US embassy cable - 02ROME4625

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004625 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2012 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINR, MARR, AF, IZ, IT, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT OF GOI'S PARLIAMENT'S DEFENSE COMMITTEE 
ON IRAQ, ITALIAN REINFORCEMENT OF OEF 
 
REF: STATE 183517 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: DCM EMIL SKODON.  REASON:1.5 (B)(D) 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  ON SEPTEMBER 23, PARLIAMENTARY DEFENSE 
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COMMITTEE PRESIDENT LUIGI RAMPONI TOLD DCM THAT HE WAS 
CONFIDENT THAT UNSC MANDATED USE OF FORCE IN IRAQ WOULD HAVE 
STRONG, ACROSS THE BOARD SUPPORT IN THE CHAMBER.  UNILATERAL 
OR LIMITED COALITION ACTION WOULD, HOWEVER, NOT BE SUPPORTED 
BY THE CENTER-LEFT OPPOSITION.  RAMPONI SAID THAT ALPINI 
TROOP DEPLOYMENT TO OEF WAS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF DEPLOYMENT 
LEGISLATION PASSED LAST FALL, AND HE COULD NOT PREDICT THE 
EXTENT OF BIPARTISAN SUPPORT IN PARLIAMENT FOR SUCH A 
DEPLOYMENT. END SUMMARY 
 
2.  (C)  IN ANTICIPATION OF PARLIAMENTARY (CHAMBER OF 
DEPUTIES) DEBATE ON IRAQ SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 25, DCM 
REINFORCED WITH RAMPONI USG VIEWS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF 
DISARMING SADDAM HUSSEIN, AND URGED RAMPONI TO DO WHAT HE 
COULD TO SOLIDIFY SUPPORT IN PARLIAMENT.  RAMPONI, A MEMBER 
OF THE JUNIOR COALITION PARTNER NATIONAL ALLIANCE PARTY, SAID 
THAT HE AGREED WITH THE USG POSITION, AND THAT THERE WAS 
AGREEMENT FROM ACROSS THE ITALIAN POLITICAL SPECTRUM ON THE 
IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING WMD FROM SADDAM.  RAMPONI WILL MAKE A 
SPEECH IN THE CHAMBER DURING THE SEPTEMBER 25 DEBATES, IN 
WHICH HE WILL DRAW COMPARISONS BETWEEN THE CURRENT PROBLEMS 
WITH IRAQ AND THE PRE 9/11 SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN.  HE SAID 
THAT HE WOULD CITE MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS OF SECURITY COUNCIL 
RESOLUTIONS BY AFGHANISTAN IN 2000 AND 2001.  THE RESOLUTIONS 
HAD CALLED FOR, INTER ALIA, HALTING AID TO TERRORIST 
ORGANIZATIONS AND EXTRADITING OSAMA BIN LADEN.  HAD THE IC 
BEEN MORE RESOLUTE IN ENFORCING THOSE RESOLUTIONS, SAID 
RAMPONI, "WE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD A 9/11." 
 
3.  (C)  RAMPONI SAID THAT HE SUPPORTS THE STRONG POSITION 
THE U.S. HAS TAKEN IN ORDER TO PUSH THE UN TO ACTION AND TO 
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"GET SOME ANSWERS" FROM SADDAM.  IF INSPECTIONS WORK, AND THE 
IC HAS TOTAL ASSURANCE THAT IT HAS SADDAM'S WEAPONS 
PRODUCTION CAPABILITIES UNDER CONTROL, THEN PERHAPS WE CAN 
AVOID WAR.  IF SADDAM DOES NOT COOPERATE, THE UNSC MUST 
REACT.  THE USE OF FORCE UNDER A UN BANNER WOULD RECEIVE THE 
SAME LEVEL OF SUPPORT IN THE ITALIAN PARLIAMENT AS GIVEN TO 
OEF.  HOWEVER, CONTINUED RAMPONI, IF THE U.S. GOES IT ALONE 
OR WITH A SMALL COALITION, IT WOULD BE VERY HARD TO SECURE 
SUPPORT FROM THE MINORITY CENTER-LEFT. 
 
4.  (C) TURNING TO THE U.S. REQUEST FOR A BATTALION OF THE 
GOI'S ALPINI TROOPS TO BE DEPLOYED TO OEF, THE DCM REITERATED 
THAT THE ALPINI WERE CAREFULLY SELECTED FOR THEIR EXPERTISE 
BY CENTCOM STAFF.  FURTHER, OUR REQUEST FOR THE ALPINI TROOPS 
IS NOT LINKED TO ANY POSSIBLE U.S. DEPLOYMENT TO IRAQ. 
RATHER, INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION IN OEF GROUND FORCE 
DEPLOYMENT HAS DIMINISHED, TO THE POINT WHERE SOON ALMOST ALL 
GROUND FORCES IN OEF WOULD BE U.S.  THE ALPINI DEPLOYMENT 
WOULD HELP CORRECT THAT SITUATION AND MEET PREVIOUSLY 
IDENTIFIED OEF REQUIREMENTS. 
 
5.  (C) RAMPONI SAID THAT THE ALPINI WERE WELL TRAINED IN 
MOUNTAIN COMBAT TACTICS, BUT NOT IN COUNTERTERRORISM 
TECHNIQUES.  HE SAID THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME DEBATE IN 
PARLIAMENT ABOUT THE DEPLOYMENT SINCE IT WOULD GO BEYOND THE 
SCOPE OF OEF SUPPORT LEGISLATION PASSED LAST FALL. RAMPONI 
COULD NOT PREDICT THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT IN PARLIAMENT FOR SUCH 
A DEPLOYMENT. 
 
6.  (C)  COMMENT.  WE CONTINUE TO ANTICIPATE SUFFICIENT 
PARLIAMENTARY SUPPORT FOR ALPINI DEPLOYMENT.  OUR 
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CONVERSATIONS WITH OFFICIALS FROM THROUGHOUT THE GOI INDICATE 
THAT WHILE THE ALPINI DEPLOYMENT PROPOSAL MAY GENERATE SOME 
DEBATE OVER THE NECESSITY OF PUTTING ITALIAN TROOPS IN HARM'S 
WAY, PM BERLUSCONI WILL HAVE THE NECESSARY VOTES TO MAKE GOOD 
ON HIS PROMISE TO PRESIDENT BUSH TO DEPLOY ALPINI TROOPS IN 
AFGHANISTAN. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2002ROME04625 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL