US embassy cable - 02ROME3795

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003795 
 
SIPDIS 
 
MOSCOW, TEL AVIV FOR BOLTON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2012 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MOPS, IT, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: ITALY WILL PROVIDE TROOPS IN SUPPORT OF OEF 
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REF: A. A) ROME 3760 (NOTAL) 
     B. B) ROME 3703 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: ACTING DCM THOMAS COUNTRYMAN, 1.5(B)(D) 
 
1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST.  PLEASE SEE PARAGRAPH 5. 
 
2. (C) ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI WILL 
RECOMMEND TO PARLIAMENT THAT ITALY SEND TROOPS TO AFGHANISTAN 
IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, ACCORDING TO 
BERLUSCONI'S TOP ADVISOR, GIOVANNI CASTELLANETA.  IN A 
MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR SEMBLER AND A/DCM ON AUGUST 1 TO 
FOLLOW-UP ON A JULY 31 DISCUSSION (REFTEL A), CASTELLANETA 
SAID THE GOI WOULD LIKE US INPUT ON TWO OPTIONS THAT ARE 
BEING DISCUSSED BY THE PM'S OFFICE, THE CHIEF OF DEFENSE AND 
THE ITALIAN LIAISON CELL IN TAMPA.  UNDER OPTION 1, ITALY 
WOULD SEND 1,000 ADDITIONAL TROOPS TO KFOR TO FREE UP US 
TROOPS FOR OEF.  THIS COULD BE DONE IMMEDIATELY, WITHOUT 
PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW.  UNDER OPTION 2, ITALY WOULD SEND 
TROOPS (EITHER COMBAT OR SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES) TO 
AFGHANISTAN.  THIS WOULD INVOLVE PARLIAMENTARY CONSULTATIONS, 
IF NOT A VOTE, WHICH WOULD MEAN WAITING FOR PARLIAMENT'S 
RETURN IN MID-SEPTEMBER.  IF THE USG PREFERS OPTION 2, THE 
GOI NEEDS MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TYPE OF MISSION 
ANTICIPATED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHICH TROOPS SHOULD BE 
DEPLOYED, CASTELLANETA SAID. 
 
3. (C) NOTING THAT THE US WOULD LIKELY BE RELUCTANT TO SET 
OFF SUSPICIONS THAT WE ARE WITHDRAWING SUPPORT FROM BALKANS 
OPERATIONS, THE AMBASSADOR SAID OPTION 2 MAY BE PREFERRED. 
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HE ASKED WHETHER PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW IS LEGALLY NECESSARY, 
OR MORE OF A POLITICAL REQUIREMENT.  CASTELLANETA CONFIRMED 
THAT THERE IS A REAL POLITICAL, NOT LEGAL, NEED TO CONSULT 
WITH PARLIAMENT, BUT PREDICTED THAT THE PROCESS WOULD LIKELY 
LEAD TO STRONGER PUBLIC AND POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR DEPLOYING 
ITALIAN TROOPS.  BERLUSCONI WOULD RAISE THE REQUEST WITH 
PARLIAMENT IN MID-SEPTEMBER, AND TROOPS COULD BE DEPLOYED IN 
THE FALL, BEFORE THE AFGHAN WINTER BEGINS, HE SAID. 
 
4. (C) CASTELLANETA SAID AMBASSADOR SALLEO, WHO RECENTLY MET 
WITH PENTAGON OFFICIALS, HAD REPORTED STRONG REGARD WITHIN 
DOD FOR THE ALPINI BRIGADE.  AGAIN, CASTELLANETA URGED THAT 
WE PROVIDE MORE PRECISE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MISSION SO THAT 
THE GOI CAN DETERMINE WHICH TROOPS WOULD BE MOST APPROPRIATE 
TO SEND.  THE AMBASSADOR ASSURED HIM THAT THE EMBASSY WILL 
SHARE THE DETAILS WE OBTAIN FROM WASHINGTON, BUT EMPHASIZED 
THAT TAMPA IS THE CENTRAL POINT FOR COORDINATING DISCUSSIONS 
ABOUT OPERATIONAL DETAILS, SUCH AS WHICH TYPE OF FORCES ARE 
NEEDED AND WHEN. 
 
5. (C) ACTION REQUEST.  PLEASE INFORM EMBASSY WHICH OPTION IS 
PREFERRED: BACKFILLING TROOPS IN THE BALKANS (OPTION 1) OR 
DEPLOYING TROOPS TO AFGHANISTAN (OPTION 2).  A RESPONSE 
BEFORE MONDAY, AUGUST 5 WOULD ALLOW U/S BOLTON TO DELIVER THE 
USG RESPONSE TO SENIOR GOI OFFICIALS, INCLUDING CASTELLANETA, 
WHILE HE IS IN ROME.  IF OPTION 2 IS PREFERRED, AS WE EXPECT, 
PLEASE PROVIDE AVAILABLE DETAILS REGARDING THE EXPECTED 
MISSION IN ORDER TO HELP THE ITALIANS IDENTIFY THE 
APPROPRIATE TROOPS TO DEPLOY.  WE WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE 
FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING WHICH TROOPS ARE ROTATING OUT 
AND WHEN FROM OTHER CONTRIBUTING COUNTRIES. 
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SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2002ROME03795 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL