Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04DJIBOUTI1127
2004-08-24 11:27:00
SECRET
Embassy Djibouti
Cable title:  

VISIT TO DJIBOUTI OF CODEL MILLER

Tags:  PREL DJ OREP 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
S E C R E T DJIBOUTI 001127 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2010
TAGS: PREL DJ OREP
SUBJECT: VISIT TO DJIBOUTI OF CODEL MILLER

Classified By: CDA: REGribbin for reasons 1.5 b&d



S E C R E T DJIBOUTI 001127

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2010
TAGS: PREL DJ OREP
SUBJECT: VISIT TO DJIBOUTI OF CODEL MILLER

Classified By: CDA: REGribbin for reasons 1.5 b&d




1. (SBU) Summary. Representatives Jeff Miller, John Boozman,
Tom Cole and Madeleine Bordallo spent six productive hours in
Djibouti on August 23. They left with a solid appreciation
of the situation in the country and region and of U.S.
undertakings here. End summary.


2. (SBU) The country team discussed U.S./Djibouti relations
with the codel stressing that the current excellent state of
ties is based on coinciding interests: that of the U.S. in
combating terrorism in the region and of Djibouti's
willingness - for a price - to be the platform for such a
presence. The representatives were pleased with the growing
depth of cooperation on the military front, but also with the
USG focus on economic and social issues, especially education
and health via USAID projects.


3. (SBU) The visitors toured Camp Lemonier, lunched with
constituents, and were briefed on CJTF-HOA's mission and
objectives in the region. The heat - about 120 degrees -
underscored the difficulty of living and working conditions
in the Horn of Africa. Certainly a highlight for
Representative Bordallo was the discovery of a whole company
of soldiers from Guam. General Helland and his staff
discussed various community development projects relating to
schools, wells and livestock in Yemen, Ethiopia and Kenya as
well as Djibouti in order to make the point that such
face-to-face encounters, done in the company of host country
counterparts, achieved the objective of presenting the U.S.
in a positive light. The delegation visited the primary
school at Doudah (near the base, but unfortunately located
near the city dump) that was renovated as part of Camp
Lemonier's Community outreach program.


4. (S) The representatives were also briefed on the nature of
the terrorist threat in the region, U.S. efforts to identify
it and cooperation with Djiboutian and other national
authorities in countering it. One of the visitors asked, at
least partially rhetorically, if such a US presence as
exemplified by the Camp generated or mitigated the threat? In
another comment, prior to the military briefing, another
representative expressed curiosity as to why the U.S. troops
were so separated from the local population. In light of
ongoing talk in Washington about intelligence
re-organization, Congressman Miller asked how CJTF-HOA intel
concerns might best be served. General Helland stated that as
a field commander he wanted to be able to task folks
accountable to him for intelligence products. He observed
that the existing system served that purpose well.


4. (SBU) Comment: The representatives were mostly in a
listening mode, but were clearly interested in learning more
about this far corner of the world and U.S. interests and
activities here.


5. (U) This message was drafted after the codel's departure
and was not cleared by them.
GRIBBIN