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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAMA 000044 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2017 
TAGS: PREL MARR KDEM BA REGION OFFICIALS
SUBJECT: CROWN PRINCE BRIEFS CNO PANEL ON REGIONAL, 
DOMESTIC ISSUES 
 
REF: MANAMA 0024 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
. 
 
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Summary 
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¶1.  (C) Crown Prince Shaikh Salman told CNO Executive Panel 
co-chairs Zakheim and Skinner January 9 that the two issues 
of greatest concern in the region are Iran and perceived 
limitations on the U.S.'s ability to project power.  With 
changes in Iraq and Afghanistan, Iran had been freed of its 
natural constraints and was now trying to restore its 
traditional hegemonic role in the region.  He urged a policy 
of deterrence of Iran.  The CP recommended that the U.S. draw 
down the number of its troops in Iraq and consolidate them on 
bases outside of major population centers.  He recommended 
that the U.S. push Israel and the Palestinians to talk.  On 
Syria, he said there should be an effort to break Syria away 
from Iran.  He told the visitors that Bahrain was stable but 
warned there could be spillover effects from conflicts in 
Iraq and Lebanon.  On democracy, the CP said countries need 
both the building blocks of democracy as well as elections to 
succeed.  End Summary. 
 
------------------------ 
Rebalancing the Equation 
------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (C) CNO Executive Panel co-chairs Dr. Dov Zakheim and Dr. 
Kiron Skinner met January 9 with Crown Prince Shaikh Salman 
bin Hamad Al Khalifa for a discussion of regional and 
Bahraini domestic issues.  Dr. Zakheim described the mission 
of the CNO Executive Panel, saying it was a forum for 
considering issues in a more complete way on behalf of the 
Chief of Naval Operations.  Shaikh Salman thanked the U.S. 
for providing security in the Gulf region, which had allowed 
Bahrain and other countries to develop.  "We wouldn't have 
this standard of living without the United States," he said. 
Now is a difficult time, but friends stand by friends. 
Bahrain supports the United States and the presence of the 
Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, he asserted. 
 
¶3.  (C) Dr. Zakheim asked the CP his views of the region. 
Shaikh Salman said the two issues of greatest concern are 
Iran, and perceived limitations on the U.S.'s ability to 
project power in the region.  He said he had spoken several 
times with U.S. policymakers about the damage Iraq is doing 
to U.S. interests, and developments in the Israel-Palestinian 
situation had hurt moderates and reformers.  The U.S. and its 
friends needed to "rebalance the equation." 
 
--------------------------------- 
Iran Freed of Natural Constraints 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) Shaikh Salman said that with the changes in Iraq and 
Afghanistan, Iran had been freed of its natural constraints. 
Iran was now building influence in Iraq, Lebanon, Bahrain, 
and Central Asia, trying to restore its traditional hegemonic 
role in the region.  The U.S., he said, should reduce its 
forces in Iraq so it has the resources to confront Iran. 
Iranian President Ahmadi-Nejad had said recently that Iran 
could close the Strait of Hormuz and warned that regional 
countries hosting U.S. forces could be targeted.  The CP 
said, "We need a credible deterrent to Iran, and the U.S. 
must commit to a proper deterrence."  He recommended that the 
U.S. talk to Iran while joining diplomatic forces with 
Russia, the EU, India, and China.  In this way, Iran might 
feel that it had become a member of the community of nations. 
 However, if Iran remained obstinate, the other countries 
would see this and the U.S. position would gain support. 
 
¶5.  (C) Regarding Iraq, the Crown Prince said (as he has done 
many times before) that the U.S. should reduce its forces and 
pull-back from the front lines.  For force protection 
reasons, remaining U.S. troops should be consolidated into 
major bases outside of population centers, not deployed 
across the country.  The U.S. should "get out of a sectarian 
conflict" in Iraq, he said. 
 
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Getting Israelis, Palestinians to the Table 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C) Shaikh Salman said the U.S. should try to get the 
Israelis and Palestinians to talk to one another.  "You 
 
MANAMA 00000044  002 OF 003 
 
 
should work with the Israelis, and we'll work with the 
Palestinians."  Some momentum could develop with Saudi and 
Egyptian involvement.  In response to Dr. Zakheim's question 
about Bahrain's ties with Israel, the CP said that Foreign 
Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa had met with 
Israeli Foreign Minister Livni in New York at the time of the 
opening of the UN General Assembly.  He said that Livni had 
liked Bahrain's presentation to the UN Security Council on 
the Arab peace initiative, and she had issued her own 
statement that Israel was ready to consider the Arab 
initiative.  Dr. Zakheim said he thought the Israelis had 
missed opportunities for progress when Saudi King Abdullah 
had issued a statement accepting Israel, and when Mahmoud 
Abbas was elected president. 
 
¶7.  (C) The Crown Prince stated that the situation in the 
Palestinian Territories was proof that Islamic style 
governments will cooperate, whether Sunni or Shia.  Hamas, a 
Sunni Islamist group, was aligned with Shia Iran.  The common 
interests of theologically-based movements supersede 
sectarian divisions in a trans-national context.  When they 
compete for political power in a confined space, however, as 
in Iraq, they conflict, he said. 
 
-------------------------- 
Break Syria Away from Iran 
-------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (C) Turning to Syria, the Crown Prince said there should 
be efforts to break Syria away from Iran.  Once there was 
verifiable proof of Syria severing its ties with Iran, 
countries could provide assistance to Syria.  If it is not 
possible to drive a wedge between Syria and Iran, there 
should be a policy of deterrence.  He said he supported 
regime change in Iran, but not in Syria.  If Asad goes, a new 
regime would be worse. 
 
¶9.  (C) As a result of Iran's nuclear program, the CP said he 
fears an arms race in the region.  He doubted the GCC as a 
group would pursue a joint civilian nuclear program, but 
Saudi Arabia and the UAE might develop their own programs. 
But there would be less pressure to go down this path if Iran 
was not promoting its program. 
 
----------------------------- 
Bahrain on Even Keel, For Now 
----------------------------- 
 
¶10.  (C) In response to Dr. Skinner's question about 
conditions in Bahrain, the CP said that there was stability 
but warned there could be spillover effects from conflicts in 
Iraq and Lebanon.  Bahrain is keeping things on an even keel; 
it is the only place with significant Sunni and Shia 
populations without conflict, he said.  He cautioned that the 
United States should not be seen as supporting one side in 
Iraq over another.  Such a perception could harm U.S. 
standing in the region. 
 
¶11.  (C) Asked about democracy in Bahrain, Shaikh Salman said 
that Bahrain was making progress although it had also made 
some mistakes.  He was thankful that the King and other 
political actors in Bahrain were reforming the system in a 
manner that avoided violence.  He said he had told Secretary 
Rice previously that countries need both the building blocks 
of democracy as well as elections to succeed.  The United 
States, he pointed out, had established systems of law, 
commerce, land ownership, and economy before it gained 
political independence.  Self-government was the last thing 
to happen.  It was important for the rule of law and a free 
economy to be established before holding elections.  He 
asserted that the argument that a lack of democracy was 
causing extremism was too narrow and pointed out that the 
bombers in the UK were living in an open society.  The lack 
of justice was a more relevant factor.  "A political system 
that exacerbates a problem (in society) is worse than a 
less-good system that can evolve and improve over time," he 
stated. 
 
---------------------- 
An Islamic Super-State 
---------------------- 
 
¶12.  (C) The Crown Prince said there were forces in the 
Middle East that held as their ultimate goal the creation of 
an Islamic super-state.  The concept of a regional 
super-state had been tried before, with the pan-Arabism of 
Nasser.  Now Islamists were using similar tactics, but they 
just put the word "God" in front of their economic and 
political programs.  This trend would not succeed because 
 
MANAMA 00000044  003 OF 003 
 
 
there were too many differences between states.  But it is 
enough to drive a sense of identity between Arabs and 
Muslims.  Weak nation-states like Lebanon and Iraq were 
threatened, whereas countries like Egypt and Jordan were not. 
 The CP said he was adamant that "maps not be changed." 
Doing so would open a Pandora's box. 
 
 
********************************************* ******** 
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/ 
********************************************* ******** 
MONROE