US embassy cable - 03ROME1679

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001679 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR TF, PMAT, EUR, EUR/WE, AND EUR/PRA 
    PLEASE PASS TO OSD/POLICY, JOINT STAFF/YIKE, EUCOM/RIZZO, 
CENTCOM, NSC/VOLKER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2013 
TAGS: MARR, MOPS, PREL, EAID, IT, IZ, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: ITALIANS DISCUSS BRIGADE AND CARABINIERI 
FOR IRAQ 
 
REF: A. STATE 98807 
 
     B. ROME 1660 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: ACTING/DEPUTYCHIEF OF MISSION THOMAS COUNTRYMAN FOR REA 
SONS .5(B)(D) 
 
1. (C) THE ITALIAN LNO AT TAMPA, GENERL SANTINI, IS EXPECTED 
TO PRESENT THE ITALIAN MIITARY'S PROPOSAL -- TO CONTRIBUTE A 
BRIGADE AS WEL AS CARABINIERI UNITS FOR IRAQ OPERATIONS -- 
TOCENTCOM AS EARLY AS APRIL 18, ONCE THE PLAN HAS BEN 
APPROVED BY THE CHOD.  BASED ON OUR APRIL 17 METING WITH THE 
UK EMBASSY'S DCM, SCOTT WIGHTMAN,POL-MIL OFFICER NICK 
HOPTON, AND RAF REPRESENTATIE CHRIS PURKISS, WE UNDERSTAND 
THAT THE ITALIANSAND BRITISH HAVE HAD HIGH-LEVEL MIL-TO-MIL 
DISCUSIONS ON THE PROPOSAL, MOST RECENTLY IN LONDON ON PRIL 
15.  WIGHTMAN SAID THE ITALIANS HAVE OFFERE -- SUBJECT TO 
GOI POLITICAL APPROVAL -- A BRIGADE THAT CAN DEPLOY WITHIN 
ONE MONTH TO OPERATE WES OR NORTH OF BASRA IN THE BRITISH 
ZONE.  OF THAT A UNIT OF 800 BERSAGLIERE SOLDIERS CAN DEPLOY 
WTHIN 48 HOURS.  THE ITALIAN PROPOSAL ALSO INCLUDESTHE 
GARIBALDI HEADQUARTERS UNIT, AND 400-500 CARABINIERI PREPARED 
TO SERVE AS MSUS IN THE BAGHDAD REA.  A TEAM OF BRITISH 
MILITARY PLANNERS WILL BE IN ROME ON APRIL 23 TO WORK OUT 
    ADDITIONAL DETAILS WITH THE ITALIANS.  THE BRITISH AND THE 
ITALIANS WANT TO BE SURE THAT THE PROPOSAL FITS WITH CENTCOM 
PLANNING. 
 
2. (C) AFTER CONSULTING WITH LONDON LATER ON APRIL 17, HOPTON 
SAID THAT HIS AMBASSADOR PLANNED TO ENCOURAGE PRIME MINISTER 
BERLUSCONI TO APPROVE A RAPID DEPLOYMENT OF THE BRIGADE AND 
CARABINIERI TO THE BRITISH ZONE WHEN THEY MET AT AN EVENT 
THAT EVENING.  HIS GOVERNMENT WAS CONFIDENT THAT THIS WOULD 
RESULT IN THE POLITICAL APPROVAL THE ITALIAN MILITARY HAS 
BEEN SEEKING, PARTICULARLY SINCE PM BLAIR AND BERLUSCONI HAD 
DISCUSSED  THE IRAQ SITUATION (AND ESDP) IN ATHENS ON APRIL 
16, HOPTON EXPLAINED.  (NOTE: THE BRITISH EMBASSY IS CLOSED 
ON APRIL 18 AND WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO REACH WIGHTMAN OR 
HOPTON FOR A READ-OUT ON THE AMBASSADOR'S EXCHANGE WITH THE 
PM.  WE ARE FOLLOWING UP.) 
 
3. (C) COMMENT.  THE MOD AND THE GOI'S INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE 
HAVE PREVIOUSLY EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE TO HAVE ITALY'S 
NATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS CO-LOCATED.  OUR DISCUSSIONS TO DATE 
INDICATE, HOWEVER, THAT THE DEFENSE STAFF PROPOSES TO PUT A 
BRIGADE IN THE BRITISH ZONE AND CARABINIERI IN THE BAGHDAD 
AREA, WHILE THE TASK FORCE IS OFFERING A RED CROSS FIELD 
HOSPITAL AND OTHER EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR BAGHDAD, TO BE 
PROTECTED BY ITALIAN MILITARY PERSONNEL.  THE ITALIANS (AND 
WE) HAVE BEEN SEEKING GUIDANCE ON WHERE CENTCOM WANTS TO 
LOCATE THE BRIGADE, THE CARB UNITS AND THE FIELD HOSPITAL SO 
THEY CAN TAILOR THEIR PROPOSAL ACCORDINGLY.  OUR BRITISH 
COLLEAGUES PREDICT THAT, DURING THE MILITARY PLANNING MEETING 
ON APRIL 23, THE GOI WILL ADJUST ITS PACKAGE SO THAT THE 
BRIGADE AND THE CARABINIERI UNITS BOTH OPERATE IN THE BRITISH 
    ZONE, ASSUMING THAT FITS WITH CENTCOM'S PLAN.  WE NOTE 
INFORMAL DEPARTMENT REPORTS THAT FIELD HOSPITALS ARE 
ESPECIALLY NEEDED IN AREAS OTHER THAN BAGHDAD, AND ARE 
HOPEFUL THAT THE ITALIANS MAY BE WILLING TO LOCATE THEIR 
HOSPITAL (REFEL B) IN THE BRITISH ZONE IN ORDER TO 
CONSOLIDATE ITALY'S NATIONAL CONTRIBUTION.  IF THAT MEETS 
CENTCOM OBJECTIVES, WE WILL ENCOURAGE THE TASK FORCE TO MAKE 
THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS.  END COMMENT. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME01679 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL