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Viewing cable 02ROME3942, CAREFUL USG-GOI COORDINATION ESSENTIAL ON ITALIAN

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
02ROME3942 2002-08-09 15:46 2011-08-30 01:44 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Rome
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003942 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE, DKAGAN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2012 
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS IT IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: CAREFUL USG-GOI COORDINATION ESSENTIAL ON ITALIAN 
TROOP CONTRIBUTION 
 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  03942  091551Z 
REF: A. A) ROME 3795 
     B. B) STATE 134761 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: ACTING DCM THOMAS COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5(B)(D) 
 
1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST.  PLEASE SEE PARA 3. 
 
2. (C)  WE UNDERSTAND FROM E-MAIL TRAFFIC THAT THE USG 
PREFERS TO ACCEPT ITALY'S OFFER OF TROOPS FOR OPERATION 
ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) RATHER THAN THE GOI'S OFFER TO 
BACKFILL IN THE BALKANS (REF A).  IT WILL TAKE CAREFUL 
HANDLING BY PRIME MINISTER BERLUSCONI AND DEFENSE MINISTER 
MARTINO TO SHEPHERD THIS THROUGH PARLIAMENTARY CONSULTATIONS. 
 WITH BERLUSCONI AND MANY SENIOR DECISION-MAKERS OUT OF ROME 
ON HOLIDAY, A GOI "GAME-PLAN" MAY TAKE SOME TIME TO 
ORCHESTRATE.  THE NEED TO PLAN -- AND IMPLEMENT -- A 
POLITICAL STRATEGY MAY EXPLAIN WHY NO SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS 
HAVE BEEN ISSUED THROUGH THE MOD CHAIN OF COMMAND REGARDING 
BERLUSCONI'S CONDITIONAL DECISION TO CONTRIBUTE TROOPS.  THE 
OPPOSITION, PRESS AND PUBLIC COULD EASILY MISINTERPRET 
USG-GOI PRELIMINARY STEPS TO COORDINATE ITALIAN PARTICIPATION 
AS AN ATTEMPT BY THE GOI TO CIRCUMVENT PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW 
-- AND ITALY'S OPPOSITION, WHICH LACKS MANY ISSUES IT CAN USE 
AGAINST THE POPULAR PRIME MINISTER, WOULD BE ONLY TOO EAGER 
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY.  THIS COULD CREATE 
SIGNIFICANT POLITICAL FALL-OUT FOR BERLUSCONI, EVEN 
ULTIMATELY DERAILING THE OFFER TO CONTRIBUTE.  DUE TO THE 
EXTREMELY SENSITIVE NATURE OF THIS ISSUE POLITICALLY WITHIN 
ITALY, WE URGE CAREFUL, COMPREHENSIVE AND QUIET USG-GOI 
COORDINATION, AND EMPHASIZE THAT THE GOI OFFER REMAINS 
SUBJECT TO REVIEW BY PARLIAMENT WHEN IT RECONVENES IN 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  03942  091551Z 
MID-SEPTEMBER.  IN ADDITION, WE SHOULD NOT ASSUME AT THIS 
POINT THAT THE GREEN LIGHT WE RECEIVED FROM BERLUSCONI 
EXTENDS BEYOND THE REQUEST FOR GROUND TROOPS OR SPECIAL OPS 
FORCES SPECIFIED IN REF B.  IN PARTICULAR, ALL USG AGENCIES 
SHOULD AVOID PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE LIKELIHOOD OF ITALIAN 
PARTICIPATION IN ORDER TO AVOID COMPLICATING THE GOI'S 
MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC REACTION.  WE SHOULD NOT BE THE ONES TO 
ANNOUNCE ITALY'S COOPERATION. 
 
3. (C) EMBASSY IS INFORMED THAT A REQUEST FOR FORCES IS BEING 
PREPARED IN COORDINATION WITH THE ITALIAN LNO CELL AT CENTCOM 
THAT INCLUDES NOT ONLY THE FORCES REQUESTED IN REF B, WHICH 
BERLUSCONI HAS APPROVED IN PRINCIPLE, BUT ALSO ENGINEERS AND 
DEMINERS.  IN REF A, GOI OFFICIALS ASKED FOR A GENERAL 
STATEMENT OF WHICH FORCES, AND FOR WHAT MISSION, THE USG IS 
SEEKING FROM ITALY. WE PROPOSE THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE FOR 
DELIVERY TO OFFICIALS AT MOD, MFA AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S 
OFFICE: 
 
-- OUR REQUEST: THE USG IS REQUESTING THAT ITALY CONTRIBUTE A 
LIGHT INFANTRY MANEUVER BATTALION, EQUIPPED WITH LIGHT 
RECONNAISSANCE/SECURITY VEHICLES, TO REPLACE A COALITION 
BATTALION DUE TO ROTATE OUT OF AFGHANISTAN. 
 
-- THE MISSION: THE PROPOSED MISSION FOR THE ITALIAN 
BATTALION IS SENSITIVE SITE EXPLORATION, TIME-SENSITIVE 
TARGET POST-STRIKE EXPLOITATION, SUPPORT TO HUMANITARIAN 
OPERATIONS, AIRFIELD SECURITY, AREA RECONNAISSANCE AND COMBAT 
OPERATIONS TO DESTROY AL-QAIDA/TALIBAN FORCES.  SPECIFIC 
BASING LOCATION FOR ITALIAN FORCES IS TO BE DETERMINED. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  03942  091551Z 
-- TIMING: THE PROPOSED MISSION DURATION IS FROM JANUARY 
THROUGH JULY 2003, WITH EXTENSION OR BACKFILL IF POSSIBLE 
BEYOND JULY 2003. 
 
ACTION REQUEST. PLEASE CONFIRM THAT THIS BRIEF STATEMENT IS 
CONSISTENT WITH THE MORE DETAILED RFF BEING PREPARED. 
ADDITIONALLY, IF THE USG WANTS TO SPECIFY ALPINI FORCES OR 
REQUEST ENGINEERS, MINE CLEARING UNITS, SPECIAL OPERATIONS 
UNITS AND/OR OTHER MILITARY ASSETS, PLEASE INCLUDE IN A 
PRIORITIZED LIST COORDINATED WITH DEFENSE AND STATE.  IF THE 
NUMBER OF FORCES NEEDED IS AVAILABLE, PLEASE PROVIDE. 
EMBASSY ROME CAN THEN APPROACH GOI POLITICAL AND MILITARY 
DECISION-MAKERS WITH A COMPREHENSIVE REQUEST FOR ASSETS IN 
SUPPORT OF OEF. 
 
4. (C) WE ARE ENCOURAGING THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE AND THE 
DEFENSE MINISTER'S OFFICE TO CONVEY THE PRIME MINISTER'S 
DECISION TO CONTRIBUTE FORCES (SUBJECT TO PARLIAMENTARY 
REVIEW) TO THE UNIFORMED STAFF AND THE CENTCOM LNO CELL. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
> 
 2002ROME03942 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL