Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08MADRID790
2008-07-18 12:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Madrid
Cable title:  

SPANISH AIR FORCE GENERAL RODRIGUEZ TO BE NEW

Tags:  PREL PGOV MARR SP 
pdf how-to read a cable
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PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMD #0790/01 2001249
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 181249Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5104
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUENAAA/SECNAV WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000790 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR ELAINE SAMSON, EUR/WE
OSD FOR COL PATRICK MCCLELLAND
JOINT STAFF FOR COL VINCENT FREEMAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR SP
SUBJECT: SPANISH AIR FORCE GENERAL RODRIGUEZ TO BE NEW
CHIEF OF DEFENSE

REF: A. USDAO MADRID IIR 6 889 0263 08

B. MADRID 751

C. MADRID 578

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Hugo Llorens, for reasons 1.4(b)
and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000790

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR ELAINE SAMSON, EUR/WE
OSD FOR COL PATRICK MCCLELLAND
JOINT STAFF FOR COL VINCENT FREEMAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR SP
SUBJECT: SPANISH AIR FORCE GENERAL RODRIGUEZ TO BE NEW
CHIEF OF DEFENSE

REF: A. USDAO MADRID IIR 6 889 0263 08

B. MADRID 751

C. MADRID 578

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Hugo Llorens, for reasons 1.4(b)
and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Spain's Council of Ministers approved July
18 the changes to Spanish military leadership alluded to by
Defense Minister Carme Chacon in her June 30 congressional
testimony. Chacon, who assumed charge of the MOD April 14,
was on maternity leave beginning May 19. In all likelihood,
the changes would otherwise have been announced even earlier
in her tenure and, based on the positive feedback from key
members of her policy staff (ref B) need not indicate
anything more than a normal transition that gives a new
minister the chance to put her stamp on the defense portfolio
moving forward. Even in doing so, Chacon is respecting
Spanish military traditions that can only win her further
good favor among an officer corps already positively disposed
to her leadership. The names announced July 18 include good
partners likely to further already excellent
military-to-military relations with the United States and to
follow the lead of Minister Chacon in seeking to cooperate
with the United States and, increasingly, in taking more of a
leadership role in terms of Spain's international and NATO
obligations. End Summary.

//No Surprises: Air Force's Rodriguez to be New CHOD//


2. (C) Spain's new Jefe del Estado Mayor de Defensa (JEMAD
or CHOD) is to be Spanish Air Force Lieutenant General Jose
Julio Rodriguez Fernandez. Rodriguez had been the favored
pick among Air Force candidates to succeed the outgoing Chief
of Defense, Spanish Army General Felix Sanz Roldan, who has
held the post for four years. With the July 18 announcement
of a new Chief of Defense drawn from the Air Force, Spanish
Defense Minister Carme Chacon has apparently maintained the
traditional rotation of the CHOD position among the branches
of the military. As reported previously (ref A),GEN Sanz
had been a rather open advocate of changing the custom,
arguing the GOS should select its best candidate from the

current pool of three-star generals from all the services.
As of July 3, the Minister was inclined to respect the
tradition and nominate a candidate from the Air Force. LTG
Rodriguez, age 60, is a career fighter pilot and a graduate
of Spain's Air Force Academy and Air Force Staff College.
Since May 2006, he has headed the Spanish MOD's Directorate
of Armaments and Materiel (DIGAM). He speaks fluent English.


3. (C) COMMENT: Madrid's Office of Defense Cooperation has
worked extensively with LTG Rodriguez for the past two years,
while he has served in Spanish Air Force HQ as the Director
of Plans/Programs. All Air Force FMS programs were
coordinated and staffed with his office. Rodriquez is the
Spanish National Armaments Director within NATO. He worked
closely with the U.S. Representative (OSD AT&L),Mr. Young,
on several NATO acquisitions programs. General Rodriquez
visited the United States, including a meeting with the
Deputy Secretary of Defense, in February 2007. He is
pro-U.S., a strong advocate of jointness, and a strategic
thinker. LTG Rodriguez is typically very quiet and speaks
succinctly. End comment.

//Remaining Service Chiefs//


4. (C) The following officers are due to heads their
respective services, following the Council's approval:

Chief of the Air Force -- General Jose Jimenez Ruiz.
Jimenez, born in 1946, commanded until May 2008 one of the
most important Spanish Air Force units for its location and
its strike bombers fleet, the Canary Islands Air Force
Command. His previous assignments include the Spanish
Military Mission to NATO and SACLANT in Norfolk, Virginia.

Chief of the Army -- Lieutenant General Fulgencio Coll.
Coll, the founder and current commander of the Ministry of
Defense's Joint Emergency Military Unit, was one of the
rumored favorites for the position of Chief of Staff of the
Army. His appointment, far better than other alternatives
(ref A),should be good news for the Spanish Army and for the
U.S.-Spain defense relationship. Coll served in Bosnia in
2000 and commanded the Spanish armored brigade deployed to

Iraq between December 2004 and April 2004.

Chief of the Navy -- Vice Admiral Manuel Rebollo. Currently
second in command of the Spanish Navy, Rebollo has commanded
amphibious and surface vessels and has taught tactics at
Spain's Naval Academy. Outgoing Chief of Naval Operations
Sebastian Zaragoza told close associates earlier he had been
notified July 15 by Minister Chacon of her intent to replace
him. Even though the most talked-about candidate for the
Navy Chief was the current Director of the Joint Staff,
Admiral Jose Maria Teran Elices (ref A),Rebollo,s name is
not totally surprising. He is the current number two in the
Navy and is beloved -- partly because he started his military
career as an enlisted man at age 17. He is known to be
pro-American and the DCM and other Embassy officers maintain
good relations with him. Regardless of who heads it, of all
the Spanish forces, the Navy is the most closely aligned with
the United States in terms of inter-operability and its
preference for U.S. equipment.


5. (C) COMMENT: The Socialists are at once bucking the
progressive outlook of the outgoing CHOD, who had favored
opening up the position to all Lieutenant generals across the
armed forces, and appeasing the military traditionalists and
the Spanish Air Force whose "turn" it was in succession. At
a minimum, the decision demonstrates the new Minister's
political savvy and ability to make friends and influence
people within the sometimes crusty Spanish officer corps. It
also indicates the sway she holds over President Zapatero,
who technically names his Chief of Defense. In addition to
confirming the remaining service chiefs, Chacon's by right to
appoint as she testified June 30 was her intent to do, the
fate of outgoing General Sanz is a question yet to be
answered. Sanz has served well and faithfully for longer
than most CHODs, and has reportedly been assured that he will
have a "new mission" for the GOS. Sources close to the CHOD
have told Post he is pleased with his new as-yet unnamed
berth.
Aguirre