(SBU) CJCS DISCUSSES IRAQ PRIME MINISTER AND

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 001402

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/FO, PM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2014
TAGS: MARR PREL ASEC IZ KU
SUBJECT: (SBU) CJCS DISCUSSES IRAQ PRIME MINISTER AND
MINISTER OF DEFENSE

Classified By: CDA FRANK C. URBANCIC, FOR REASONS 1.4 (A, B)


1. (S) SUMMARY: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General
Richard B. Myers discussed the current situation in Iraq with
the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense April 14.
Prime Minister Shaykh Sabah emphasized that Kuwait's support
for Coalition efforts in Iraq would continue. General Myers
contrasted the current situation in Fallujah and the problems
dealing with radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. He said
the military situation in Fallujah has been exacerbated by
foreign fighters flocking into the city. He explained that
al-Sadr's actions has been marginalized and his militia
devalued in many areas.

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(U) "A GREAT PARTNERSHIP"
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2. (C) At the outset of their April 14 meeting at the Prime
Minister's residence, General Richard B. Myers, Chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS),thanked Prime Minister
Shaykh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jabir Al-Sabah and Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister of Defense Shaykh Jabir al-Mubarak
al-Hamad Al-Sabah for Kuwait's support and termed the USG-GOK
relationship "a great partnership."


3. (C) Shaykh Sabah replied, commenting warmly on his
September visit to the United States and his meetings with
President Bush and other senior officials. He added that the
relationship was very firm and that Kuwait was "extremely
committed" to making the relationship work. He then
solicited General Myers' views on the "realities in Iraq."


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(U) STAYING THE COURSE
--------------


4. (C) Referencing President Bush's 4/13 press conference,
General Myers emphasized that the timetable for transfer of
sovereignty is firm. He explained that military plans for
future troop deployment to Iraq include requesting the same
number of troops as now. But he added, hopefully fewer
troops will be needed. He went on to outline the new
Coalition military command structure for Iraq, of which the
Iraqis will be an integral part.


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(U) UNITED NATIONS
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5. (C) General Myers acknowledged the Prime Minister's
recommendation of an expanded role for the United Nations.
He said that despite certain media reports, the UN now
appears to play a more serious role there. Shaykh Sabah
concurred, saying that Kuwait believes the UN could be very
helpful before June 30.


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(S) GOING AFTER AL-SADR
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6. (S) General Myers articulated the Coalition's case against
radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, explaining that the
power of al-Sadr has become "further marginalized" by his
actions which are beginning to alienate key constituencies
inside Iraq including other Shiite leaders and the Kurds. He
described al-Sadr's noticeably uncooperative attitude during
recent meetings with members of Iraq's Governing Council
(IGC) and his defiant attitude toward other clerics. He went
on to say that recent attacks against al-Sadr's Jaysh
al-Mahdi militia have severely reduced their military
effectiveness; al-Sadr is now surrounded in Al-Najaf. The
CJCS stated that one day the Iraqis will bring al-Sadr to
justice, but added, "How do you do that without causing a lot
of casualties?" Alluding to previous discussions with the
CJTF-7 commander LTG Sanchez, which weighed offensive
operations options against al-Sadr using Iraqi troops only, a
combination of Iraqi and Coalition troops, or Coalition
troops alone, General Myers stated that despite the
possibility of a backlash by the local populace, Coalition
forces are prepared, if necessary, to go after al-Sadr alone.


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(S) FIRESTORM IN FALLUJAH
--------------

7. (S) General Myers briefly described the recent military
operations in Fallujah, wondering whether the current
difficulties in Fallujah could have been mitigated if the
Coalition had used the IGC or the tribal council system
immediately after the cessation of major military operations
in the region last year. Shaykh Sabah agreed with his
assessment, he mentioned reports two Kuwaitis may have been
killed during the recent fighting in Fallujah.


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(S) IRAN, SYRIA, SAUDI ARABIA
--------------


8. (S) The Prime Minister said that Iran continues to
interfere in Iraq not out of concern for the Iraqis, but as a
way of damaging the United States' reputation in Iraq and
elsewhere in the region. He said that the Iranian government
has given USD 80 million to al-Sadr. He said, "We know that
there are many Saudis in Fallujah. We have heard from Syria
that about 1,000 Saudis recently crossed the Syrian border
into Iraq. Of course, the Syrian government did not tell us
that, but we were informed by the Syrian tribes in the area.
We naturally on-passed this information to you." General
Myers agreed with Shaykh Sabah's assessment of Iran.


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(S) AL-JAZEERA
--------------


9. (S) Shaykh Sabah warned General Myers that the long
history of biased reporting of the Al-Jazeera television
station would continue to cause problems for the Coalition.
General Myers acknowledged the problem, but told Shaykh Sabah
that repeated meetings between USG officials and Al-Jazeera
representatives yield little results. Shaykh Sabah
facetiously inquired in English if launching a missile at the
television station would help.


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(S) "CLOSEST TO THE FIRE"
--------------


10. (S) GOK's Minister of Defense Shaykh Jabir expressed the
GOK's desire to be kept better informed about the situation
in Iraq, commenting that as friends of the USG, "We do not
wish to hear things from others before we hear it from you."
General Myers quickly agreed that it was important that the
USG keep Kuwait informed and that the USG needed to do a
better job of it. He added that the monthly OSD allied
briefings would be conducted weekly from now on. Shaykh
Jabir thanked General Myers for these comments adding, "We
are closest to the fire. We need to know first." The
meeting concluded by Shaykh Sabah stating that he wished the
USG continued success in Iraq; he commented in English that
Kuwait's support for Coalition efforts in Iraq will continue.


11. (S) COMMENT: This meeting, the first between General
Myers and the Prime Minister was perhaps as important for
what was said as what was not. AIK fuel was not raised by
either side. Neither was the issue of Kuwaiti nationals held
at Guantanamo. The GOK realizes how delicate the situation
is now in Iraq and does not wish to give any appearance of
impeding us at this critical juncture, mindful that, as we
often hear from Kuwaitis, in and out of government,"your
success in Iraq is our success."


12. (U) The Chairman did not have a chance to clear this
cable.
URBANCIC