Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ABUDHABI2194
2004-07-04 10:02:00
SECRET
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:  

DEPUTY CENTCOM COMMANDER DISCUSSES REGIONAL SITUATION WITH UAE ARMED FORCES DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF

Tags:  IZ MARR MASS MOPS PK PREL SA TC YM 
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Diana T Fritz 02/06/2007 05:25:40 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results

Cable 
Text: 
 
 
SECRET

SIPDIS
TELEGRAM July 04, 2004


To: No Action Addressee 

Action: Unknown 

From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 2194 - UNKNOWN) 

TAGS: PREL, MASS, MARR, MOPS 

Captions: None 

Subject: DEPUTY CENTCOM COMMANDER DISCUSSES REGIONAL SITUATION 
 WITH UAE ARMED FORCES DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF 

Ref: None 
_________________________________________________________________
S E C R E T ABU DHABI 02194

SIPDIS
CXABU:
 ACTION: POL 
 INFO: RSO AMB ECON DCM P/M DAO USLO 

DISSEMINATION: POL
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: CDA:RAALBRIGHT
DRAFTED: POL:JFMAYBURY
CLEARED: USLO:MSCHWAN

VZCZCADI864
OO RUEHC RUCAACC RUEAHQA RUEKJCS RUEOMFD RUEAHQA
RUCNRAQ RHEHNSC RUEAIIA RHEFDIA RUEKJCS RUCJACC RUCQSOC RHMFISS
RHRMDAB RHMFISS
DE RUEHAD #2194/01 1861002
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 041002Z JUL 04
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4959
INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUCAACC/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAHQA/HQ USAF WASHINGTON DC//CSAF/SECAF//
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//OSD/NESA/ISA//
RUEOMFD/USCENTAF SHAW AFB SC//CC//
RUEAHQA/OSAF WASHDC//IA/IAR//
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J2//
RUCJACC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCJ2/CCJ4/CCJ5//
RUCQSOC/USCINCSOC MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/COMUSCENTAF SHAW AFB SC
RHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT //N2//
RHMFISS/HQ COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTH BAGHDAD
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 ABU DHABI 002194 

SIPDIS

SECAF FOR DR ROCHE, CSAF FOR GENERALS JUMPER AND
MOSELEY AND USCENTAF FOR LTG BUCHANAN
STATE FOR D, PM, NEA/NGA, NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2014
TAGS: PREL, MASS, MARR, MOPS, IZ, SA, PK, YM, TC
SUBJECT: DEPUTY CENTCOM COMMANDER DISCUSSES
REGIONAL SITUATION WITH UAE ARMED FORCES DEPUTY
CHIEF OF STAFF

Ref: (A) Abu Dhabi 2113 (B) Abu Dhabi 1157

Classified by Richard A. Albright, Charge
d'Affaires, a.i., reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 ABU DHABI 002194

SIPDIS

SECAF FOR DR ROCHE, CSAF FOR GENERALS JUMPER AND
MOSELEY AND USCENTAF FOR LTG BUCHANAN
STATE FOR D, PM, NEA/NGA, NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2014
TAGS: PREL, MASS, MARR, MOPS, IZ, SA, PK, YM, TC
SUBJECT: DEPUTY CENTCOM COMMANDER DISCUSSES
REGIONAL SITUATION WITH UAE ARMED FORCES DEPUTY
CHIEF OF STAFF

Ref: (A) Abu Dhabi 2113 (B) Abu Dhabi 1157

Classified by Richard A. Albright, Charge
d'Affaires, a.i., reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).

1. (S) Summary: CENTCOM Deputy Commander
Lieutenant General Lance Smith on June 28
discussed security and the transition to
sovereignty in Iraq, the deteriorating situation
in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan's efforts to combat
foreign fighters, and the UAE's request for an
armed Predator, with UAE Armed Forces Deputy
Chief of Staff Staff Major General Hamad Thani
Al-Rumaithy in Abu Dhabi. The two sides also
agreed to meet later this summer to review UAE
concerns with the proposed Proliferation Security
Initiative (PSI) Shipboarding Agreement. End
Summary.

2. (U) The Charge, USLO Deputy, and Polchief
(notetaker) attended. Hamad Thani was
accompanied by GHQ Special Advisor Jack
McGuinness.

Iraq
--------------

3. (S) In a broad review of developments in Iraq,
Hamad Thani and Smith discussed the new Iraqi
leadership's capabilities, ongoing security
problems, and the influence of foreign fighters.
Iraqis can be unpredictable, making it difficult
for outsiders to know what will happen next,
Hamad Thani said. He agreed with Smith that the
new Iraqi president and prime minister have
strong qualities that should allow them to govern
during the six-month interim period leading up to
the elections. Hamad Thani made the point that
it will be important to see the positive impact
of sovereign governance and decision-making on
the Iraqi street. "The world community wants to
see something positive in Iraq," he said.

4. (S) Smith said the US would appreciate the
UAE's continued vocal support for the new Iraq.
"We all have to make sure it's a successful
government." Smith said the US would like to
see an Iraq that cooperates with its neighbors,
and refrains from developing or using Weapons of
Mass Destruction. He noted that Iraq has
considerable natural wealth, not to mention $
18
billion of U.S. aid. "If they (Iraqis) can use
that for reconstruction and get moving, we will
leave and they will have a great future."

5. (S) Hamad Thani thanked the U.S. for what it
is doing in Iraq and said that all are looking
forward to a stable region. He said there had
been seven wars fought in the region since 1948.
The Arab-Israeli conflict had generated more
instability, and he viewed that as the greatest
source of the region's problems. There is a need
for a gradual transition period, he said. Hamad
Thani said it took him 10 years to fully accept
that Israelis and Palestinians had to co-exist.
"People are not sane. We have had enough wars;
we need to get the problem solved as the world is
getting smaller." He said there are many global
issues, such as pollution, that require our
attention as well.

6. (S) Smith said that despite the unacceptable
levels of violence, there were some encouraging
developments on the security front. The Iraqi
forces are in the process of establishing a
complete chain of command from the field to the
CHOD. Iraq was bringing back members of the old
armed forces (those without blood on their hands)
to lend their experience to the new security
forces, changes that Hamad Thani supported.
Smith cited the new Iraqi National Guard that
will report to a chain of command that is
entirely Iraqi.

7. (S) Hamad Thani asked Smith what role he
thought Moqtada Al-Sadr might play. Smith
responded that the coalition and the Iraqi
Security Forces are working to neutralize Sadr's
Militia and that we understand that Sadr will
continue to create problems if he is not included
in the political process. Hamad Thani was
skeptical that Sadr's militia would hand in their
weapons. Hamad Thani also inquired about whom
might be supporting militant Mussab Al-Zarqawi.
Smith replied that Zarqawi was his own man with
his own network and ideas, likely not working
directly for Osama bin Laden. However, he has
recruited followers of Ansar-al-Islam and has
been able to count on the cooperation of former
Saddam elements. Zarqawi brings leadership to
disparate elements in the region, Smith said.
Smith said countering this insurgency is
difficult because there are so many weapons in
Iraq. Hamad Thani stated that many of the
weapons seized in the Straits of Hormuz had
originated in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia
--------------

8. (S) Hamad Thani said he shared Smith's concern
about Saudi Arabia's battle against militant
extremists. The phenomenon, he said, will take
time to uproot. He was critical of the Saudis
for not listening to warnings about extremist
violence, and for acting late to prevent the
violence. Hamad Thani said the UAEG believes
that if the Saudi regime were to collapse, the
repercussions for the region would be enormous.
Smith questioned whether Bahrain and Kuwait might
be waiting too long to respond to their
respective extremist problems, but Hamad Thani
said he was not as worried about Bahrain.

Pakistan
--------------

9. (S) Both sides agreed about the strategic
importance of Pakistan in the region and
acknowledged President Musharraf's uphill
struggle to modernize Pakistani society. Hamad
Thani credited Pakistan's ability to stave off
extremism to Musharraf's strong leadership, his
background as a soldier, and the strong tradition
of his armed forces. He said that Western
democracy will not work in Pakistan. The
Pakistanis need a strong leader, but not a
criminal like Saddam Hussein. Hamad Thani noted
the difficulties Musharraf and the central
government face in regions, such as Balushistan
and the northwest region along the Pakistan-
Afghanistan border, where they have no authority.
Smith said Musharraf is having an effect
combating foreign fighters like Al-Qaida in
Pakistan, and added that Musharraf will continue
engaging those fighters with or without the
cooperation of Pakistan's tribal leaders.
Predator
--------------
10. (S) Hamad Thani and Smith reviewed the
discussion between Abu Dhabi Deputy Crown Prince
and UAE Armed Forces Chief of Staff Shaykh
Mohamed bin Zayed (MbZ) had had with Brigadier
General Yaggi, Director of Regional Affairs for
the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for
International Affairs, a day earlier (ref A) on
the UAE's request for an armed Predator. Hamad
Thani said that MbZ had told him he was baffled
that the USG could sell F-16 Block 60s to the UAE
and refuse to release an armed Predator. "This
issue is disappointing to the UAE, though we
understand the circumstances," he said. He said
the UAE is in the process of studying other UAV
options, including producing its own (in
partnership with foreign companies),although he
acknowledged that the Predator's capability is
superior. Smith said he would convey the UAEG's
views.

PSI Shipboarding Agreement
--------------

11. (C) Hamad Thani provided an update on the
status of his government's review of a proposed
PSI Shipboarding Agreement, which Post had raised
with MbZ last April (ref B). He said that a
defense committee at the armed forces GHQ had
been studying the agreement and had some
concerns, but no objections. One concern their
military lawyers had was whether the U.S. could
board a UAE-flagged vessel after a certain
interval of time without obtaining the UAEG's
approval in advance. The Charge said the
agreement addresses the consultation process.
Hamad Thani acknowledged that when two countries
reach the level of cooperation that the U.S. and
the UAE enjoy, there are situations where it may
be necessary to take immediate action when time
is of the essence.

12. (C) Hamad Thani said the Ministries of
Justice and Foreign Affairs are reviewing the PSI
agreement as well. It was agreed that Post would
follow up with the GHQ's point person on the PSI
Shipboarding Agreement after he returns to the
country in mid-July. Hamad Thani said that MbZ
had told him to do his best to make the agreement
work. "Eventually, all these agreements must
comply with international law," he said. It is
important that the two sides work out the legal
details.

13. (U) This message was cleared by Lt Gen Smith.

14. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.
ALBRIGHT