US embassy cable - 03AMMAN5764

S E C R E T AMMAN 005764 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MOPS, IZ, JO, UNSC 
SUBJECT: PROPOSED NEW UNSC RESOLUTION COULD HELP JORDAN DO 
MORE FOR IRAQ 
 
REF: STATE 256598 
 
Classified By: Amb. Edward W. Gnehm for reasons 1.5 (b)(d) 
 
1.  (C)  The proposed new U.S. draft UN Security Council 
Resolution on Iraq contains several elements that will please 
the Jordanians.  First, it asks that Iraqis come up with a 
timetable for transfer of sovereignty to Iraqis.  Senior 
Jordanian officials have repeatedly encouraged the coalition 
to go public with a reasonable -- and achievable -- timetable 
for formation of an elected Iraqi government and full 
transfer of authority.  Second, the UNSCR draft mandates a UN 
force and asks other nations to contribute.  This could 
provide Jordan the international cover it needs to support a 
stabilization force in Iraq more actively and directly. 
 
2.  (S)  We believe that a new resolution as outlined in ref 
would go a long way toward addressing Jordan's domestic 
political complexities should it commit police or military 
forces for Iraq.  The resolution would give a multinational 
force "international legitimacy" in the eyes of most 
Jordanians, and there would likely be less strident domestic 
objection to a Jordanian contribution. 
 
3.  (S)  COMMENT:  There is still considerable latent 
resentment in Jordan over the presence of foreign "occupiers" 
in Iraq, and many Jordanians -- including Islamist members of 
Parliament -- could accuse the GOJ of supporting "occupation" 
by contributing troops to a UN force.  Given these and 
broader Arab reservations, we believe that it will be 
difficult for the King to participate overtly in a UN force 
without other Arab participation.  That said, we note that 
the deployment of a Jordanian Armed Forces field hospital in 
Falluja has drawn little domestic criticism. 
 
4.  (U)  CPA Baghdad minimize considered. 
GNEHM