US embassy cable - 03ROME1660

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001660 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EAID, MOPS, IZ, IT, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: ITALY TO DEPLOY FIELD HOSPITAL TO BAGHDAD 
    IN 10 TO 15 DAYS 
 
REF: ROME 1646 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: A/DCM TOM COUNTRYMAN, REASONS 1.5 B, D. 
 
 1. (U) THIS CABLE CONTAINS ACTION REQUESTS.  PLEASE SEE 
PARAGRAPH 4. 
 
2. (C) LATE APRIL 17 ECONOFF RECEIVED A READOUT ON THE LATEST 
MEETING OF THE GOI IRAQ TASK FORCE MEETING FROM ITS DEPUTY 
COORDINATOR, LUIGI MACCOTTA.  MACCOTTA SAID THAT THE TASK 
FORCE DECIDED TO DEPLOY WITHIN 10 TO 15 DAYS A MODULAR, 
100-BED FIELD HOSPITAL PROVIDED BY THE ITALIAN RED CROSS. 
THE HOSPITAL WILL BE STAFFED BY APPROXIMATELY 72 PEOPLE AND 
BE COMPRISED OF 27 TENT UNITS COVERING A SURFACE AREA OF 
BETWEEN 7 AND 10,000 SQUARE METERS.  THE GOI INTENDS TO 
DEPLOY THE HOSPITAL TO THE AREA BETWEEN THE AL NOUMAN GENERAL 
HOSPITAL AND THE KHADIMIA PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL (NEAR SADDAM 
CITY).  THE GOI INTENDS FOR THE HOSPITAL TO BE SENT BY 
ITALIAN MILITARY AIRCRAFT DIRECTLY TO BAGHDAD AND BE 
PROTECTED BY A COMPLEMENT OF 50 TOSCANIA TROOPS (AIRBORNE 
BRIGADE). 
 
3. (C) ON APRIL 22, THE GOI WILL SEND A TECHNICAL TEAM TO 
CONDUCT ASSESSMENTS IN IRAQ WITH THE PURPOSE OF PROPOSING 
FUTURE PROJECTS FOR THE TASK FORCE TO UNDERTAKE.  THE TEAM 
WILL BE COMPRISED OF TWO MEDICAL EXPERTS, A CHEMICAL EXPERT, 
AND THREE ENGINEERS SPECIALIZING, RESPECTIVELY, IN 
INFRASTRUCTURE, ROADS, AND WATER/SANITATION.  THIS TEAM WILL 
BE SENT TO KUWAIT CITY ON ITS WAY TO IRAQ.  COORDINATION WITH 
    ORHA AND DART IS BEING HANDLED BY ITALY'S AMBASSADOR PARTI IN 
KUWAIT. 
 
4. (C) COMMENT AND ACTION REQUESTS.  THE GOI TASK FORCE HAS 
CLEARLY SEIZED ON OUR HOSPITAL REQUEST TO SWING INTO ACTION. 
BY SENDING THEIR OWN EVALUATION TEAM, THE GOI IS SHOWING THAT 
IT WILL NOT WAIT FOR INPUT ON NEEDS THAT IT CAN MOBILIZE TO 
MEET.  MACCOTTA SPECIFICALLY NOTED THAT THE 50 TROOPS BEING 
SENT TO PROTECT THE HOSPITAL WOULD NEED TO COORDINATE WITH 
AND BE COMPLEMENTED BY CENTCOM PATROLS IN THE ZONE WHERE THE 
HOSPITAL WILL BE LOCATED.  POST REQUESTS ANY GUIDANCE THAT 
WOULD FACILITATE THIS COORDINATION OR OTHER LOGISTICAL 
REQUIREMENTS FOR A SMOOTH DEPLOYMENT TO BAGHDAD WITHIN THE 10 
DAY WINDOW NOTED.  SPECIFICALLY, PLEASE CONFIRM THAT THE 
GOI-PROPOSED LOCATION FOR THE FIELD HOSPITAL IS ACCEPTABLE TO 
CENTCOM.  END COMMENT AND ACTION REQUESTS. 
 

 
SEMBLER 
 
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	2003ROME01660 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL