THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 8 FEBRUARY 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993127
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: February 8, 1972

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/15 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010400080001-3
The President's Daily Brief
a February 1972
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
8 February 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The South Vietnamese are showing considerable sensi-
tivity to public discussion of US flexibility re-
garding President Thieu's tenure or the status of
his administration. (Page 1)
Infiltrators moving south from North Vietnam this
dry season are more numerous and better equipped
than last year. (Page 2)
Bangladesh army and police forces are seeking to
establish full government control over the Bihari
enclave of Mirpur and to disarm its inhabitants
(Page 3)
The number of Jews receiving exit visas for Israel
continued ata_record level in January but there
are signsthat Moscow may slow down the exodus
(Page. 3)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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SOUTH VIETNAM
The Thieu government is showing considerable
sensitivity to public discussion of US flexibility
regarding President Thieu's tenure or the status of
his administration. Deputy Foreign Minister Phuong
told the US Embassy that "everyone in the palace" is
very disturbed by Secretary Rogers' mention of the
"flexibility" of the peace proposals during his press
conference of 3 February. Phuong said that the al-
lies should not demonstrate flexibility in ways that
represent important concessions to an enemy that has
yet to agree to negotiate. On 5 February, the Saigon
press, quoting government sources, extensively criti-
cized the US position. One moderate and respected
daily even speculated that the US might topple the
present government and set up a provisional govern-
ment before elections, thus fulfilling Communist de-
mands.
In reacting so strongly, Thieu is no doubt
trying to ensure that speculation about
his "stepping down" remains within bounds.
The government may also be trying to dampen
criticism from the right, such as surfaced
in the national assembly last Saturday,
when opposition deputies charged that the
peace plan was unconstitutional and that
the US was interfering in South Vietnam's
internal affairs.
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INDOCHINA
Based partly on intercepts of
planned movements, we believe the rate of
infiltration this year will stay ahead of
last year's. One reason for the disparity
in rates is that the flow of men was in-
terrupted between January and April 1971
while the North Vietnamese were preoccupied
with the South Vietnamese incursion into
southern Laos. Later, the Communists re-
sumed the movement of men from the North,
and by the end of June a total of just
under 1103000 had started into the pipeline.
An unusual feature of this year's infiltration
is that a large portion of the men moving south are
transporting individual and crew-served weapons, in-
cluding mortars and artillery. According to inter-
cepts, most groups have been 30 to 70 percent
equipped, and a number of infantry groups have been
100 percent equipped.
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NOTES
Bangladesh: Bangladesh army and police forces
-are seeking to establish full government control
over the Bihari enclave of Mirpur near Dacca and to
disarm its inhabitants. Government operations over
the past few days have overcome resistance in most
of the enclave
The fighting has been heavy, as attested
by 760 killed or wounded on the government side.
Two areas in the enclave are holding out and are
likely to resist the army's pacification efforts.
Dacca, however, appears determined to move deci-
sively against the Biharis in order to prevent a
recurrence of clashes between Bengalis and Biharis
such as those that occurred late last month.
USSR: The Soviets approved 2,300 exit visas
for Jews emigrating to Israel in January, a slight
increase over the previous monthly high of 2,200 in
December. Nevertheless, Moscow may be considering
slowing down the exodus. Over the last few weeks
the Soviet media have highlighted the "problems"
of Soviet Jews in Israel and have hinted that the
number of applicants for emigration is declining.
The Soviets are also getting more static from the
Arabs.
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