CONSEQUENCE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE FOR KUWAIT

S E C R E T KUWAIT 000363 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2016 TAGS: PREL MARR ETTC MCAP ENRG SENV KU IR SUBJECT: CONSEQUENCE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE FOR KUWAIT Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) This cable contains an action request, at para 3. ¶2. (S) In a January 21, 2006 meeting with General Abizaid, Kuwait's Army Chief of Staff General Fahad Al-Amir asked that USG provide Kuwait a wide range of training and technical capabilities to deal with emerging nuclear issues posed by Iran. He stated his concern about the potential for nuclear mishaps and Kuwait's ability to detect them, as well as potential nuclear weapon strikes. General Fahad asked for consequence management assistance and early warning capability, specifically an air defense warning system. ¶3. (S) Post's view is that while DoD may take the lead in providing the Kuwaitis with major components of this assistance, consequence management assistance for nuclear incidents should be an inter-agency effort by both the USG and the GOK. Coordination is the key component to consequence management, and Post recommends an inter-agency cleared response to GOK's assistance request. Post requests that the Department disseminate this message to other USG agencies involved in consequence management planning, and initiate a process that can provide Kuwait with response options derived from the whole of USG consequence management expertise. (FYI: OMC-K and ECON will continue to coordinate Embassy efforts.) LeBaron