SAADA-RELATED MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO CENTRAL

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 000935

SIPDIS

PLEASE PASS TO NEA ALAN MISENHEIMER, NSC FRANCIS TOWNSEND
AND ELLIOT ABRAMS, DOD ASD/ISA PETER W. RODMAN
FROM THE AMBASSADOR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER MARR MOPS PINR YM COUNTER TERRORISM
SUBJECT: SAADA-RELATED MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO CENTRAL
SECURITY FORCES CT UNIT

Classified By: Ambassador Thomas C. Krajeski for reasons 1.4 b and d.


1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: PRESIDENT SALIH URGENTLY REQUESTS
MATERIAL ASSISTANCE FOR HIS SECURITY FORCES CURRENTLY ENGAGED
WITH AL-HOUTHI INSURGENTS. THE LIST OF REQUIREMENTS PROVIDED
BY MINISTER OF INTERIOR, MAJOR GENERAL ALIMI (SEPTEL) ON 9
APRIL 05 SHOULD BECOME THE STARTING POINT FOR YEMEN
ASSISTANCE DISCUSSIONS BY INTER-AGENCY OFFICIALS MEETING IN
WASHINGTON D.C., U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND, AND CJTF-HOA .
EMBASSY SANA'A COUNTRY TEAM HAS ASSESSED AND PRIORITIZED
ALIMI'S REQUESTED ITEMS, AND NOW REQUESTS POLICY GUIDANCE AND
EXPEDITIOUS HANDLING BY ALL CONCERNED. MEDICAL SUPPLIES, 2-3
ARMORED HMMWVS, AND NIGHT VISION DEVICES SHOULD BE PROVIDED
IMMEDIATELY IF POSSIBLE.


2. (S/NF) MEDICAL SUPPLIES: MEDICAL SUPPLIES SHOULD BE
FIRST PRIORITY DELIVERABLES TO YEMEN SECURITY FORCES. RAPID
DELIVERY OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES DEMONSTRATES U.S. COMMITMENT AND
CONCERN FOR THE SITUATION FACING PRESIDENT SALIH IN THIS
EMERGENCY.


3. (S/NF) ARMORED HIGH MULTI-PURPOSE VEHICLES (ARMORED
HMMWVS): CENTRAL SECURITY FORCE COUNTER TERRORISM UNIT
(CSF-CTU) URGENTLY REQUESTS WHEELED ARMORED VEHICLES WITH
WEAPON MOUNTS IN ORDER TO ENGAGE AL-HOUTHI INSURGENTS IN
VICINITY OF SAADA WHERE YEMENI ARMORED VEHICLES HAVE HAD A
DIFFICULT TIME OPERATING IN THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. CSF-CTU
CURRENTLY HAS TWENTY (20) M-1025/1026 ARMORED HMMWVS ON ORDER
THROUGH PSEUDO FMF CASE S4-B-AUA. WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND
EXPEDITING THE ACQUISITION AND SHIPMENT OR SUBSTITUTION OF
IN-THEATER STOCK OF TWO TO FOUR OF THESE HMMWVS TO FILL THE
IMMEDIATE REQUIREMENT. ADDITIONALLY, YEMEN GOVERNMENT IS
REQUESTING ONE COMMAND/OPERATIONS VEHICLE FOR COMMAND AND
CONTROL. AS WITH THE ARMORED HMMWVS TWO COMMAND AND CONTROL
CONFIGURED AMBULANCE HMMWVS ARE ON ORDER THROUGH THE PSEUDO
CASE. RECOMMEND EXPEDITING ACQUISITION AND SHIPMENT OF ONE OF
THESE VEHICLES FOR THE REQUIREMENT.


4. (S/NF) NIGHT VISION DEVICES (NVDS): THIRD PRIORITY ARE
THERMAL SIGHTS (AN/PVS-13) FOR NIGHT TIME SURVEILLANCE AND
RECONNAISSANCE OF INSURGENT POSITIONS AND TWELVE NIGHT VISION
SCOPES (AN/PVS-10) FOR SNIPER RIFLES FOR THE CONDUCT OF
TARGET INTERDICTION. CURRENTLY YEMENI SECURITY FORCES HAVE
NO LONG RANGE NIGHT TIME SURVEILLANCE CAPABILITY HINDERING
THEIR ABILITY TO FIGHT AT NIGHT AND ALLOWING INSURGENT FORCES
TO EVADE GOVERNMENT FORCES.


5. (S/NF) WEAPONS:

(A) TWELVE EACH M-24 SNIPER SYSTEMS FOR TARGET
INTERDICTION. WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT TRANSFER OF AR-10T
SNIPER SYSTEMS GRANTED UNDER ATA PROGRAM FROM *** FORCE TO
CSF-CTU HOWEVER THIS IS ONLY AN INTERIM FIX.

(B) ANY QUANTITY OF GRENADE LAUNCHERS WITH
COMPATIBLE AMMUNITION FOR USE AGAINST INSURGENT FORCES IN
CAVES AND ON MOUNTAIN/HILLTOPS. RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE FOR
RAIL COMPATIBLE M-203 SYSTEMS WITH HIGH EXPLOSIVE (HE) AND
HIGH EXPLOSIVE DUAL PURPOSE ROUNDS.

(C) ANY QUANTITY OF M-240 MACHINE GUNS WITH
COMPATIBLE AMMUNITION. RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE FOR AT LEAST
TWO TO FOUR OF THESE MACHINE GUNS COME WITH VEHICLE MOUNTS.
M-60 MACHINE GUNS FROM EXCESS DEFENSE ARTICLES (EDA) WOULD BE
AN ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTE. THESE ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE FIRE
SUPPORT AND SUPPRESSIVE FIRE IN SUPPORT OF CSF-CTU DIRECT
ACTION MISSIONS.

(D) ONE MAN-PORTABLE ANTI-ARMOR WEAPONS SYSTEM
WITH ONE KILOMETER STAND OFF TO DESTROY BUNKERS AND HARDENED
POSITIONS. RECOMMEND RECOILLESS RIFLE TYPE SYSTEM LIKE CARL
GUSTAV WITH ANTI-ARMOR, HIGH EXPLOSIVES, AND ANTI-PERSONNEL
ROUNDS.


6. (S/NF) NON-LETHAL RIOT CONTROL GAS CANISTERS AND
LAUNCHERS. THESE ITEMS WOULD BE USED TO FLUSH INSURGENTS OUT
OF BUILDINGS AND CAVES. RECOMMENDATION THAT THESE ITEMS IF
AVAILABLE AND APPROVED, BE PROVIDED UNDER STATE DEPARTMENT
ATA PROGRAM.


7. (S/NF) ARMORED VEHICLES:

(A) THIRTY ONE ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS
(M-113); WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THE YEMENI GOVERNMENT
TRANSFER EXISTING M-113'S AND/OR BTR-60'S FROM MINISTRY OF
DEFENSE TO MINISTRY OF INTERIOR. IF WE WERE TO TRANSFER U.S.
M-113'S, WE WOULD NEED EXPEDITED CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL UNDER
THE ARMS EXPORT CONTROL ACT. WE SHOULD THEREFORE INVESTIGATE
AN EXPEDITED FMF CASE FOR SPARE PARTS. COUNTRY TEAM IS
PREPARED TO EXPLAIN THAT THESE VEHICLES ARE NOT CURRENTLY
AVAILABLE, AND ARE LONG LEAD-TIME ITEMS AND THAT
SUBSTITUTION/CROSS-LEVELLING WITHIN YEMEN SECURITY FORCES IS
THE IMMEDIATE SOLUTION.

(B) ONE ARMORED RECOVERY VEHICLE: AS WITH APC's
WE ARE RECOMMENDING TRANSFER OF EXISTING VEHICLES FROM
MINISTRY OF DEFENSE TO MINISTRY OF INTERIOR.

(C) ONE ARMORED MOBILE OPERATIONS CENTER:
RECOMMEND USING EXISTING M-113 OR BTR-60 AND ASSISTING YEMENI
GOVERNMENT IN CONVERSION FOR COMMAND AND CONTROL.


8. (S/NF) CAMERA CAPABLE OF TRANSMITTING LIVE DIGITAL FEED
VIA SATELLITE OR RADIO TO HEADQUARTERS OR BASE STATION.
RECOMMEND THAT WE ENCOURAGE YEMEN SECURITY FORCES MAKE
MAXIMUM USE OF THEIR ON-HAND VIDEO RECORDING EQUIPMENT, AND
HELICOPTER COURIER IN ORDER TO FULFILL THIS REQUIREMENT.

KRAJESKI