted
a major Communist push into the northern reaches of
the Mekong Delta. During the past ten days, govern-
ment regular and territorial security forces have
clashed with elements of the. North Vietnamese 88th
Regiment attempting to infiltrate through exposed.
terrain west ofMoc Hoa, the capital of Kien Tuong
Province. In their blocking actions, the South Viet-
namese have killed more than 200 enemy troops, while
allied artillery and air'strikes have probably caught
many more enemy retreating toward Cambodian sanctuary.
The regiment is believed to be trying to move.to-the
relative security of Communist Base Area 470; a re-
doUbt-long.used by the enemy to support military
operations in the upper delta provinces.
Captured documents and prisoner interroga-
tions indicate that the 88th--one of five
North Vietnamese regiments to move from
III to IV Corps since mid-1969--has the
mission of coordinating with indigenous
Viet Cong local forces in disrupting Viet-
namization and pacification programs in
Dinh Thong Province, including attacks on
the important provincial capital of My Tho.
Other potential targets in the province
include the former US 9th Division head-
quarters at Dong Tam, now the home of the
South Vietnamese 7th Division, and defen-
sive positions guarding Route 4--Saigon's
lifeline to the delta.
The ability of North Vietnamese regulars
to operate in force in the northern delta,
however, may be hampered by the geography
of the region. The flat and often swampy
terrain, laced with canals, offers Little
natural cover for concealment of Large
military units or for active supply lanes
and storage areas.
3
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JORDAN
Only minor incidents have been reported since
the "cease-fire" on 13 February, but the situation
could easily flare up again if the fedayeen push
King Husayn too hard. The fedayeen have allowed
some of their street barricades in Amman to be re-
moved, but they are still intimidating the police,
commandeering vehicles, and stealing ammunition and
weapons. In one instance, the fedayeen seized a UN
vehicle and repainted it in their own camouflage
colors.
Government forces also remain in place and 07
alert.
\so far the army has
been only marginally involved while the
police have been bearing the brunt of feda-
yeen hostility.
Husayn at his press conference Saturday
was clearly trying to smooth things over.
He tried to identify his motives and aims
with those of the fedayeen, and to attrib-
ute the uproar over his security decrees
to a "misunderstanding." But at the same
time an undertone of toughness was evident,
particularly in Husayn's emphasis on law
and order. He thus may balk if the feda-
yeen continue to press for complete abro-
gation of the security decrees.
4
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