P 051626Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2188
INFO ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
USMISSION USNATO 
CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
NSC WASHDC
DOD WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 000848 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA, PM/FO 
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER/GAVITO 
DOD FOR OSD USDP EDELMAN, ASD LONG, DAS KIMMITT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2018 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR MARR MCAPS MOPS UNSC LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: WITH USDP EDELMAN, ACTING LAF COMMANDER 
REQUESTS HELICOPTERS 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
SUMMARY 
-------- 
 
¶1. (C) Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Eric Edelman 
assured Acting Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander MG 
Shawki al-Masri of the U.S.'s commitment to assisting the 
LAF.  Expressing his appreciation, Masri said timing of the 
assistance is "very critical".  Noting that the LAF is 
assuming some of the Internal Security Forces' 
responsibilities, Masri stressed the LAF's need for 
helicopters to fight militias and terrorists.  Assistant 
Secretary of Defense Mary Beth Long agreed to send Masri a 
capabilities matrix outlining various helicopter options. 
Masri told the delegation that the LAF is on schedule to 
commence the Comprehensive Training Program by September 
¶2008.  End summary. 
 
LAF MUST RESTORE 
PUBLIC ORDER 
---------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Eric Edelman, 
Assistant Secretary of Defense Mary Beth Long, and CENTCOM J5 
Policy and Planning Director Major General Allardice met with 
Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Acting Commander MG Shawki 
al-Masri at Yarze on May 31. CDA, DATT, Office of Defense 
Cooperation Chief, PolOff, and DOD staff also attended. 
Edelman expressed the U.S.'s support for the LAF and in 
particular, the establishment of a bilateral working group to 
develop newly-elected President Michel Sleiman's national 
defense strategy and to plan the way forward for U.S. 
assistance to train and equip the LAF. 
 
¶3. (C) The LAF must first and foremost work to restore public 
order inside Lebanon, against militia and terrorist groups, 
and secure Lebanon's border, Masri declared.  Citing close 
cooperation with the Embassy's Office of Defense Cooperation, 
Masri said he expected the Comprehensive Training Program 
(CTP) to commence at the beginning of September.  Masri 
reiterated the LAF's equipment priorities, referencing its 
three- and five-year plans submitted to the U.S. the previous 
year. 
 
HELICOPTERS MOST PRESSING NEED 
------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (C) He noted that the LAF'S three-year plan requests "only 
what is most essential."  The LAF, he said, is now fulfilling 
its own mission as well as that of the Internal Security 
Forces (ISF).  Edelman responded that the ISF mission should 
not be entirely shouldered by the LAF and the U.S. is 
exploring how to povide assistance to the ISF, perhaps 
through secion 1207 funding.  The U.S., however, will 
contiue to make assistance to the LAF our priority, Edelman 
assured Masri. 
 
¶5. (C) In addition to hiring and training more than 25,000 
more people, the LAF needs newer equipment, Masri said. 
Close-air support attack helicopters are highest on the LAF's 
list, he explained, because an air force gives the LAF an 
advantage over the militias and terrorists, who can destroy 
tanks with RPGs  He added that the LAF could not have 
defeated Fatah al-Islam during the previous year's fighting 
at Nahr al-Barid without helicopters.  Training is needed, 
either on new weapons, if received, or on the current 
weapons, he stated. 
 
¶6. (C) A/S Long agreed to provide Masri with a list of the 
various platforms available for  different helicopter 
options, laying out the different capabilities so that Masri 
can choose which helicopters are best suited for Lebanon. 
She will also include data on timetables, sustainability of 
parts, training requirements, and integratability with other 
purchases.  She noted that she will be returning to Lebanon 
in September for the initiation of the Bi-lateral Defense 
Committee (BDC), which had been on hold until a new president 
took office. 
 
¶7. (C) Masri noted that the LAF favors Cobra helicopters, 
adding that LAF engineers would require minimal training to 
be able to maintain them.  If it is not possible to obtain 
Cobras, he said, then he is willing to look into other 
options.  Edelman impressed upon Masri the U.S.'s concern 
that the LAF procure receive helicopters that it can easily 
maintain, explaining that other countries have experienced 
difficulty maintaining the Cobras.  Allardice added that 
upgrading the Huey UH-I to Huey UH-II is advantageous because 
Hueys are easy to get into flight quickly and cheaper to 
maintain. 
 
ADDITIONAL LAF ASSISTANCE 
------------------------- 
 
¶8. (C) Edelman told Masri that the U.S. hoped to be able to 
provide 10-20 tactical UAVs, which could be delivered in just 
a few months; coastal patrol vessels, which would take one 
year; and secure communications.  Masri responded that the 
LAF is willing to receive what the U.S. can provide, 
stressing that time is of the essence so that the LAF is 
ready for anything.  Edelman expressed the U.S. commitment to 
the LAF, adding that his staff will get these bilateral 
assistance agreements underway in the coming months of 2008. 
 
¶9.  (U) USDP Edelman has cleared this cable. 
 
SISON