ASSISTANCE REQUEST FOR DEPLOYMENT ORDER

S E C R E T ROME 000009

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2013
TAGS: MOPS MARR PREL IT FORCES IN ITALY
SUBJECT: ASSISTANCE REQUEST FOR DEPLOYMENT ORDER

REF: A. A) MSG CJCS/311840Z DEC 02
SECRET

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B. B) ROME 6167

CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR THOMAS COUNTRYMAN
FOR REASONS 1.5(B)(D)


1. (S) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST. REFTEL A CONVEYS ORDERS
FOR DEPLOYMENT OF FORCES TO SIGONELLA, SICILY IN SUPPORT OF
OEF O/A JANUARY 9-14, AND REQUESTS ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING FROM
THE STATE DEPARTMENT, IN OBTAINING APPROVALS FROM HOST
NATIONS. THE DEPLOYMENT IS CLASSIFIED "SECRET/ORCON,
RELEASABLE TO THE MILITARY COALITION FOR OPERATIONS IN IRAQ
(MCFI)." NO DETAILS ARE PROVIDED REGARDING THE DEFINITION OF
THE MCFI. WE PRESUME, HOWEVER, THAT ITALY IS A MEMBER.


2. (S) POST FULLY SUPPORTS OPERATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS AND
WANTS TO KEEP THE LOWEST POSSIBLE PROFILE FOR AN OPERATION
THAT APPEARS LIKELY TO INVOLVE A NOTICEABLE INCREASE IN
MILITARY ACTIVITY AT AN ALREADY BUSY ITALIAN PORT (AUGUSTA
BAY). TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, AND TO ENSURE THE MOST EFFICIENT
AND EFFECTIVE COOPERATION FROM THE GOI, A LIMITED NUMBER OF
ITALIAN OFFICIALS WILL NEED TO BE INFORMED OF RELEVANT
DETAILS, SUCH AS THE LIKELY NUMBER OF PERSONNEL AND ASSETS
TRANSITING ITALY AND OTHER LOGISTICAL INFORMATION.


3. (S) ACTION REQUEST. POST REQUESTS A TEAR-LINE VERSION OF
THE DEPLOYMENT ORDER WITH SPECIFIC DETAILS THAT CAN BE
RELEASED TO SENIOR ITALIAN OFFICIALS INVOLVED IN CLEARING
DEPLOYMENT-RELATED ACTIVITIES OCCURRING IN ITALIAN TERRITORY.
"SPECIFIC DETAILS" INCLUDE HOW MANY U.S. FORCES AND HOW MUCH
ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT WILL TEMPORARILY BE PRESENT ON ITALIAN
SOIL. THE GOI WILL BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO ASSIST THE USG
SECRET

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WITH THIS OPERATION IF WE CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH THE
INFORMATION THEY NEED TO SUPPORT OUR ACTIVITIES. ON PREVIOUS
OCCASIONS, THE GOI HAS RESPONDED POSITIVELY TO USG REQUESTS
FOR SUPPORT WHEN WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRIEF THE DETAILS IN
ADVANCE (REFTEL B). POST UNDERSTANDS THE SENSITIVE NATURE OF
THIS DEPLOYMENT. IF SECURITY CONCERNS WARRANT, PLEASE SPECIFY
WHETHER THE BRIEFING SHOULD BE MADE ONLY/ONLY AT THE
APPROPRIATELY HIGH LEVELS OF THE GOI. PLEASE CLARIFY ALSO
WHETHER DEPLOYMENT SHOULD BE CHARACTERIZED TO THE GOI AS
OEF-RELATED (WHICH THE GOI UNDERSTANDS AS PERTAINING TO
AFGHANISTAN AND AL-QAEDA) OR AS AN IRAQ-RELATED CONTINGENCY.


4. (U) DAO ROME AND ODC ROME FULLY SUPPORT THIS ACTION
REQUEST.
SEMBLER

SECRET

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2003ROME00009 - Classification: SECRET