US embassy cable - 04MANAMA1891

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 001891 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR HADLEY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/13/2014 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MOPS, AU, IZ, BA 
SUBJECT: DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR HADLEY'S DECEMBER 
5 MEETING WITH AUSTRALIAN DEFENSE MINISTER HILL 
 
Classified by A/DCM Hallie H. Hahn for reasons 1.4 (b) and 
(d). 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (C) Deputy National Security Advisor Hadley met with 
Australian Defense Minister Robert Hill December 5 on the 
margins of the IISS Gulf Security Dialogue conference in 
Manama.  Hill said that Australia is staying in the Iraq 
coalition and is looking at how its forces can be more 
useful.  DNSA Hadley suggested that the GOA might alter the 
mission of its troops as a way to reaffirm its commitment. 
Hill noted that he had discussed possible alternatives with 
General Casey in Baghdad, including logistics training, 
leadership/command and control training, force protection for 
the Japanese, and patrolling border areas.  DNSA Hadley 
suggested protecting UN assets in Iraq.  DNSA Hadley 
expressed his concern that the intimidation campaign was 
proving to be a strategic threat.  The coalition should take 
the fight to the enemy and intimidate the intimidators.  Hill 
said it was important that average Iraqis feel that they are 
winners in the political process.  Turning to Asia, Hill said 
that the GOA is working closely with the new administration 
in Indonesia.  DNSA Hadley said that the USG is concerned 
about a possible EU move to lift the ban on arms sales to 
China.  Hill agreed to take this message back to Canberra, 
and said Australia supports U.S. policy on North Korea.  End 
Summary. 
 
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Australia Committed to Iraq Coalition 
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2.  (C) Deputy National Security Advisor Hadley opened his 
December 5 meeting with Australian Defense Minister Robert 
Hill by recognizing the difficult and dangerous work the 
United States and Australia carry out together in Iraq and 
Afghanistan.  The relationship between the President, PM 
Howard, and UK PM Blair is very strong.  Hill affirmed that 
Australia is staying in the coalition and stated that the 
government is looking at how its forces in Iraq can be more 
useful.  The troop contribution is small but offers value 
added.  He recognized that the U.S. had made a huge 
investment in Iraq and had paid a heavy price.  He expressed 
his appreciation for the American commitment; if the U.S. was 
not there, "the place would be chaos." 
 
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Change in Mission to Maximize Utility 
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3.  (C) DNSA Hadley suggested that Australia might want to 
alter the mission of its troops in Iraq so as to reaffirm its 
commitment to the coalition, even if the number of troops did 
not go up.  He noted the perception that the coalition was 
wasting away, and said that the election results may prompt 
other nations to contribute troops.  The IIG has stated that 
it does not want troops coming from neighboring countries, 
but rather wants to focus on training Iraqis.  Hill responded 
that he had met with General Casey in Baghdad a few days 
earlier, who had suggested that, now that the Australia 
contingent had completed training 27 battalions, it could 
work on logistics training.  Hill thought this type of work 
could be useful.  Casey had also proposed that Australia work 
on leadership/command and control training, which Hill 
commented is more complicated.  Hill suggested to Casey that 
Australia could take on supporting the Japanese if the Dutch 
contingent departs, but Casey thought this offers limited 
utility from a military perspective.  Hill noted that it is 
important for Japan to stay in the coalition, and Australia 
could provide the necessary force protection.  Alternatively, 
the Australian troops could help patrol border areas. 
 
4.  (C) DNSA Hadley said that controlling the border is 
important, but in the case of Syria, is not enough.  Syria is 
serving as a mustering point for jihadists to get money, 
training, and equipment.  Shutting down these centers would 
take pressure off controlling the border.  Another issue to 
consider is protecting UN assets in Iraq.  The MNF-I is 
reluctant to take this on because it is less important from 
an operational perspective. 
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Intimidate the Intimidators 
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5.  (C) DNSA Hadley stated that the intimidation campaign, 
particularly the killing of police, is proving to be a 
strategic threat.  An Iraqi who sides with the coalition, he 
commented, demonstrates a lot of courage.  But the election 
could change the dynamic and make it easier for Iraqis to 
side with the GOI.  Hill responded that the owner of the 
building occupied by the Australian Embassy in Baghdad told 
the Embassy that he wants them to leave the property.  He and 
his family had received threats, and a member of the family 
had been killed.  DNSA Hadley said that the coalition should 
find a way to take the fight to the enemy, to intimidate the 
intimidators.  Hill said it is important that average Iraqis 
feel that they are winners in the political process.  DNSA 
Hadley agreed, and suggested that the IIG find a way to get 
funds for reconstruction projects directly into the hands of 
the property owners, so they can make decisions about how the 
money is spent.  He noted that many Iraqis are hesitant to 
take work on coalition-funded reconstruction  projects 
because of the threats. 
 
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Relations with Asia 
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6.  (C) Turning to issues closer to home, Hill said that the 
GOA is working closely with the new administration in 
Indonesia, encouraging the government to continue moving in 
the right direction.  DNSA Hadley commented that the 
President had met with the new Indonesian president in Chile, 
and he had made a good impression.  Hill said that southern 
Thailand is not good right now, and the Philippines seems to 
be struggling.  However, Australia now has better relations 
with Malaysia.  Burma continues to move in the wrong 
direction; Australia has tried many policy formulations but 
nothing seems to work.  The Pacific states are strained, 
dealing with a culture clash and bad habits 20 years after 
independence.  DNSA Hadley said that the USG had spoken with 
the Europeans about the proposal to lift the EU ban on arms 
sales to China.  The reaction in Washington would be very 
negative.  The Europeans would sell hardware to China that 
could be used to kill Americans in the area.  Hill promised 
to take this message back to Canberra.  He continued that 
Australia supports what the U.S. wants to do about North 
Korea.  DNSA Hadley said that China is the key - rather than 
trying to be a broker, it should pick a side and lean on the 
North Koreans. 
 
7.  (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
8.  (C) The NSC cleared this message. 
 
MONROE