US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT553

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 000553 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DOD FOR DEPSECDEF, SECDEF FOR DUSD POLICY, DUSD TECHNOLOGY, 
DUSD SECURITY, DUSD POLICY AND COUNTER-PROLIFERATION 
COMFLCC ALSO PASS TO SURGEON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2013 
TAGS: ASEC, KU, MCAP, PREL, PTER, US 
SUBJECT: ANTHRAX AND SMALLPOX PROGRAM FOR KUWAITI MILITARY 
 
 
Classified By: CDA FRANK C. URBANCIC, REASON: 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (U) This is an action request.  See para 5. 
 
2. (C) The United States and Kuwait are standing shoulder to 
shoulder in the international effort to disarm Iraq.  As a 
result of Kuwait's geographic location next to Iraq, and the 
political decision by the GoK to support very large numbers 
of US troops in the country, Kuwait is the first and most 
likely target of any future Iraqi bio-terror attack in the 
region. 
 
3.  (C) All US troops are fully vaccinated against both 
anthrax and smallpox.  As part of its own efforts to provide 
equal protections to its troops who will be standing in the 
same terrain as their US counterparts, the GoK has requested 
enough smallpox and anthrax vaccine to inoculate 15,000 of 
its own personnel.  The US response has been disappointing, 
and our hosts have negatively noted it.  In the LoA which we 
have been instructed to provide to the Kuwaitis, the US has 
offered only enough anthrax vaccine for 2750 people, and it 
has offered to sell both the anthrax and smallpox vaccines, 
vice provide it as aid in kind.  Thus, we are not only not 
providing quantities sufficient to protect these coalition 
partners, we are asking them to pay for these relatively 
small and insufficient amounts. 
 
4. (C) This slap at the Kuwaitis has arrived at exactly the 
same moment that the Embassy is engaged in intensive efforts 
with the GoK to secure their approval (not required under the 
terms of the current DCA) to provide additional millions of 
dollars-worth of jet fuel, access to ports, and vast amounts 
of other supplies to US forces as aid in kind from the GoK to 
the coalition forces.  Embassy views this situation as 
degrading to our overall relationship, potentially 
jeopardizing Kuwaiti willingness to approve future aid in 
kind requests from the United States. 
 
5.  (C) Action Request:  That the Department revisit this 
issue with DoD urgently to secure sufficient supplies of 
smallpox and anthrax vaccine for the full 15,000 personnel 
requests by the GoK, and that it be provided as aid in kind 
from the United States. 
URBANCIC