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SECRET
SIPDISTELEGRAM July 04, 2004
To: No Action Addressee
Action: Unknown
From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 2194 - UNKNOWN)
TAGS: PREL, MASS, MARR, MOPS
Captions: None
Subject: DEPUTY CENTCOM COMMANDER DISCUSSES REGIONAL SITUATIONWITH UAE ARMED FORCES DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF
Ref: None_________________________________________________________________S E C R E T ABU DHABI 02194
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DISSEMINATION: POLCHARGE: PROG
APPROVED: CDA:RAALBRIGHTDRAFTED: POL:JFMAYBURYCLEARED: USLO:MSCHWAN
VZCZCADI864OO RUEHC RUCAACC RUEAHQA RUEKJCS RUEOMFD RUEAHQARUCNRAQ RHEHNSC RUEAIIA RHEFDIA RUEKJCS RUCJACC RUCQSOC RHMFISSRHRMDAB RHMFISSDE RUEHAD #2194/01 1861002ZNY SSSSS ZZHO 041002Z JUL 04FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABITO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4959INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATERUCAACC/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FLRUEAHQA/HQ USAF WASHINGTON DC//CSAF/SECAF//RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//OSD/NESA/ISA//RUEOMFD/USCENTAF SHAW AFB SC//CC//RUEAHQA/OSAF WASHDC//IA/IAR//RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVERHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DCRUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DCRUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J2//RUCJACC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCJ2/CCJ4/CCJ5//RUCQSOC/USCINCSOC MACDILL AFB FLRHMFISS/COMUSCENTAF SHAW AFB SCRHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT //N2//RHMFISS/HQ COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTH BAGHDAD" "S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 ABU DHABI 002194
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SECAF FOR DR ROCHE, CSAF FOR GENERALS JUMPER ANDMOSELEY AND USCENTAF FOR LTG BUCHANANSTATE FOR D, PM, NEA/NGA, NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2014TAGS: PREL, MASS, MARR, MOPS, IZ, SA, PK, YM, TCSUBJECT: DEPUTY CENTCOM COMMANDER DISCUSSES REGIONAL SITUATION WITH UAE ARMED FORCES DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF
Ref: (A) Abu Dhabi 2113 (B) Abu Dhabi 1157
Classified by Richard A. Albright, Charged'Affaires, a.i., reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).
1. (S) Summary: CENTCOM Deputy CommanderLieutenant General Lance Smith on June 28discussed security and the transition tosovereignty in Iraq, the deteriorating situationin Saudi Arabia, Pakistan's efforts to combatforeign fighters, and the UAE's request for anarmed Predator, with UAE Armed Forces DeputyChief of Staff Staff Major General Hamad ThaniAl-Rumaithy in Abu Dhabi. The two sides alsoagreed to meet later this summer to review UAEconcerns with the proposed Proliferation SecurityInitiative (PSI) Shipboarding Agreement. EndSummary.
2. (U) The Charge, USLO Deputy, and Polchief(notetaker) attended. Hamad Thani wasaccompanied by GHQ Special Advisor JackMcGuinness.
Iraq----
3. (S) In a broad review of developments in Iraq,Hamad Thani and Smith discussed the new Iraqileadership's capabilities, ongoing securityproblems, and the influence of foreign fighters.Iraqis can be unpredictable, making it difficultfor outsiders to know what will happen next,Hamad Thani said. He agreed with Smith that thenew Iraqi president and prime minister havestrong qualities that should allow them to governduring the six-month interim period leading up tothe elections. Hamad Thani made the point thatit will be important to see the positive impactof sovereign governance and decision-making onthe Iraqi street. ""The world community wants tosee something positive in Iraq,"" he said.
4. (S) Smith said the US would appreciate theUAE's continued vocal support for the new Iraq.""We all have to make sure it's a successfulgovernment."" Smith said the US would like tosee an Iraq that cooperates with its neighbors,and refrains from developing or using Weapons ofMass Destruction. He noted that Iraq hasconsiderable natural wealth, not to mention $18billion of U.S. aid. ""If they (Iraqis) can usethat for reconstruction and get moving, we willleave and they will have a great future.""
5. (S) Hamad Thani thanked the U.S. for what itis doing in Iraq and said that all are lookingforward to a stable region. He said there hadbeen seven wars fought in the region since 1948.The Arab-Israeli conflict had generated moreinstability, and he viewed that as the greatestsource of the region's problems. There is a needfor a gradual transition period, he said. HamadThani said it took him 10 years to fully acceptthat Israelis and Palestinians had to co-exist.""People are not sane. We have had enough wars;we need to get the problem solved as the world isgetting smaller."" He said there are many globalissues, such as pollution, that require ourattention as well.
6. (S) Smith said that despite the unacceptablelevels of violence, there were some encouragingdevelopments on the security front. The Iraqiforces are in the process of establishing acomplete chain of command from the field to theCHOD. Iraq was bringing back members of the oldarmed forces (those without blood on their hands)to lend their experience to the new securityforces, changes that Hamad Thani supported.Smith cited the new Iraqi National Guard thatwill report to a chain of command that isentirely Iraqi.
7. (S) Hamad Thani asked Smith what role hethought Moqtada Al-Sadr might play. Smithresponded that the coalition and the IraqiSecurity Forces are working to neutralize Sadr'sMilitia and that we understand that Sadr willcontinue to create problems if he is not includedin the political process. Hamad Thani wasskeptical that Sadr's militia would hand in theirweapons. Hamad Thani also inquired about whommight be supporting militant Mussab Al-Zarqawi.Smith replied that Zarqawi was his own man withhis own network and ideas, likely not workingdirectly for Osama bin Laden. However, he hasrecruited followers of Ansar-al-Islam and hasbeen able to count on the cooperation of formerSaddam elements. Zarqawi brings leadership todisparate elements in the region, Smith said.Smith said countering this insurgency isdifficult because there are so many weapons inIraq. Hamad Thani stated that many of theweapons seized in the Straits of Hormuz hadoriginated in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia------------
8. (S) Hamad Thani said he shared Smith's concernabout Saudi Arabia's battle against militantextremists. The phenomenon, he said, will taketime to uproot. He was critical of the Saudisfor not listening to warnings about extremistviolence, and for acting late to prevent theviolence. Hamad Thani said the UAEG believesthat if the Saudi regime were to collapse, therepercussions for the region would be enormous.Smith questioned whether Bahrain and Kuwait mightbe waiting too long to respond to theirrespective extremist problems, but Hamad Thanisaid he was not as worried about Bahrain.
Pakistan--------
9. (S) Both sides agreed about the strategicimportance of Pakistan in the region andacknowledged President Musharraf's uphillstruggle to modernize Pakistani society. HamadThani credited Pakistan's ability to stave offextremism to Musharraf's strong leadership, hisbackground as a soldier, and the strong traditionof his armed forces. He said that Westerndemocracy will not work in Pakistan. ThePakistanis need a strong leader, but not acriminal like Saddam Hussein. Hamad Thani notedthe difficulties Musharraf and the centralgovernment face in regions, such as Balushistanand the northwest region along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where they have no authority.Smith said Musharraf is having an effectcombating foreign fighters like Al-Qaida inPakistan, and added that Musharraf will continueengaging those fighters with or without thecooperation of Pakistan's tribal leaders.Predator--------10. (S) Hamad Thani and Smith reviewed thediscussion between Abu Dhabi Deputy Crown Princeand UAE Armed Forces Chief of Staff ShaykhMohamed bin Zayed (MbZ) had had with BrigadierGeneral Yaggi, Director of Regional Affairs forthe Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force forInternational Affairs, a day earlier (ref A) onthe UAE's request for an armed Predator. HamadThani said that MbZ had told him he was baffledthat the USG could sell F-16 Block 60s to the UAEand refuse to release an armed Predator. ""Thisissue is disappointing to the UAE, though weunderstand the circumstances,"" he said. He saidthe UAE is in the process of studying other UAVoptions, including producing its own (inpartnership with foreign companies), although heacknowledged that the Predator's capability issuperior. Smith said he would convey the UAEG'sviews.
PSI Shipboarding Agreement--------------------------
11. (C) Hamad Thani provided an update on thestatus of his government's review of a proposedPSI Shipboarding Agreement, which Post had raisedwith MbZ last April (ref B). He said that adefense committee at the armed forces GHQ hadbeen studying the agreement and had someconcerns, but no objections. One concern theirmilitary lawyers had was whether the U.S. couldboard a UAE-flagged vessel after a certaininterval of time without obtaining the UAEG'sapproval in advance. The Charge said theagreement addresses the consultation process.Hamad Thani acknowledged that when two countriesreach the level of cooperation that the U.S. andthe UAE enjoy, there are situations where it maybe necessary to take immediate action when timeis of the essence.
12. (C) Hamad Thani said the Ministries ofJustice and Foreign Affairs are reviewing the PSIagreement as well. It was agreed that Post wouldfollow up with the GHQ's point person on the PSIShipboarding Agreement after he returns to thecountry in mid-July. Hamad Thani said that MbZhad told him to do his best to make the agreementwork. ""Eventually, all these agreements mustcomply with international law,"" he said. It isimportant that the two sides work out the legaldetails.
13. (U) This message was cleared by Lt Gen Smith.
14. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.ALBRIGHT"