SALEH CITES USN CULPABILITY IN THE USS COLE ATTACK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 005449

STATE FOR NEA, S/CT AND P

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2010
TAGS: PTER PREL YM
SUBJECT: SALEH CITES USN CULPABILITY IN THE USS COLE ATTACK

REF: A. SANAA 5425 (NOTAL)

B. SANAA 5443

C. SANAA 5439

D. SANAA 5430

(U) CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR BARBARA K. BODINE. REASONS 1.5
B/D.


1. (C) IN HIS MBC INTERVIEW EARLIER THIS WEEK, YEMENI
PRESIDENT SALEH STATED THAT "THE AMERICANS MADE A GROSS
MISTAKE WHEN THEY MOVED SUCH A HUGE SHIP (THE USS COLE) INTO
ADEN HARBOR WITHOUT PROVIDING SUFFICIENT
PROTECTION....WITHOUT (YEMENI) PROTECTIVE VESSELS GOING IN
WITH IT. THEY DID NOT ASK FOR OUR PROTECTION AND THIS IS A
MISTAKE, A GROSS MILITARY MISTAKE." THE PRESIDENT STATED
VIRTULLY THE EXACT SAME THING TO THE AMBASSADOR ON NOVEMBER
21 (OTHER SUBJECTS SEPTELS).


2. (C) AMBASSADOR REJOINED THAT IT WAS HIGHLY DISTASTEFUL
THAT THE USS COLE WOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTACK IT
SUFFERED. SHE PRESUMED THAT THE MISINFORMATION THE PRESIDENT
HAD BEEN PROVIDED ON THIS SCORE WAS PROVIDED BY THE SAME
"SENIOR ADVISOR" WHO INFORMED HIM THE EXPLOSION WAS AN
INTERNAL ACCIDENT (I.E., THE COMMANDER OF THE NAVY IN ADEN,
GENERAL IBRAHIM). SHE ALSO REMINDED THE PRESIDENT THAT IT
WAS YEMEN'S RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING WE NEED REQUEST. IT WAS TO BE
EXPECTED.


3. (C) SHE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT, CONTRARY TO A FOLLOW-UP
POINT BY THE PRESIDENT, THE YEMEN NAVY WAS AWARE OF THE BSF.
THE ROYG WAS INFORMED IN A PROPER AND TIMELY MANNER, AS WELL
AS APPROPRIATE PORT AUTHORITIES. "DIDN'T KNOW" WAS NOT AN
ACCEPTABLE EXCUSE BY THE YEMEN NAVY. SALEH CONCEDED THAT
MAYBE YEMENI INTERAGENCY COMMUNICATIONS WAS NOT ALWAYS GOOD
AND THAT THE NAVY'S ARGUMENT WAS NOT TERRIBLY CREDIBLE.


4. (C) COMMENT: WE ARE QUITE SURE THIS TRASH WAS DELIVERED
BY THE NAVAL COMMANDER, PROBABLY IN DEFENSE FROM A
PRESIDENTIAL QUERY AS TO WHY HE HAD NOT TAKEN THE NECESSARY
PRECAUTIONS. THE COMMANDER IS UNDOUBTEDLY THE PURVEYOR OF THE
INTERNAL EXPLOSION THEORY AND IS WELL-KNOWN FOR BEING BOTH
INCOMPETENT AND VENAL. ONE FACTOR IN A RECENT FRENCH
DECISION TO CANCEL A PLANNED PORT VISIT IN ADEN WAS A
$1000.00 "SHAKEDOWN" FROM THE COMMANDER. THE YEMEN NAVY AT
ONE POINT ATTEMPTED TO CHARGE THE USN A $500 "ESCORT
SERVICES" FEE, A SERVICE NEITHER REQUESTED NOR NEEDED. WHEN
RAISED WITH THE SOUTHERN AREA COMMANDER, THESE FEES STOPPED.
IT WAS ALSO OBVIOUS TO BOTH US AND TO SENIOR MILITARY
OFFICIALS IN ADEN SHORTLY AFTER THE ATTACK, SPECIALLY
GENERALS ALAYWAH AND MAGWALLAH, THAT THE YEMEN NAVY HAD NO
CONCEPT OF HOW TO SET UP PICKET SHIPS. THE DRESSING DOWN THE
COMMANDER RECEIVED FROM THE TWO GENERALS PORT SIDE AND IN
FRONT OF A SENIOR AMERICAN DELEGATION WAS DEVASTATING. WE
SUSPECT THE COMMANDER IS STILL SCRAMBLING TO SAVE HIS JOB.

BODINE