US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI1743

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 001743 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/FO AND NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2014 
TAGS: PREL, MASS, MCAP, MOPS, GCC, TC 
SUBJECT:  UAE HOSTS ANNUAL EAGLE RESOLVE EXERCISE 
 
Ref: Abu Dhabi 286 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba for reasons 
1.5 (B) and (D). 
 
1. (C) Summary: The GCC states face a "real and growing 
threat" from Weapons of Mass Destruction, and they should 
act now to pool their resources and bolster their 
cooperative defense, Commander of UAE Air Forces and Air 
Defense, Staff Air Vice-Marshal Khalid Abdullah Mobarak Al- 
Buainain told participants at the annual multinational 
EAGLE RESOLVE exercise's Executive Seminar in Abu Dhabi on 
May 23.  Military officers from the GCC states and CENTCOM 
assembled to conduct a series of table-top drills designed 
to demonstrate how the different armed forces can better 
cooperate to ensure that their air defenses can respond to 
threats from WMD. 
 
2. (C) The exercise, to which the Jordanians and Egyptians 
were invited as observers, was another significant 
illustration of the growing role the UAE military is 
playing in the Gulf region.  Last January, the UAE opened 
the Gulf Air Warfare Center (GAWC) at the Al Dhafra Air 
Base near Abu Dhabi, bringing together air force officers 
from the U.S., UK, France, and the Gulf countries for joint 
exercises and opportunities to exchange ideas and 
experiences (see reftel).  U.S. participation in the GAWC's 
first exercise that concluded in February and a second 
exercise that ended May 26 falls under the auspices of the 
joint exercise IRON FALCON.  End Summary. 
 
3. (C) For the first time since 1999, when CENTCOM began 
sponsoring EAGLE RESOLVE exercises under the auspices of 
its Cooperative Defense Initiative for the GCC, the United 
Arab Emirates played the role of host.  There were 
approximately 230 U.S. participants in the exercise, which 
ran from May 15 to May 24.  The exercise was divided into 
two major segments - a computer-based command-and-control 
scenario play (COORDEX), and an Executive Seminar for 
Ministers of Defense, Chiefs of Defense, senior military 
personnel, and Ambassadors to discuss the results of the 
exercise, lessons learned, and the road ahead.  Lt. General 
Buchanan, Commander of USCENTAF, was the senior U.S. 
military officer.  USCENTCOM Commander General Abizaid and 
Deputy Commander Lt. General Smith, and USNAVCENT Commander 
Vice Admiral Nichols, could not attend because of other 
priorities or commitments.  All the GCC states with the 
exception of Saudi Arabia attended the coordination 
exercise, the Saudis saying that they never received an 
invitation.  The Saudis did, however, attend the May 23-24 
EAGLE RESOLVE Executive Seminar, as did Ambassador 
Oberwetter. 
 
4. (C) At the Executive Seminar on May 23, the UAE Armed 
Forces' Deputy Chief of Staff, Staff Maj. Gen. Hamad 
Mohammed Thani Al-Rumaithy, Lt. Gen. Buchanan, and 
Ambassador Wahba all made remarks underscoring the 
importance of interoperability and cooperative defense. 
Hamad Thani said cooperative defense was key to preserving 
the peace and security of the region.  Buchanan said the 
need to defeat threats of WMD has been magnified since 
EAGLE RESOLVE exercises began in 1999.  The exercise is an 
opportunity for the different armed forces to share 
information and "come to the assistance of one another in 
times of need," Buchanan said. 
 
5. (C) UAE Air Forces and Air Defense Commander, Staff Air 
Vice-Marshal Khalid Al-Buainain, said the UAE faced several 
threats, including terrorism, cyber warfare, WMD, and 
traditional ballistic missiles.  The GCC as a whole needed 
to make integrated missile defense a high priority, he 
added.  Khalid said the GCC states should commit themselves 
to creating a region free of WMD, enhancing their military 
interoperability, building a GCC conventional deterrence, 
and holding additional joint exercises and training.  As he 
did during the inaugural GAWC ceremony, Khalid also talked 
about the importance of intellectual interoperability among 
the air forces of different countries being just as 
important as the training, and encouraged the intellectual 
exchange that will take place among cooperating nations as 
they plan and carry out future exercises.  "We need 
complete transparency" when exchanging information. 
"Information power is as important as firepower.  The GCC 
needs seamless information from commanders to warriors," 
Khalid said. 
 
6. (C) Comment: EAGLE RESOLVE once again illustrated the 
expanding nature of our bilateral military relationship 
with the UAE, as well as the growing role the UAE military 
is playing in the Gulf region.  U.S. military officers 
expressed great satisfaction with the UAE armed forces and 
the conduct of the exercise.  The UAE's AFAD Commander Al- 
Buainain's renewed call for "multinational thinking" and 
"cultural interoperability" have become trademarks of this 
visionary in the UAE armed forces' ranks. 
 
WAHBA