BAHRAIN: REQUEST FOR M113 ARMORED VEHICLES TO YEMEN

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000714 SIPDIS FOR PM/RSAT AND NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2018 TAGS: MASS PARM PREL YE BA SUBJECT: BAHRAIN: REQUEST FOR M113 ARMORED VEHICLES TO YEMEN REF: STATE 105349 Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) OMC Chief delivered reftel request to Bahrain Defense Force (BDF) Director of Plans and Organization, Brigadier General Malallah on October 13, who indicated that giving armored personnel carriers to Yemen would be a political decision and that the BDF could not make any commitments without instruction from the government. ¶2. (C) A/DCM followed up with the MFA's Bilateral Relations Directorate desk officer on October 15, who had no substantive response. ¶3. (C) Comment: BDF inventory of M113 APCs is relatively small, making it unlikely that Bahrain would be willing or able to part with any of its APCs, which the BDF already regards as being in short supply. ********************************************* ******** Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/ ********************************************* ******** HENZEL