JORDAN ARMED FORCES WAITING FOR IRAQI REQUEST TO

S E C R E T AMMAN 003166 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2018 TAGS: IZ JO MOPS SUBJECT: JORDAN ARMED FORCES WAITING FOR IRAQI REQUEST TO RESOLVE FUTURE OF FALLUJAH FIELD HOSPITAL REF: A. STATE 96122 ¶B. AMMAN 2804 Classified By: Ambassador R. Stephen Beecroft for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d). ¶1. (S) Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) number two and Joint Operations Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Suleiman Al-Raoud told visiting SOCCENT Commander Major General Charles Cleveland on November 20 that the JAF is waiting for the Government of Iraq (GOI) to indicate that they would like the JAF field hospital in Fallujah to remain open after December 31. Al-Raoud acknowledged that the JAF is aware that they must secure a bilateral status of forces agreement with the GOI (Refs A, B) if the hospital is to remain open and summarized the discussion of their concerns during the November 16-17 U.S.-Jordan Joint Military Commission held in Amman. He informed MG Cleveland that the future status of the field hospital remains unresolved pending communication from the GOI and that little time remains before the expiration of the UN mandate. Al-Raoud reiterated the JAF position that the hospital cannot remain open unless the USG continues to provide funding and security for their personnel. ¶2. (S) Comment. Post believes that the JAF will not pursue arrangements to maintain the Fallujah field hospital until the GOI approaches them with a formal request for their continued presence, if indeed desired, beyond December 31. Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman Beecroft