HMG HAS DEPLOYED NTMI ASSESSMENT TEAM TO BAGHDAD;

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 000288 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/RPM - DAVY, EUR/WE; USNATO FOR ERICKSON E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2019 TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS NATO IZ UK SUBJECT: HMG HAS DEPLOYED NTMI ASSESSMENT TEAM TO BAGHDAD; WANTS TO KEEP AR RUSTAMIYAH OPEN REF: 08 LONDON 2441 Classified By: Political Counselor Richard M. Mills Jr. for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) The UK remains "as committed as ever to the NTMI mission and concept," according to MOD Deputy Director for Joint Commitments Daniel Hughes. To that end, a five person "Planning and Doctrine" team, headed by a full Colonel, has been dispatched from London to NTMI Baghdad. The team is to review the program, check that assumptions about training are valid and that plans are meeting Iraqi needs. The team will issue a report in 4-6 weeks, with recommendations on next steps, i.e., who is to be trained, who will do the training, what skillsets they will require, how many trainers are required and how long will they need to stay. ¶2. (C) Concerning the NTMI training academy at Ar Rustamiyah, Hughes said that the current plan is to pull out NTMI personnel in conjunction with the upcoming closing of the US FOB. According to Hughes, HMG thinks this is the wrong move at this time. In Hughes' view it would be nearly impossible to keep up an efficient training regime by helocoptering in and out on an irregular basis. He emphasized that with an enhanced private guard unit, a platoon of military personnel, and some equipment transfer from the FOB (he specifically mentioned IDF alarm hardware and software) the NTMI trainers could remain safely. Hughes said this view is based on an on the ground assessment he and a team of UK military undertook recently. He noted one problem with the plan - the UK would be unlikely to offer up much of the money or manpower to keep the facility open, so it would be a question of asking member states for funds and for an American platoon for force protection. Visit London's Classified Website: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom LEBARON