Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07STATE121994
2007-08-29 22:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

NOMINATION OF SENIOR OFFICER FOR ASSIGNMENT AS

Tags:  NATO MARR PREL 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0006
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #1994 2412231
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O P 292218Z AUG 07
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO ALL NATO POST COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY 0000
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY 0000
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 121994 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: UPON PUBLIC RELEASE
TAGS: NATO MARR PREL
SUBJECT: NOMINATION OF SENIOR OFFICER FOR ASSIGNMENT AS
SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER FOR TRANSFORMATION

Classified By: EUR/RPM ACTING DIRECTOR EVA SHINAGEL FOR REASON 1.4(D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 121994

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: UPON PUBLIC RELEASE
TAGS: NATO MARR PREL
SUBJECT: NOMINATION OF SENIOR OFFICER FOR ASSIGNMENT AS
SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER FOR TRANSFORMATION

Classified By: EUR/RPM ACTING DIRECTOR EVA SHINAGEL FOR REASON 1.4(D)


1. (U) THIS MESSAGE CONTAINS AN ACTION REQUEST FOR USNATO -
SEE PARAGRAPH 3.


2. (C) THE PRESIDENT HAS NOMINATED LIEUTENANT GENERAL JAMES

N. MATTIS FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE OF GENERAL AND
ASSIGNMENT AS SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER FOR TRANSFORMATION
(NATO).


3. (C) USNATO SHOULD DELIVER THE LETTER AT PARA 4 FROM THE
PRESIDENT TO SECRETARY GENERAL DE HOOP SCHEFFER AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE (SIGNED ORIGINAL TO FOLLOW),AND SEEK ALLIANCE
APPROVAL ON AN EXPEDITED BASIS FOR LIEUTENANT GENERAL MATTIS
AS SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER FOR TRANSFORMATION. PARA 5
TRANSMITS THE TEXT OF A PROPOSED SIMULTANEOUS
WASHINGTON-BRUSSELS PRESS STATEMENT ANNOUNCING THE SELECTION
OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL MATTIS. MISSION SHOULD COORDINATE THE
RELEASE OF THIS STATEMENT WITH THE INTERNATIONAL STAFF AND
WITH OSD PUBLIC AFFAIRS FOLLOWING U.S. NOMINATION OF
LIEUTENANT GENERAL MATTIS AND ADVISE EUR/RPM AND OSD/NATO
POLICY OF THE SCHEDULED DATE AND RELEASE TIME.


4. (C) BEGIN TEXT OF LETTER FROM PRESIDENT BUSH NOMINATING
LIEUTENANT GENERAL MATTIS:

DEAR MR. SECRETARY GENERAL:

I AM PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT I HEREBY NOMINATE LIEUTENANT
GENERAL JAMES N. MATTIS, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS, FOR
APPOINTMENT BY THE DEFENSE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS SUPREME
ALLIED COMMANDER FOR TRANSFORMATION.

I BELIEVE LIEUTENANT GENERAL MATTIS TO BE EXTREMELY WELL
QUALIFIED TO PERFORM THE DUTIES OF SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER
FOR TRANSFORMATION. LIEUTENANT GENERAL MATTIS HAS
EXCEPTIONAL CAPABILITIES AND WILL PLAY A KEY ROLE IN
FACILITATING THE COORDINATION OF TRANSFORMATION ACTIVITIES OF
THE MEMBER COUNTRIES OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC ALLIANCE SO THAT
ALLIED FORCES ARE DEPLOYABLE, SUSTAINABLE, AND ABLE TO
CONDUCT JOINT OPERATIONS ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF ALLIANCE
MISSIONS. I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE THAT LIEUTENANT GENERAL
MATTIS WILL MAKE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO FURTHERING THE
FINE TRADITION AND WORTHY OBJECTIVES SOUGHT BY ALL THE NATO
NATIONS IN STRENGTHENING OUR COMMON DEFENSE EFFORTS.

IF THE COMMITTEE CONCURS IN THE FOREGOING RECOMMENDATION THAT
LIEUTENANT GENERAL MATTIS SERVE AS THE SUPREME ALLIED
COMMANDER FOR TRANSFORMATION, I WILL APPOINT HIM TO THE GRADE
OF GENERAL, BY AND WITH THE ADVICE AND CONSENT OF THE UNITED
STATES SENATE.

SINCERELY,

GEORGE W. BUSH

END TEXT OF LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT


5. (C) BEGIN TEXT OF PROPOSED SIMULTANEOUS
WASHINGTON-BRUSSELS PRESS RELEASE:


PRESS RELEASE

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ROBERT M. GATES ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT THE

SIPDIS
PRESIDENT HAS NOMINATED UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS LIEUTENANT
GENERAL JAMES N. MATTIS FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE OF
GENERAL WITH ASSIGNMENT AS SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER FOR
TRANSFORMATION. NATO HAS ALSO AGREED TO APPOINT LIEUTENANT
GENERAL MATTIS AS SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER FOR
TRANSFORMATION. LIEUTENANT GENERAL MATTIS IS CURRENTLY
SERVING AS THE COMMANDING GENERAL, I MARINE EXPEDITIONARY
FORCE AND COMMANDER, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS FORCES
CENTRAL COMMAND.

- OR -

NATO TODAY APPOINTED LIEUTENANT GENERAL JAMES N. MATTIS,
UNITED STATE MARINE CORPS, AS SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER FOR
TRANSFORMATION. LIEUTENANT GENERAL MATTIS IS CURRENTLY
SERVING AS THE COMMANDING GENERAL, I MARINE EXPEDITIONARY
FORCE AND COMMANDER, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS FORCES
CENTRAL COMMAND. WITH THE ADVICE AND CONSENT OF THE UNITED
STATES SENATE, THE PRESIDENT WILL APPOINT HIM TO THE GRADE OF
GENERAL.

END TEXT.
RICE