BAHRAIN SUPPORTS TROOP CONTRIBUTION TO IRAQ IN

S E C R E T MANAMA 001290 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/I, PM/RSAT, PMAT E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2014 TAGS: PREL OPDC MOPS MARR BA IZ SUBJECT: BAHRAIN SUPPORTS TROOP CONTRIBUTION TO IRAQ IN CONTEXT OF GCC DECISION REF: A. STATE 174644 ¶B. MANAMA 1228 (NOTAL) Classified by Charge D'Affaires Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Charge presented Ref A talking points on the U.S. thoughts on the Saudi proposal for Muslim troops to Iraq to Crown Prince (CP) Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa August 15 during a meeting that also covered joint counter-terrorism efforts, the security situation, and the U.S. global defense posture (septels). The CP is also the Commander of the Bahrain Defense Force (BDF). ¶2. (S) The Crown Prince asserted that Bahrain would contribute troops to a Muslim force for Iraq if there was a GCC decision to form such a force. Echoing previous comments by Foreign Minister Mohamed bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa to the Charge (Ref B),he continued that Bahrain would support the force once the political pieces fell into place. In response to the Charge's question, the CP said that Bahrain could not contribute troops independent of a GCC mission because the BDF was too small and could not provide the level of support necessary to carry out a mission in Iraq, specifically citing logistic and force protection requirements. He noted that Bahrain had dispatched forces to Kuwait at the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom at the request of the GOK, and the Kuwaitis had provided all the support these troops had needed. ¶3. (S) The Crown Prince raised an offer previously mentioned by King Hamad bin Issa Al-Khalifa in conversations with National Security Advisor Rice and Iraqi Prime Minister Allawi to deploy a naval vessel to provide protection along the Iraqi coastline. The CP highlighted that deployment of a ship is a stand-alone operation without the extensive support requirements that land-based troops would require. The GOB was waiting for a formal request from Iraq for the ship before proceeding with the deployment. ZIADEH