NOMINATION OF SENIOR OFFICER FOR ASSIGNMENT AS

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