Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05SANSALVADOR2144
2005-07-29 15:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy San Salvador
Cable title:  

EL SALVADOR: LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY APPROVES IRAQ DEPLOYMENT EXTENSION

Tags:  PGOV PREL MARR IZ ES 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SAN SALVADOR 002144 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR IZ ES
SUBJECT: EL SALVADOR: LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY APPROVES IRAQ DEPLOYMENT EXTENSION

REF: A. 2003 SAN SALVADOR 1885

B. 2004 SAN SALVADOR 2049

C. SAN SALVADOR 283

Classified By: Acting DCM Mark Silverman, Reason 1.4 (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SAN SALVADOR 002144

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR IZ ES
SUBJECT: EL SALVADOR: LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY APPROVES IRAQ DEPLOYMENT EXTENSION

REF: A. 2003 SAN SALVADOR 1885

B. 2004 SAN SALVADOR 2049

C. SAN SALVADOR 283

Classified By: Acting DCM Mark Silverman, Reason 1.4 (d)


1. (SBU) El Salvador's Legislative Assembly voted late July 28 to extend troop deployment to Iraq for an additional year. The vote provides the legal basis for the planned August 11 departure of the fifth contingent of 380 troops, and would cover a sixth contingent, should President Saca decide to keep Salvadoran troops in Iraq through Summer 2007. Forty-five ARENA, PCN, and PDC deputies voted to approve the one-year deployment, while 27 FMLN and 12 deputies from a recently-formed center coalition voted against the measure.


2. (SBU) Legislative Assembly authorization first passed in July 2003(Ref A),was renewed in July 2004, and now has been renewed for an additional year. As with the July 2004 extension renewal (Ref B),the Assembly President took legislative measures to limit debate on the vote in order to avoid costly criticism from the FMLN and other opponents in the lead-up to the 2006 legislative and municipal elections. The unpopularity of the deployment among certain parts of the population was a significant concern of the Government, as previous polls have shown that up to 60% of the population opposes the deployment (Ref C).


3. (SBU) El Salvador initially deployed troops in August 2003 and since then four contingents have served with distinction. Between August 2003 and September 2004 Salvadoran soldiers served in Najaf under Polish command in the Multinational Division (MND). The Salvadorans suffered major blows during the April 2004 Najaf uprisings when 15 soldiers were wounded, and one killed. In September 2004, for operational reasons, the Salvadoran contingent was moved to Al Hillah (still under the command and control of the Polish MND). In addition to Special Forces, Marine and
Commando elements, the third and fourth contingents have been task-organized with conventional forces such as civil affairs, doctors, engineers, and military poilce. On November 12, 2004, Secretary Rumsfeld visited El Salvador and awarded six Bronze Stars to the Salvadoran security detail charged with protecting the Najaf CPA and credited with saving the CPA's life and the lives of his party during an ambush in March 2004. El Salvador suffered a second fatality on June 27, 2005, this time due to a traffic accident.


4. (C) COMMENT: Although the deployment was anticipated to take place without difficulty, Saca's seeking and receiving Legislative Assembly approval reduces the administration's vulnerability. However, for the original July 2003 authorization and the July 2004 extension, Saca enjoyed some center-party support, which has now disappeared. Maintaining troops in Iraq comes with political cost to President Saca and his ARENA party, should additional casualties occur in the lead-up to the 2006 legislative and municipal elections, public support for the deployment would deteriorate further, and Saca and the Arena party's popularity would be marginally affected. This said, President Saca enjoys high ratings in most other respects and has decided that supporting the Iraq coalition is important enough to bear the risks.
Barclay