US embassy cable - 04MANAMA1290

S E C R E T MANAMA 001290 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/I, PM/RSAT, PMAT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2014 
TAGS: PREL, OPDC, MOPS, MARR, BA, IZ 
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN SUPPORTS TROOP CONTRIBUTION TO IRAQ IN 
CONTEXT OF GCC DECISION 
 
REF: A. STATE 174644 
     B. MANAMA 1228 (NOTAL) 
 
Classified by Charge D'Affaires Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (S) Charge presented Ref A talking points on the U.S. 
thoughts on the Saudi proposal for Muslim troops to Iraq to 
Crown Prince (CP) Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa August 
15 during a meeting that also covered joint counter-terrorism 
efforts, the security situation, and the U.S. global defense 
posture (septels).  The CP is also the Commander of the 
Bahrain Defense Force (BDF). 
 
2.  (S) The Crown Prince asserted that Bahrain would 
contribute troops to a Muslim force for Iraq if there was a 
GCC decision to form such a force.  Echoing previous comments 
by Foreign Minister Mohamed bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa to the 
Charge (Ref B), he continued that Bahrain would support the 
force once the political pieces fell into place.  In response 
to the Charge's question, the CP said that Bahrain could not 
contribute troops independent of a GCC mission because the 
BDF was too small and could not provide the level of support 
necessary to carry out a mission in Iraq, specifically citing 
logistic and force protection requirements.  He noted that 
Bahrain had dispatched forces to Kuwait at the beginning of 
Operation Iraqi Freedom at the request of the GOK, and the 
Kuwaitis had provided all the support these troops had needed. 
 
3.  (S) The Crown Prince raised an offer previously mentioned 
by King Hamad bin Issa Al-Khalifa in conversations with 
National Security Advisor Rice and Iraqi Prime Minister 
Allawi to deploy a naval vessel to provide protection along 
the Iraqi coastline.  The CP highlighted that deployment of a 
ship is a stand-alone operation without the extensive support 
requirements that land-based troops would require.  The GOB 
was waiting for a formal request from Iraq for the ship 
before proceeding with the deployment. 
 
ZIADEH