Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MANAMA1596
2006-08-30 13:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Manama
Cable title:  

CROWN PRINCE STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF IDEAS IN WAR

Tags:  PREL PTER MARR MOPS ETRD BA REGION BILAT 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHMK #1596/01 2421314
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 301314Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5543
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 001596 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARP, PM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER MARR MOPS ETRD BA REGION BILAT
OFFICIALS
SUBJECT: CROWN PRINCE STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF IDEAS IN WAR
ON TERROR

REF: A. MANAMA 1574

B. MANAMA 1507

Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.

-------
Summary
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 001596

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARP, PM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER MARR MOPS ETRD BA REGION BILAT
OFFICIALS
SUBJECT: CROWN PRINCE STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF IDEAS IN WAR
ON TERROR

REF: A. MANAMA 1574

B. MANAMA 1507

Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.

--------------
Summary
--------------


1. (C) Crown Prince Shaikh Salman told the Ambassador August
29 that he was pleased with the August 1 implementation of
the U.S.-Bahrain free trade agreement (FTA). He proposed
that the Bahrain Navy join one of the coalition task forces
coordinated out of Bahrain, in particular CTF-150, which
operates outside the Straits of Hormuz. He welcomed adoption
of the new counter-terrorism law. Clearly taking the
opportunity to refine his message in anticipation of his
mid-September visit to Washington, the CP stressed the
importance of ideas in fighting terrorism. While not
discounting the impact of poor economic growth and lack of
transparency, he said the Arab-Israeli situation is the
"catalyst for conflict" in the region. The war in Lebanon
had propelled Nasrallah into becoming "the Che Guevara of the
Arab world." Rather than focusing on the use of force, the
United States should devote more diplomacy and energy to a
state-by-state approach to governments in the region. Iran
is doing a better job with diplomacy than the U.S. When the
United States addresses the fundamental concerns of the
Arabs, he said, it will be much easier for the Arabs to
support U.S. policy on Iran, including war. At this time,
the U.S. should focus on economic reform in the region. The
main threat is politicized Islam, which must be defeated.
End Summary.

--------------
FTA Launch Events
--------------


2. (C) The Ambassador opened his August 29 meeting with
Crown Prince Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa by
congratulating him on the August 1 implementation of the FTA.
The CP said he was very pleased the FTA was in effect,
saying it marked "a new chapter in our shared history." The
Ambassador noted that two FTA-related events would take place

on September 14: the inaugural meeting of the U.S.-Bahrain
Business Council in Washington, and the FTA launch conference
in Manama.

--------------
Bahraini Participation in Naval Task Force
--------------


3. (C) The CP said he had been speaking with his father King
Hamad about increasing cooperation with the United States on
the military side. They are interested in having the Bahrain
Navy participate in a coalition task force coordinated out of
Bahrain, possibly the anti-piracy task force outside the
Straits of Hormuz (CTF-150). The CP said he would be in
touch with Navcent about this idea.

--------------
New CT Legislation "A Good Law"
--------------


4. (C) The Crown Prince raised the recently passed
counter-terrorism law, calling it a good law (Ref B). In
response to the Ambassador's question, the CP said he thinks
the conspiracy article of the law (Article 18) will withstand
a constitutional challenge. The danger, he said, is in how
the conspiracy clause is used. It should not be employed
against youths who explode gas cylinders. But it could be
used against people with ties to Hizballah and Al Qaeda.

--------------
Fighting Terror with Force, Ideas
--------------


5. (C) Turning to the war on terror, Shaikh Salman said he
was very concerned about what was happening in the region.
He maintained that there are two ways to deal with terrorism:
using military force, or offering a better idea. Thus far,
the focus had been on the use of force. But several issues
are not being dealt with, in particular the Arab-Israeli
situation, which is "a catalyst for conflict." He does not
discount the impact of problems such as lack of economic

growth and transparency, and positive movement in certain
areas such as the Middle East Free Trade Area, stabilizing
Iraq and "not handing it over to Iran," and helping Turkey
combat Kurdish terrorism would all help. But the prime
issue, in his view, is the Arab-Israeli conflict.


6. (C) Shaikh Salman complained that Israel did not achieve
any of its objectives during the conflict in Lebanon, which
he described as degrading Hizballah's capabilities, getting
Nasrallah, isolating the Shia, and getting back its captured
soldiers. Hizballah, he said, has deep pockets, is driven by
ideology, and promotes the perception that it won. Weapons
corridors into Lebanon are still open and Iran continues its
programs there. Nasrallah is now seen as "the Che Guevara of
the Arab world." We are trying to combat this perception, he
said, but the way the Israelis withdrew from Lebanon made
this task harder.

--------------
More Energy to Diplomacy
--------------


7. (C) The Crown Prince said there may have been tactical
successes against extremists, but "we are losing the war."
The consequences of not addressing this challenge are
instability in the region and broader military conflict. He
suggested that the United States devote more diplomacy and
energy to a state-by-state approach to governments in the
region. There should be heavier engagement on issues the
Arabs think are important. Looking back into history, the CP
said that the allies beat Germany and Japan through war, with
60 million dead. But it beat the USSR through ideas.
American cultural output is also an important factor - "keep
Hollywood going," he said.


8. (C) Shaikh Salman warned that there should be no repeat
of the Hizballah action with Iran. Doing so would make
President Ahmadi-Nejad into a hero. The U.S. should focus on
isolating Iran, but Iran is doing better at diplomacy than
the United States. China and Russia "are far from the U.S.,
the Arabs are confused, and the next UK government will have
an anti-U.S. platform." This is not a comfortable position
for Bahrain. If Iran gets nuclear weapons, the international
community would have to move to deterrence. When the United
States addresses the fundamental concerns of the Arabs, it
will be much easier for the Arabs to support U.S. policy on
Iran, even a war. But when the Administration talks about
freedom, "it falls on deaf ears, people don't buy it."

--------------
Positive Regional Role Models
--------------


9. (C) The CP said the United States should do what it can
to ensure there are positive role models in the region. At
this time, it should put its focus on economic reform. For
example, Egypt is demonstrating strong economic growth
currently. If that country continues to prosper, it would
"remove 50 million people from the terror equation." The
main threat in Egypt and other countries is the rise of
politicized Islamic leaders. Syria is a good example. If
Bashar Al Asad were to go, the Muslim Brotherhood would run
the country. Imagine, he said, if Islamic regimes were in
charge of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt. Then the
United States and its allies would have to contemplate a real
war, total war. The concept of politicized Islam needs to be
defeated.

--------------
Comment
--------------


10. (C) Robust media coverage of the Ambassador's meetings
with the King (septel),Crown Prince, and Prime Minister (Ref
A) all in the same week sends a strong signal to Bahrain and
the region on the strength of the bilateral relationship,
undoubtedly the regime's intention. The CP was also clearly
refining his message in anticipation of his mid-September
visit to Washington, when he hopes to meet with the Vice
President and Secretary Rumsfeld.


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MONROE