US CENTCOM COMMANDER FALLON MEETS WITH AMIR AND

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001457 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 2017 TAGS: IR IZ KU MARR PGOV PM PREL SUBJECT: US CENTCOM COMMANDER FALLON MEETS WITH AMIR AND SENIOR GOK OFFICIALS REF: KUWAIT 500 Classified By: CDA Misenheimer for reasons 1.4 b, d and h ¶1. (S) Summary. On September 24, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander, Admiral William J. Fallon discussed the issues of Iraq, Iran, and Kuwaiti Guantanamo detainees with the Amir of Kuwait, the Crown Prince, the Prime Minister, Defense Minister and Armed Forces Chief of Staff. The Government of Kuwait (GOK) message on Iraq was one of support for U.S. and Iraqi efforts to continue working with tribal leaders to assume political leadership in Iraq. The GOK reiterated GCC policy that Iran has a right to pursue non-military use of nuclear energy, but the region must remain free of WMDs. The Amir spoke of his concern regarding the four remaining Kuwaiti detainees in Guantanamo and expressed Kuwaiti determination to continue pursuing their release. End summary. Meeting with Kuwaiti leadership -------------- ¶2. (U) On September 24, U.S. CENTCOM Commander Admiral Fallon, accompanied by Charg d'Affaires, ARCENT Commander and Office of Military Cooperation-Kuwait (OMC-K) Chief, met in separate meetings with Kuwaiti Amir Shaykh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah, Prime Minister Shaykh Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al Sabah, and Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Fahad Al-Amir. Crown Prince Shaykh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah and Defense Minister Shaykh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al Sabah attended the meetings, but provided no comment. Iraq: It's up to the Iraqis -------------- ¶3. (S) The Amir told Admiral Fallon that the situation in the Gulf region is "abnormal" and welcomed the chance to consult with USG and regional leaders to discuss issues of concern. He said that Iraqis must come to realize that the country that they are destroying is their own and the people that they are killing are themselves. The Amir praised the recent success of USG efforts to reach out to tribal leaders and mentioned that real reconciliation lies in the hands of these leaders. He added that he spoke to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki recently and advised him to reach out to Sunnis, noting that Iraqis should embrace the notion of a new Iraq, not sectarianism. ¶4. (S) The Amir told the Admiral that he supports the USG effort in Iraq, but advised that U.S. forces be stationed outside of Iraqi cities. This, he clarified, would enable the Coalition to respond militarily as needed to crises and to continue the training of Iraqi forces, while allowing the Iraqis to govern themselves. Saddam,s legacy -------------- ¶5. (S) Like the Amir, the PM called for the end to the sectarianism in Iraq, and said that unity is vital for Iraq. He added that no one can solve the problems in Iraq but the Iraqis. He blamed the woes of the country on Saddam, who, in his opinion, made the Iraqis dependent on his handouts. Tribalism in Iraq -------------- ¶6. (S) The PM commented positively on the growing leadership assumed by tribal leaders in Iraq. He said the tribal leaders are "good, generous and wise people," and have played significant roles in Iraq's history. According to the PM, much of Saddam,s early success in attaining power can be attributed to his exploitation of tribal alliances. He added that Saddam essentially bought tribal loyalty to aid him in his rise to power and then later turned viciously on the leaders. He advised Admiral Fallon to continue to gain the confidence of the tribes and work with them to shape the leadership in Iraq. He added that among Kuwait's greatest fears is the answer to the question of who will replace the British in the south. He predicted that the Iraqi forces will be too weak or divided and that the vacuum will lead to power grabbing by the four to five militias already active in the region. And this, he added, will likely result in a KUWAIT 00001457 002 OF 002 major spillover into Kuwait in terms of refugees or the export of violence. GITMO Detainees -------------- ¶7. (S) The Amir was cordial during the meeting, but became more forceful when he tabled the topic of the four remaining Kuwaiti Guantanamo detainees. He recalled that he had written two letters assuring the USG that the GOK would take all necessary precautions to ensure that, upon their release, the detainees would be monitored and kept under comprehensive surveillance. He said Kuwaitis are wondering about the fate of these men and questioning why they are still being detained while nationals from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and other regional neighbors have been released. He added that "It is our responsibility to deal with Kuwaitis," and that the GOK would not allow these individuals to harm U.S. interests. He promised to continue to push for their release. The Admiral responded that this issue was sensitive and complicated, and would continue to be worked from Washington. The Charg added that the USG has specific concerns about the contacts and movements of previously transferred Kuwaiti detainees, and that such concerns would have to be addressed conclusively before the remaining four could be transferred. GCC to be nuclear free -------------- ¶8. (S) The Amir told the Admiral that Kuwait has an excellent relationship with Iran and reiterated the GCC policy that all countries have the right to pursue nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. He confirmed that the GOK was also in accordance with GCC policy that the region should be WMD-free. The PM said that Afghanistan's President Karzai told him that Ahmadi-Nejad seemed to relish his course of isolation vice cooperation. He added that the GOK wants to maintain a dialogue with Iran. Both the Amir and PM set up North Korea as a model of diplomatic success in terms of achieving the abandonment of WMD ambitions. The Admiral stressed the significance of pressure applied by North Korea's neighbors, urging that the GCC states adopt a similar policy toward Iran. Kuwait would suffer collateral damage -------------- ¶9. (S) The Amir called for diplomacy to take its course and stated that Kuwait does not support a war with Iran unless it is unavoidable. The Amir expressed his concern that one of the primary military targets, in the event of military escalation, would be the Bushehr nuclear reactor facility. He stressed that this facility is less than 200 kilometers from the Kuwaiti border, and any fallout from damage to this facility would result in an environmental disaster in the fresh water supply to Kuwait and throughout the Gulf. Iranian use of F5E jets -------------- ¶10. (S) The PM asked Admiral Fallon's view of Iran's announcement that it had developed a "new" fighter aircraft--one clearly similar to the old F5E. Noting that the F5E is a 60s vintage craft and that Iran has endured years of military equipment embargoes, he wondered how and where Iran was getting the parts to service and maintain the craft. The PM also showed a great deal of interest in Admiral Fallon's descriptions of the Iranian-designed IEDs being used to target American soldiers in Iraq, and echoed U.S. concerns over Iranian infiltration in Iraq. ¶11. (U) Admiral Fallon has reviewed this cable. ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * MISENHEIMER