US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI2082

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 002082 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEFENSE FOR OSD/NESA 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/NGA AND PM/RSAT 
 
CENTCOM FOR POLAD AMBASSADOR LITT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/30/13 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PARM, MOPS, GCC, AF, IZ, TC 
SUBJECT:  SECRETARY OF DEFENSE RUMSFELD MEETING 
WITH UAE ARMED FORCES CHIEF OF STAFF 
SHAYKH MUHAMMAD BIN ZAYID AL-NAHYAN 
 
1. (U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba 
for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D). 
 
2. (S) SUMMARY: SecDef met with UAE Armed Forces 
Chief of Staff LTG Muhammad bin Zayid Al-Nahyan 
(MbZ) on April 27 in Abu Dhabi.  After 
congratulating SecDef on Operation Iraqi Freedom, 
MbZ made the following points:  (1) There is a 
narrow window to curtail Iranian influence among 
Iraqi Shi'a groups.  (2) Iran is a regional threat 
and the leadership in Tehran uses the "American and 
Israeli enemy" to maintain control.  (3) Jordan's 
King Abdullah is a courageous leader who deserves 
our support.  SecDef made the following points: 
(1) He thanked the UAE for its support in the 
liberation of Iraq.  (2) While it is understandable 
for Iraq's neighbors, including Iran and Syria, to 
have an interest, we cannot abdicate to them 
control of Iraq's internal affairs. (3) Syria has 
played an unhelpful role, although Bashar Al-Asad 
appears to be getting the message to some extent. 
(4) The U.S.  provides support to Jordan and 
encourages others to follow suit.  (5) The U.S. has 
made progress in training the Afghan National Army, 
but it is important that this progress be 
accelerated.  CENTCOM Commander Gen. Franks and 
Amb. Wahba joined SecDef. 
 
3. (S) OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM:  MbZ congratulated 
SecDef on the "amazing" success of Operation Iraqi 
Freedom against an Iraqi regime that was the enemy 
of both the U.S. and the UAE.  SecDef thanked MbZ 
for the UAE's cooperation; the role played by the 
UAE and Kuwait helped speed up the operation and 
saved lives.  SecDef credited General Franks and 
his team for the success of the plan and the 
campaign.  There was a minimum loss of life, no 
environmental damage, no ballistic missiles fired 
at neighboring states and virtually no outflow of 
refugees. 
 
4. (S) IRANIAN INFLUENCE IN IRAQ:  SecDef asked MbZ 
about Iran's influence in Iraq.  MbZ replied that 
Iran concerns everyone.  Anticipating Saddam's 
fall, the Iranians seized the opportunity to gain 
the confidence and loyalty of "their Shi'a groups" 
in Iraq.  Though the Emiratis would not object to a 
Shi'a president if elected, they would be concerned 
by the emergence of a powerful Shi'a religious 
figure.  In his view, we are in a critical period, 
during which we have an opportunity to encourage 
the emergence of moderate Shi'a leaders and 
circumscribe Iranian influence.  SecDef 
acknowledged that the transition from Saddam's rule 
may be bumpy; while it is understandable for Iraq's 
neighbors, including Iran and Syria, to have some 
influence, abdicating control to them is 
unacceptable. 
 
5. (S) IRANIAN THREAT TO THE REGION:  MbZ and 
SecDef agreed that Iran poses a significant 
regional and international threat.  SecDef hoped 
for internal change in Iran; he doubted that young 
Iranians will want to be ruled by the clerics 
indefinitely.  MbZ said the Iranian leadership has 
successfully used the concept of the "enemy" 
Americans and Israelis to maintain control.  Seven 
years ago, Rafsanjani's brother had told him that 
Iran would not stop developing its technology until 
it had in its arsenal a missile that could reach 
the U.S. 
 
6. (S) SYRIA UNHELPFUL:  When asked whether Syria 
had been cooperating as we wanted, SecDef said no. 
On balance Syria had been unhelpful, and "unwisely 
so."  Damascus had stopped weapons from crossing 
the border when the U.S. cautioned Syria, but 
allowed busloads of mercenaries to cross into Iraq. 
SecDef stated that Bashar Al-Asad seems to be 
getting the message after the intervention of Hosni 
Mubarak and others.  While he did not think Al-Asad 
will allow more wanted Iraqis into Syria, SecDef 
believed that the Syrian leader will permit the 
exit of those already in Syria.  MbZ reported that 
Shaykh Zayid had dispatched UAE Information 
Minister Abdullah bin Zayid to Damascus to warn 
them to be careful, only 48 hours before SecDef 
spoke publicly about Syria's unhelpful role. 
 
7. (S) JORDAN DESERVES OUR SUPPORT: SecDef asked 
MbZ for his assessment of how his friend King 
Abdullah weathered the Iraq conflict.  MbZ said  he 
thought Abdullah was in "reasonable shape."  MbZ 
admired Abdullah's courage in backing the OIF 
coalition -- 180 degrees from what his father had 
done during Desert Storm.  SecDef and MbZ agreed 
that Jordan deserves our support.  "If anyone 
deserves our support, he does," SecDef agreed 
fully. 
 
8. (S) AFGHANISTAN:  SecDef asked MbZ's view of the 
situation in Afghanistan.  MbZ said a UAE military 
team had just returned from Kabul and reported it 
was calm and secure, "like any other city."  SecDef 
noted the past footdragging of MoD and regional 
leaders.  It was two steps forward, one step back. 
A number of Afghan National Army (ANA) battalions 
were trained, but they are not yet linked to the 
Defense Ministry.  It is important that ANA 
training be accelerated to build confidence in the 
central government. 
 
9. (U) SecDef has reviewed and cleared this cable. 
 
WAHBA