UAE ARMED FORCES COS ON IRAN, MISSILE DEFENSE,

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 002324

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR PM - JOHN HILLEN
DOD FOR PDUSD - RYAN HENRY AND ASD (P) - PETER RODMAN
NSC FOR MICHAEL DORAN
CENTCOM FOR J-5 ADM. MOELLER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2016
TAGS: PREL PARM MARR MASS MCAP IR IZ AF AE
SUBJECT: UAE ARMED FORCES COS ON IRAN, MISSILE DEFENSE,
AFGHANISTAN

REF: A. ABU DHABI 2285

B. ABU DHABI 1797

C. ABU DHABI 2129

ABU DHABI 00002324 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: AMBASSADOR MICHELE J. SISON, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (S) Summary: During a June 6 meeting with Ambassador, UAE
Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lt. General Hamad Mohamed Thani
al-Rumaithy sought broader engagement on the Gulf Security
Dialogue, particularly given the escalating tension
surrounding Iran. Al-Rumaithy, who requested the meeting,
characterized the Iranians as a "stubborn enemy." In a
related discussion on a concept for a regional missile
defense system, al-Rumaithy shared his views on the Patriot
Air and Missile Defense System and the Russians' S-300/400
system, noting his preference for a systems approach to air
defense. The Emiratis expect to continue to discussions on
the regional air defense concept at the U.S.-UAE Joint
Military Commission (JMC) in Washington June 21-22. COS
al-Rumaithy and Ambassador also discussed the UAE's proposal
to increase its troop presence in Afghanistan with a
1,000-man battle group. End Summary.


2. (U) The Armed Forces COS was accompanied by Major General
Saeed al-Rumaithy, UAE General Headquarters Chief of
Administration and Manpower, who will be leading the UAE
delegation to the second JMC, and Staff Col. Salem al-Ka'abi,
Director of the Office of the Chief of Staff. Embassy DATT,
USLO Chief, and Political Chief also attended.

Iran: The "Enemy" in the Neighborhood
--------------


3. (S) Armed Forces COS al-Rumaithy agreed with Ambassador
that the recent series of high-level visits from Washington
have helped enhance U.S.-UAE cooperation and the security
dialogue vis--vis Iran. "We believe we are dealing with a
very stubborn enemy," he asserted, referring to Iran. (Note:
This was the first time we have heard a senior UAEG official
refer to Iran as the "enemy," possibly reflecting a
sharpening of the Emirati leadership's concerns. End note.)
He went on to say, however, that "no one hates war more than
the soldiers." On Iran's nuclear program, al-Rumaithy said
he "never imagined Iran would have this capability." He
added that he was annoyed with Iran's meddling in both Iraqi
and Afghan internal affairs. "They are very active in
Afghanistan's Helmand Province, according to our knowledge,"
he said.

Dialogue on an Air Defense Concept
--------------


4. (S) In a related discussion on a regional air defense
concept, COS al-Rumaithy told Ambassador, "We need to have a
new era in our cooperation where we need to be more
transparent with each other." Ambassador agreed, adding, "We
face common threats."


5. (S) The Emiratis expect to continue discussions on the air
defense concept at the upcoming JMC. U.S.-UAE talks about
regional air defense to date have focused on ratcheting up
the U.S.-UAE security dialogue and exploring options for
countering Iran's ambitions in the region (ref C). "We
frankly would like to implement (a missile air defense
arrangement) for the benefit of both countries, regardless of
whether there is a crisis in the region," COS al-Rumaithy
told Ambassador.


6. (S) Ambassador acknowledged the need for GCC states to
discuss the concept among themselves "to see how we knit it
all together." The discussion turned to the types of air and
missile defense systems either already present on the Arabian
Peninsula, or that might become part of a future air defense
system, including the Patriot Air and Missile Defense System.
COS al-Rumaithy conceded that GCC considerations were the
reason "why we are not sure what we are going to say in the
JMC." He said the UAE favors some form of air defense system
for its strategic assets, but he also made clear that the UAE
cannot go it alone. "From a technical point of view, we need
the other GCC states to provide deterrence, a retaliation
capability, and coordination," he added. COS al-Rumaithy

ABU DHABI 00002324 002 OF 002


referred to the existing GCC fiber optic command and control
system, known in Arabic as "Hazam al-Taawun" (belt of
cooperation) as a capability that could be used in an air
defense systems approach. Ambassador reiterated that the
U.S. was interested in having a robust dialogue with both the
UAE and the GCC about this concept.


7. (S) Specifically on the Patriot system, Embassy DATT
reminded the COS that U.S. Army missile defense experts had
traveled to the UAE in April to conduct an air defense
assessment, and that six new Patriot Advanced Capability-3
emplacement locations had been identified (ref B) that would
be used to deter the Iranian missile threat and protect U.S.
military interest in the UAE. COS al-Rumaithy briefly noted
his country's pursuit of a second air defense system, the
Russian S-300 and its follow-on S-400 system, and he did not
rule out Patriot. He did, however, underscore the importance
of taking a systems view to air defense, including shared
early warning, deterrence, command and control, and
application of anti-missile technology. "You have to have
more than one way to retaliate," he said.

More UAE Troops to Afghanistan
--------------


8. (S) Ambassador seized the opportunity of the meeting to
follow up on Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed's May 17
proposal for a 1,000-man battle group for combat service in
Afghanistan. COS al-Rumaithy said the Armed Forces General
Headquarters has been working on the proposal for the past
three months and that there were still issues to be resolved,
including command and control. Ambassador expressed U.S.
interest in discussing the concept and offered U.S.
cooperation in developing an implementation plan.


9. (S) Noting that U.S. Central Command had asked the Embassy
to pursue the issue of additional UAE troops in Afghanistan,
Ambassador was able to glean the following from COS
al-Rumaithy:

-- UAE could operate under U.S. or NATO-ISAF, and al-Rumaithy
indicated they would prefer a US-command relationship due to
their 3-year experience alongside us in OEF, but he
acknowledged a possibility that they may be willing to
operate under NATO-ISAF;

-- UAE would need to assess strategic value of running a
"commando school," and the decision would rest with
leadership above COS al-Rumaithy;

-- There is political will to get UAE troops battle-hardened.
COS al-Rumaithy said the UAE may be a small country, but it
will do its best. "Putting soldiers in this environment
(Afghanistan) builds good experience," citing his own
experience in southern Lebanon in the 1970s.


10. (S) The UAE,s objective for Afghanistan is to help it
become a "normal" country again, COS al-Rumaithy told
Ambassador. Unlike Iraq, the average Afghan needs to eat, he
continued. "If all of us manage to let the simple Afghan see
some changes in his life, he will succeed." By comparison,
Iraq has become a "nesting area for terrorists."

Comment:
--------------


11. (S) This focus on Iran with Armed Forces COS al-Rumaithy
follows UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed's
comment to Ambassador June 4 that the Gulf Cooperation
Council Foreign Ministers would be reconvening on June 10 in
Riyadh to try to develop a common approach for dealing with
Iran (ref A). It also follows separate conversations
al-Rumaithy and UAE Air Force and Air Defense Commander Major
General Mohammed Sweidan al-Gamzi had on June 4 with CENTAF
Commander Lieutenant General Gary North, during which the
Emiratis sounded similar concerns regarding Iran and
suggested the prospect of additional ramp space for U.S.
aircraft at their air bases, which we believe is a sign that
UAE officials are focusing on the possibility of a military
option against Iran.
SISON