US embassy cable - 03ROME1754

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 001754 
 
SIPDIS 
 
CENTCOM FOR J5, POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2013 
TAGS: MARR, MOPS, PREL, IT, MOPS, PREL, IT, IZ, IZMARR, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: ITALY MOVING TO GET PROCESS RIGHT ON FIELD 
HOSPITAL DEPLOYMENT  CORRECTED COPY - PARA 8 
ADDITIONAL/PLEASE DISREGARD ROME 1753 
 
REF: A. ROME 1660 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01754  01 OF 02  242323Z 
     B. ROME 1701 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: A/DCM TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1.  (C)  THE ITALIAN MFA, WHICH NOMINALLY HAS THE LEAD ON 
ITALY'S HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE EFFORTS IN IRAQ, IS SEEKING 
TO DEPLOY IMMEDIATELY A 27-BED ICRC FIELD HOSPITAL TO BAGHDAD 
(REF A).  AMBASSADOR BADINI, DIRECTOR OF THE GOI'S IRAQ TASK 
FORCE, TOLD A/DCM ON APRIL 24 THAT ITALY REQUESTED 
AUTHORIZATION TO FLY AN ANTONOV AIRCRAFT CARRYING HOSPITAL 
EQUIPMENT INTO BAGHDAD ON APRIL 28. 
 
2.  (C) A/DCM TOLD BADINI THAT BAGHDAD AIRPORT WAS NOT OPEN 
FOR BUSINESS.  CENTCOM HAD INFORMED THE EMBASSY THAT AIR 
TRANSPORT WAS NOT A FEASIBLE OPTION FOR THE TIME BEING. 
A/DCM SUGGESTED THAT THE MFA CONSIDER MOVING THE HOSPITAL IN 
THROUGH KUWAIT OR AMMAN.  EITHER ARRANGEMENTS FOR OVERLAND 
TRAVEL WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE OR THE GOI'S TASK FORCE COULD 
WAIT UNTIL BAGHDAD AIRPORT WAS UP AND RUNNING.  BADINI 
OBJECTED THAT ITALY DID NOT HAVE ANY VEHICLES POSITIONED IN 
EITHER KUWAIT OR JORDAN TO DO THE JOB.  EXPRESSING SOME 
DEGREE OF FRUSTRATION, HE SAID THAT IF THE USG ULTIMATELY DID 
NOT WANT THE HOSPITAL IN BAGHDAD, THE TASK FORCE WOULD NOT 
SEND IT TO ANOTHER LOCATION IN IRAQ. 
 
3.  (C) A/DCM REITERATED THAT THE GOI'S NUMBER ONE PRIORITY 
SHOULD BE WORKING ITS EFFORTS TO DEPLOY A FIELD HOSPITAL 
THROUGH THE CENTCOM PLANNING CELL -- SPECIFICALLY VIA THE 
ITALIAN LNO, GENERAL SANTINI.  WITHOUT CENTCOM APPROVAL, IT 
WAS SIMPLY NOT POSSIBLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH WORKING THE 
OPERATIONAL DETAILS NECESSSARY TO REALIZE THE PROJECT. 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01754  01 OF 02  242323Z 
BADINI STATED THAT AN MFA SITE SURVEY TEAM CURRENTLY IN 
BAGHDAD HAD RECEIVED A GREEN LIGHT TO DEPLOY THE HOSPITAL IN 
BAGHDAD FROM GENERAL BLOUNT.  A/DCM URGED BADINI TO RELAY 
THIS INFORMATION TO SANTINI, SO THAT PLANNING CELLS IN TAMPA 
COULD GIVE BLOUNT'S STATEMENTS FULL WEIGHT IN THEIR DECISION 
ON LOCATION OF THE HOSPITAL.  BADINI COMPLAINED THAT THE LNO 
CHANNEL WAS BROKEN AND THEREFORE HE LACKED CONFIDENCE IN IT. 
A/DCM AGREED THE CHANNEL WASN'T WORKING, BUT SAID THE ONLY 
OPTION WAS TO FIX IT, NOT CIRCUMVENT IT. 
 
EMBASSY COMMENT 
--------------- 
 
4.  (C) EMBASSY HAS DEVOTED THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS TO GETTING 
THE MINISTRIES OF DEFENSE AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO GIVE GEN. 
SANTINI MORE INFORMATION AND AUTHORITY TO ADDRESS NOT ONLY 
PURELY MILITARY BUT ALSO THE HUMANITARIAN DEPLOYMENTS INTO 
IRAQ.  OUR EFFORTS MAY BE PAYING OFF.  LATE APRIL 24, MINDEF 
MARTINO'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISER TOLD A/DCM THAT MOD HAD JUST 
REACHED AGREEMENT WITH AMB. BADINI THAT MFA WOULD TRANSMIT 
FULL OPERATIONAL DETAILS ON THE HOSPITAL DEPLOYMENT TO THE 
DEFENSE STAFF, WHICH WILL PASS IT ON TO SANTINI WITH ORDERS 
TO WORK OUT ALL REMAINING DETAILS (I.E., NOT ONLY PURELY 
MILITARY ASPECTS).  IN ADDITION, THE GOI WILL SEEK TO 
DOUBLE-TRACK THE INFORMATION THROUGH AMB. ANTONIO ARMELLINI, 
THEIR NEWLY APPOINTED LIAISON TO OHRA, WHO SHOULD BE IN 
KUWAIT SHORTLY.  WE ARE NOW CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT 
CENTCOM PLANNERS WILL SEE SOON A MORE INFORMED AND 
FORTHCOMING GEN. SANTINI. 
 
5.  (C) THE EMBASSY IS FULLY AWARE OF AND GREATLY APPRECIATES 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  01754  01 OF 02  242323Z 
CENTCOM'S EFFORTS TO FACILITATE AND EXPEDITE HUMANITARIAN 
ASSISTANCE TO THE IRAQI PEOPLE THAT ITALY AND OTHER COUNTRIES 
ARE TRYING TO MAKE AVAILABLE.  IT IS A DIFFICULT TASK MADE 
MORE COMPLICATED WHEN COUNTRIES DO NOT FOLLOW ESTABLISHED 
PROCEDURES.  NEVERTHELESS, WE ARE ALSO CONVINCED THAT ITALY 
IS TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING, AND THEREFORE WANT TO 
UNDERSCORE THREE REASONS WHY IT MAKES SENSE TO ALLOW THE GOI 
TO DEPLOY THEIR HOSPITAL IN BAGHDAD, EVEN IF THE LOCATION 
IDENTIFIED BY THE GOI IS NOT THE AREA WHERE THE HOSPITAL IS 
MOST URGENTLY NEEDED. 
 
6.  (C) THE GOI CHOSE THE LOCATION BETWEEN THE AL NOUMAN 
GENERAL HOSPITAL AND THE KHEDIMIA PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL (NEAR 
SADDAM CITY) BECAUSE IT HAS PRIOR EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH 
THOSE HEALTH FACILITIES (REF A).  SITING A FIELD HOSPITAL 
THERE OPENS THE WAY FOR ITALY TO REESTABLISH A LONG-TERM 
"SPONSORING" RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TWO PERMANENT HOSPITALS 
WHICH WILL PERSIST AFTER ITS TEMPORARY FACILITY IS REMOVED. 
MOREOVER, AS WE STRESSED IN REF B, HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE 
PROVIDES THE GOI WITH JUSTIFICATION FOR PUTTING ITS PROPOSED 
1700-2000 BOOTS ON THE GROUND TO DO PHASE IV PEACEKEEPING AND 
MSU-TYPE WORK.  THE VISIBLE PRESENCE OF THE HEALTH FACILITY 
 
CORRECTION OF ROME 01753 SEE SUBJECT 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ0365 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  01754  02 OF 02  242326Z 
ACTION PM-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   COR-01   AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00 
      EUR-00   VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00     VCE-00 
      AC-01    NEA-00   NSAE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   PA-00    PRS-00 
      ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    SSO-00   SS-00    STR-00   TRSE-00 
      T-00     USIE-00  PMB-00   PRM-00   DRL-01   G-00     SAS-00 
        /006W 
                  ------------------5AD12E  242326Z /15 
O 241843Z APR 03 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9411 
INFO JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY KUWAIT PRIORITY 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 001754 
 
SIPDIS 
 
CENTCOM FOR J5, POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2013 
TAGS: MARR, MOPS, PREL, IT, IZ 
SUBJECT: ITALY MOVING TO GET PROCESS RIGHT ON FIELD 
HOSPITAL DEPLOYMENT  CORRECTED COPY - PARA 8 
ADDITIONAL/PLEASE DISREGARD ROME 1753 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01754  02 OF 02  242326Z 
WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE GOI TO MUSTER PARLIAMENTARY AND 
PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR A MILITARY DEPLOYMENT. 
 
7.  (C) FINALLY, ALTHOUGH WE NOT PLEASED WITH THE MFA'S 
HANDLING OF OPERATIONAL DETAILS, WE ARE ENCOURAGED THAT IT 
TRIED TO RESPOND RAPIDLY TO OUR ORIGINAL, URGENTLY-CONVEYED 
REQUEST FOR A FIELD HOSPITAL.  THE MFA WILLINGNESS TO GET ITS 
HANDS DIRTY ON A TOUGH OPERATIONAL ISSUE THAT THE USG 
IDENTIFIED AS A TOP PRIORITY SHOULD NOT BE DISCOURAGED. 
DESPITE THE BUREAUCRATIC HASSLES SO FAR, WE ACTUALLY SEE 
TREMENDOUS PROGRESS IN GOI COORDINATION OF ITS 
MILITARY/CIVILIAN/HUMANITARIAN BRANCHES, AN ASSET UPON WHICH 
WE WILL CERTAINLY SEEK TO DRAW AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. 
 
8. (U) EMBASSY WILL BE CLOSED FOR BUSINESS ON APRIL 25 FOR AN 
ITALIAN NATIONAL HOLIDAY, BUT A/DCM TOM COUNTRYMAN AND 
POL-MIL OFFICER TODD EBITZ WILL BE AVAILABLE VIA THE EMBASSY 
SWITCHBOARD (TEL. 39.06.46741). 
 
SEMBLER 
 
CORRECTION OF ROME 01753 SEE SUBJECT 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2003ROME01754 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL