(S) UAE CHIEF OF STAFF VOLUNTEERS

S E C R E T ABU DHABI 000495 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/FO, NEA/NGA, NEA/ARP AND PMAT NSC FOR ABRAMS AND CLARKE CENTCOM FOR POLAD AMBASSADOR LITT CENTAF FOR GENERAL MOSELEY E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/29/2013 TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS KU IZ TC SUBJECT: (S) UAE CHIEF OF STAFF VOLUNTEERS FORCES FOR DEFENSE OF KUWAIT, BUT KUWAIT NEEDS TO ASK REF: ABU DHABI 479 ¶1. (U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba, Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D). ¶2. (S) Following up on a question posed by UAE MFA Minstate Hamdan to NEA A/S Burns during a 1/22 meeting in Abu Dhabi (reftel),UAE Armed Forces Chief of Staff Muhammad Bin Zayid Al-Nahyan (MbZ) told visiting Deputy CENTCOM Commander LTG John Abizaid 1/29 that the UAE is prepared to send forces to Kuwait in an Iraq contingency. Echoing Hamdan, MbZ said the first step would be for Kuwait -- under the umbrella of Peninsula Shield -- to request its GCC partners to send forces for its defense. MbZ said he would be calling Kuwait Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Fahd this evening (1/29) with that very suggestion and would tell his Kuwaiti counterpart that the UAE could send men and material within 24 hours if asked. MbZ noted that the UAE was willing to send its Land Forces and to provide air support, or in his words, "whatever it takes." He was fully aware of the Bahraini decision to deploy a frigate to Kuwait and noted that the UAE Navy has offered to send missile patrol boats as well. ¶3. (S) Comment: MbZ's offer is further evidence that the UAE is fully on board with our Iraq policy and recognizes the need for the Gulf states to become active partners. Using the umbrella of Peninsula Shield and the obligations inherent under the GCC's mutual defense pact is a clever tactic and shows just how willing the Emiratis are to think outside of the box as we move forward. MBZ said that it was not only the UAEG which would respond positively to a Kuwaiti request, noting that "if they (the Kuwaitis) ask, everyone in the GCC will have to respond positively." End Comment. WAHBA