Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07NASSAU549
2007-04-30 20:30:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nassau
Cable title:
BAHAMAS NOT CAPABLE OF ASSISTING NEW WAY FORWARD
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHBH #0549 1202030 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 302030Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY NASSAU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4167 INFO RUEHBE/AMEMBASSY BELMOPAN 0066 RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 5580 RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN 3644 RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON 8512 RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE 3521 RUEHSP/AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN 4682 RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO 2801 RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0424
C O N F I D E N T I A L NASSAU 000549
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR PM/RSAT, WHA/CAR RCBUDDEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2017
TAGS: MARR MASS MOPS PREL PTER IZ BF
SUBJECT: BAHAMAS NOT CAPABLE OF ASSISTING NEW WAY FORWARD
ON IRAQ
REF: A. STATE 55436
B. STATE 54925
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires D. Brent Hardt for reasons 1.4(b) and
(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L NASSAU 000549
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR PM/RSAT, WHA/CAR RCBUDDEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2017
TAGS: MARR MASS MOPS PREL PTER IZ BF
SUBJECT: BAHAMAS NOT CAPABLE OF ASSISTING NEW WAY FORWARD
ON IRAQ
REF: A. STATE 55436
B. STATE 54925
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires D. Brent Hardt for reasons 1.4(b) and
(d)
1. (C) The Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas
does not have the capacity to contribute military or civilian
resources to support the New Way Forward on Iraq. The
Bahamian military consists of only 1000 troops, two ships and
no air force. The entire military budget for The Bahamas is
$40 million per year, insufficient even to capably protect
its own sizable territories from endemic drug and migrant
smuggling. Civilian resources from this small nation of only
300,000 persons are similarly limited and overburdened. The
Bahamas simply doesn't have the resources to help.
2. (C) Even if it could assist, The Bahamian Government has
neither the interest nor the will to do so. An active member
of CARICOM and the Non-Aligned Movement, Bahamian foreign
policy is firmly grounded in non-intervention. While Iraq
has a limited current profile in public debate, current
coalition efforts within Iraq are not popular locally and any
proposed involvement would generate insurmountable domestic
opposition.
HARDT
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR PM/RSAT, WHA/CAR RCBUDDEN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2017
TAGS: MARR MASS MOPS PREL PTER IZ BF
SUBJECT: BAHAMAS NOT CAPABLE OF ASSISTING NEW WAY FORWARD
ON IRAQ
REF: A. STATE 55436
B. STATE 54925
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires D. Brent Hardt for reasons 1.4(b) and
(d)
1. (C) The Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas
does not have the capacity to contribute military or civilian
resources to support the New Way Forward on Iraq. The
Bahamian military consists of only 1000 troops, two ships and
no air force. The entire military budget for The Bahamas is
$40 million per year, insufficient even to capably protect
its own sizable territories from endemic drug and migrant
smuggling. Civilian resources from this small nation of only
300,000 persons are similarly limited and overburdened. The
Bahamas simply doesn't have the resources to help.
2. (C) Even if it could assist, The Bahamian Government has
neither the interest nor the will to do so. An active member
of CARICOM and the Non-Aligned Movement, Bahamian foreign
policy is firmly grounded in non-intervention. While Iraq
has a limited current profile in public debate, current
coalition efforts within Iraq are not popular locally and any
proposed involvement would generate insurmountable domestic
opposition.
HARDT