US embassy cable - 03AMMAN3047

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003047 
 
SIPDIS 
 
S E C R E T NOFORN 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL:  16/17/12 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, PARM, MASS, JO 
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR CDR, CENTCOM GENERAL FRANKS' MAY 
24-25, 2003 VISIT TO JORDAN 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR EDWARD W. GNEHM FOR REASONS 1.5 (A, 
B AND D). 
 
1. (C) GENERAL FRANKS: WELCOME BACK TO JORDAN. YOUR VISIT 
PROVIDES AN OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE LEADERSHIP 
OF JORDAN FOR THEIR SUPPORT IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND 
THEIR CONTINUED EFFORT IN AFGHANISTAN, CONGRATULATE THE 
CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS ON HIS RECENT PROMOTION TO 
GENERAL, AND TO DISCUSS KEY ISSUES REGARDING THE CURRENT 
SITUATION IN THE REGION. I AM SURE YOUR DISCUSSIONS WILL HELP 
ENSURE THE KINGDOM,S CONTINUED SUPPORT IN THE WAR ON 
TERRORISM AND OTHER REGIONAL EVENTS. 
 
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SUMMARY 
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2. (C) EMBASSY AMMAN AND YOUR JORDANIAN HOSTS LOOK FORWARD TO 
YOUR VISIT TO AMMAN.  DURING YOUR VISIT, YOU WILL MEET AND 
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS KEY ISSUES WITH THE KING. AS 
YOU KNOW YOUR VISIT COINCIDES WITH THE GOJ,S CELEBRATION OF 
ITS INDEPENDENCE FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM IN 1946.  THERE IS 
GREAT SENSE OF RELIEF THAT THE WAR IN IRAQ WAS FAST AND 
EFFECTIVE.  HOWEVER, YOU WILL BE ARRIVING AT A TIME OF 
CONTINUED DOMESTIC FRUSTRATION WITH THE SLOWNESS OF THE 
REBUILDING PROCESS AND THE ONGOING VIOLENCE IN THE WEST BANK 
AND GAZA.    MOST JORDANIANS, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF PALESTINIAN 
ORIGIN, REMAIN ACCUTELY CONCERNED ABOUT ISRAEL,S HARSH 
TREATMENT OF PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS AND ITS PERCEIVED LACK OF 
COMMITMENT TO THE US-PROVIDED ROAD MAP.  HOWEVER, THE 
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND JORDAN CONTINUES 
TO BE A CLOSE AND COOPERATIVE ONE -- POLITICALLY, 
ECONOMICALLY, MILITARILY AND ON INTELLIGENCE ISSUES.  JORDAN 
HAS LONG BEEN A VOICE OF REASON IN THE MIDDLE EAST, A 
SIGNIFICANT MILITARY PARTNER, AND AN IMPORTANT AND RELIABLE 
TROOP CONTRIBUTING COUNTRY IN MISSIONS AROUND THE WORLD.  ONE 
OF JORDAN,S UN PEACEKEEPERS WAS SAVAGELY KILLED IN THE CONGO 
THIS WEEK.  JORDAN,S &FRONTLINE8 EFFORTS AS A COALITION 
PARTNER IN THE WAR AGAINST TERROR AND IN REBUILDING IRAQ 
CONTINUE. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
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ISSUES THAT WILL ARISE 
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3. (S/NF) THE FOLLOWING ITEMS MAY ARISE DURING YOUR 
DISCUSSIONS WITH HM AND HIS JAF LEADERSHIP. 
 
-  (C) AS ALWAYS, JORDANANIAN LEADERS AND PEOPLE ARE GRACIOUS 
HOSTS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE U.S.  THEY WILL AFFIRM THEIR 
COMMITMENT TO AN ONGOING PARTNERSHIP WITH US AND WILL THANK 
YOU FOR AMERICA,S SUPPORT TO JORDAN. 
 
-     (S) HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE CONCERNS.  JORDAN IS 
CONCERNED THAT THE INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR IRAQ MAY NOT BE 
ADEQUATE.  RESOURCE SHORTAGES SUCH AS FUEL, WATER, AND 
SHELTER FOR IDPS ARE WATCHED WITH CONCERN BY THE KING,S 
CITIZENS. 
 
- (S) TIMING OF CROSS-BORDER ACTIVITIES.  JORDAN AGAIN IS 
CONCERNED THAT CROSS-BORDER OPERATIONS ARE TAKING PLACE FROM 
SYRIA WITH ROCKETS, EXPLOSIVES, AND WEAPONS BEING SENT 
ACROSS.  THEY WILL SEEK AN ACCELERATION OF THE PLANNED $75 
MILLION BORDER SECURITY AID PACKAGE. 
 
-     (S) USG REQUESTS OF JORDAN WITH REGARDS TO POST-WAR 
ACTIVITIES. JORDAN WOULD WELCOME ANY INSIGHTS INTO POSSIBLE 
ROLES THAT THEY CAN PLAY IN POST-WAR IRAQ.  THEY HAVE 
REQUESTED TO BE ALLOWED TO SUPPORT THE EFFORT IN DEMINING, 
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, TRANSPORTATION, INTERPRETERS, 
MILITARY AND POLICE EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING, AND MEDICAL 
SUPPORT IN IRAQ.  AT THE SAME TIME, THEY REMAIN CONCERNED 
ABOUT THE FUTURE OF IRAQI OIL SUPPLIES TO JORDAN. 
-   (C) THE GOVERNMENT OF JORDAN DESIRES TO RESUME THE ROBUST 
EXERCISE SCHEDULE THAT THEY HAVE ENJOYED WITH ALL OF THE 
CENTCOM COMPONENT COMMANDS.  ONGOING AND SCHEDULED PLANNING 
CONFERENCES ARE A MOVE IN THE RIGHT DRECTION.  THEY PLAN TO 
APPLY FOR FUTURE PARTICIPATION IN PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE 
ACTIVITIES.  IT IS LIKELY THAT THEY WILL DISCUSS REGIONAL 
TRAINING EVENTS FOR SOF, F-16S, AND DEMINING AND 
PEACEKEEPING.  THEY MAY ALSO RAISE THE POSSIBILITY OF HOLDING 
FUTURE BRIGHT STAR EXERCISES IN JORDAN. 
 
-  (S) THE GOVERNMENT OF JORDAN, WHILE EAGER TO INVOLVE 
ITSELF WITH THE REBUILDING OPERATION IN IRAQ, ALSO REMAINS 
FOCUSED ON ITS OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN.  THEY WILL ROTATE 
FORCES IN THAT COUNTRY STARTING ON 22 MAY.  THEY WILL BE 
INTERESTED IN YOUR VISION FOR THEIR PRESENCE THERE.  THEY ARE 
INTERESTED ALSO IN SUPPLYING WEAPONS REFURBISHED IN JORDAN TO 
THE AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY IF THE USG WILL SUPPORT SUCH AN 
EFFORT.  THEY ARE SIMILARLY INTERESTED IN US SUPPORT FOR 
TRAINING THE ANA IN A WIDE RANGE OF SKILLS WITH USG SUPPORT. 
 
- (C) THEY WILL BE VERY INTERESTED IN ANY LESSONS LEARNED 
FROM THE RECENT IRAQ WAR. 
 
- (S) THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP WILL EXPRESS THEIR CONTINUED 
SUPPORT FOR THE GWOT.  THEY FEAR JORDAN IS LIKELY TO BE ONE 
OF THE NEXT TARGET IN THE LATEST SERIES OF AL-QAEDA ATTACKS 
AND ARE TAKING ENERGETIC STEPS TO COUNTER THE POTENTIAL 
THREAT.  THEY WILL SEEK ROBUST CT TRAINING AND INTELLIGENCE 
SHARING. 
 
4.  (C) THE JTF-W COMMANDER WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE OF 
COALITION AND 1003V ACTIONS AS PART OF THE SCHEDULED COUNTRY 
TEAM MEETING THE MORNING OF 25 MAY. 
 
5.  (C) AGAIN, I LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU BACK TO 
JORDAN.  BEST REGARDS. 
 
GNEHM