LEBANON: AMBASSADOR MEETS NEW LEBANESE ARMY COMMANDER

Reference ID 08BEIRUT1319
Date 2008-09-08 03:05
Released 2010-12-01 19:07
Classification SECRET//NOFORN
Origin Embassy Beirut


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FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2969
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2872
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3097
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC


S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIRUT 001319

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA
ALSO PM A/S KIMMITT
NSC FOR ABRAMS/RAMCHAND/MCDERMOTT
USUN FOR KHALILZAD/WOLFF/SCHEDLBAUER
OSD FOR EDELMAN/LONG/STRAUB/DALTON
JOINT STAFF FOR RANK/NICHOLSON
CENTCOM FOR ALLARDICE/MACLEAN/PADDOCK
DIA FOR LARSON/CRONIN/KRAUSE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/27/2018
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINR, MCAP, MARR, IR, LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: AMBASSADOR MEETS NEW LEBANESE ARMY
COMMANDER

Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

SUMMARY
-------

1. (C) In a September 8 meeting, a confident new Lebanese
Armed Forces (LAF) Commander Kahwagi told us about himself
and his positive past experiences with the U.S. Military. He
also told us that he looks forward to future bilateral
cooperation, to include the Joint Military Commission in
October 2008. Kahwagi told us he believes that the challenges
in Tripoli are principally political and economic and that
the Government of Lebanon's institutions and programs must
work in parallel with the Army to solve Tripoli's problems.
Kahwagi intends to increase the number of soldiers in the
Army, but understands that this does not relieve the Internal
Security Forces of the requirement to do their own job.
Ambassador delivered an invitation for the LAF to apply for
acceptance to U.S. Military academies. End Summary.

2. (SBU) Ambassador, accompanied by Defense Attache and ODC
Chief, visited LAF Commander General Jean Kahwagi in his
office at LAF Headquarters in Yarze on September 8. She was
the first foreign ambassador to make a call on Kahwagi in his
new role as LAF Commander. The tone of the meeting was upbeat
and welcoming; Kahwagi was comfortable and quite forthcoming
during the exchange. Colonel Edmond Homsey, the previous LAF
Commander Sleiman's notetaker, was also present. Kahwagi
indicated that Homsey would retain this role in future.

GETTING TO KNOW THE
NEW COMMANDER
-------------------

3. (C) Ambassador congratulated the new LAF commander and
emphasized to him that U.S. support for Lebanon --
military/security, economic, and diplomatic -- remains
strong. Kahwagi was quick to remind us that he was a
graduate of the U.S. Army's Infantry Officer Advanced Course
at Fort Benning, Georgia in 1980. More recently, he attended
a seminar at the Department of Defense's George C. Marshall
Center for Security Studies in Garmisch, Germany just ten
days after the July 2006 war ended. During his time at
Garmisch, he said, the other seminar participants would
rarely leave him alone as they sought information about the
situation in South Lebanon. Kahwagi's 2nd Brigade was
deployed around Nabotieh in the south. He witnessed
first-hand the effects of thirty-three days of intensive
bombardment and combat, he emphasized. "I told them the
tactical truth," said Kahwagi. Given Kahwagi's familiarity
with south Lebanon, Ambassador outlined to him the USG's
active role in demining, in coordination with the LAF's Mine
Action Center. She also highlighted ongoing US concerns
regarding Hizballah's rearmament and the need for concrete
progress on the implementation of UNSCR 1701.

PROBLEMS IN TRIPOLI
MOSTLY POLITICAL
-------------------

4. (C) Kahwagi recounted that he has spent almost the entire
past year in northern Lebanon in the Akkar district and in
Tripoli as 2nd Brigade Commander. Kahwagi's 2nd Brigade was
re-deployed from Beirut in November 2007 to the northern
border region of Lebanon. Since that time, Kahwagi's units
have been rotating in and out of Tripoli to bolster the 3rd
Intervention Regiment's positions on the ground.

5. (C) Kahwagi assessed that the people of Tripoli want to
lead a normal life, but noted that their social-economic
conditions remained poor. For this reason, Khwagi does not
think the Army can solve all of te problems in Tripoli.
Rather, Kahwagi believes that the Government of Lebanon must

BEIRUT 00001319 002 OF 003

make immediate moves to improve the standard of living in
Tripoli, saying, "the state must play a big role with
(social) projects. These projects could decrease dangers in
the area by fifty percent immediately." Kahwagi told us that
it is imperative that the government move "in parallel with
the Army" as the Army deploys throughout Tripoli.
Specifically, Kahwagi wants to see the Government of Lebanon
implement social projects in Jebel Mohsen and Bab Al-Tabaneh
as soon as possible. "I'm sure all of these so-called militia
only fight because they need money and have no jobs," he said.

THE ISF NEEDS TO DO ITS JOB
--------------------------

6. (C) When asked by the Ambassador about the role of the
Ministry of Interior's Internal Security Forces (ISF),
Kahwagi demurred initially and said, "I don't want to be
political, but I want them to do their job." Ambassador
recounted for Kahwagi details of the USG's significant train
and equipment program with the ISF as well as a new community
policing initiative for the new Nahr al Bared camp. Kahwagi
said he was aware of these programs, and also told us that he
is trying to put the ISF out in front of the Army in Tripoli
as it is "not the job of the Army to police its people."
Clearly trying to be diplomatic, Kahwagi reiterated, "they
(the ISF) have to do their work."

7. (C) Regarding the security situation surrounding upcoming
Parliamentary elections, Kahwagi said, "this is (primarily)
the responsibility of the ISF." Kahwagi noted that if
elections are organized on a single day, vice the normal
four-weekend voting procedure used since Lebanon gained its
independence in 1943, it will represent an advancement in
"political" efficacy. At the same time, it will create a new
set of security problems that the country has not faced
before, he stated. Even so, Kahwagi mused, "I hope they all
think they are going to win so no one will cause problems!"
Ambassador told Kahwagi that we would try to acquire
materials to pass along to Kahwagi's staff concerning some of
the U.S. lessons learned in assisting with elections and
security in other countries.

LAF RECRUITMENT MUST MAINTAIN BALANCE
-------------------------------------

8. (C) Discussing the topic of recruitment for the LAF,
Kahwagi reminded us that the LAF is a reflection of Lebanese
society and that the same confessional balances found in
other parts of the Lebanese system must be respected within
the Army as well. For this reason, Kahwagi said the Army had
been facing some difficulties in recruitment. He said that
his most difficult task was to get Christians to volunteer
for service in the Army. At the same time, he said there
were many Muslims that are ready to sign up during each call
for new enlistments.

9. (C) Kahwagi thinks he will be able to address this
challenge with the launching of new Special Forces regiments
as many Christians see Special Forces as a positive avenue of
advancement for their careers. Kahwagi told us that he has
the backing of the President, Minister of Defense Murr, as
well as all of the Brigade and Regiment Commanders to expand
the number of Special Forces Regiments. (Comment. It is
interesting to note that Kahwagi's decision-making also
includes the ground tactical commanders. This could reflect
the relative importance he places on the role of Brigade
Commanders in future Army decisions. It also shows his deep
ties to the field are as important to him as his ties to the
political elites. End Comment.) "I know I need a lot of
soldiers and I will try to create a larger, professional
army," said Kahwagi.

JOINT MILITARY COMMISSION

BEIRUT 00001319 003 OF 003

AND FURTHER COOPERATION
-------------------------

10. (C) Kahwagi has been receiving extensive briefings on the
U.S. security assistance portfolio from his new team. When
Ambassador mentioned the Joint Military Commission, Kahwagi
said, "I am here and I am ready anytime for this dialogue."
(Note: Minister of Defense Murr agreed later in the day to an
October 6 date for the JMC. End Note.)
11. (C) ODC Chief briefed Kahwagi on upcoming Special Forces
Joint Combined Exercise Training (JCET) exercises in the
months of October and November 2008. In the past, Lebanon
has hosted three or four JCETs each year. In FY 2009,
Lebanon will receive six JCETs, a marked increase in the
amount of training resources that the USG is putting into
Lebanon.

12. (C) Kahwagi also used this time to introduce us to Major
Ziad Barakat, the officer who will take over the U.S.
security assistance portfolio from Colonel Wajih Rafeh.
(Rafeh departed the LAF HQ and accompanied President Sleiman
to the Presidential Palace at Baabda.) Major Barakat will
assume the duties of personal advisor to the LAF Commander on
U.S. military assistance matters. (Note: Contacts also tell
us that Barakat will be responsible for Kahwagi's motorcade
and personal security detail. Barakat recently graduated from
the U.S. Army's Captain's Career Course at the Military
Police School in Fort Leoardwood, Missouri. End Note.)

INVITATION TO APPLY FOR US
MILITARY ACADEMIES DELIVERED
----------------------------

13. (C) Ambassador hand-delivered an invitation for the LAF
to apply for priority consideration for admission to the
United States Military Academy at West Point, the United
States Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the United States Air
Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Kahwagi was delighted to
receive the invitations. Defense Attache explained that a
similar invitation had been extended last year, but that it
had not been acted upon. Kahwagi, who had up to this point
been speaking excellent English, turned to Homsey in Arabic
and began forcefully demanding a reason why this had
happened. Homsey tried to be polite, but Kahwagi pressed him,
demanding a name for the person who was responsible for this
lapse. Transitioning back into English, Kahwagi said he
would take care of this matter and repeated that he was very
pleased to receive the invitation. (Note: Shortly thereafter,
the LAF Officer in charge of training, Brigadier Riad Shayya,
telephoned Defense Attache to ask what had to be done to
ensure that there were no problems, "like last year." End
Note.)

COMMENT
-------
14. (C) We were very impressed by General Kahwagi's first
meeting with us. He was very engaging and willing to address
matters in a very straightforward and thoughtful manner. We
think Kahwagi is ready for a trip to the United States.
While we initially thought that it might take him some time
to grow into his role as Army Commander, this is clearly not
the case. We recommend that consideration be given to
extending an invitation by the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of
Staff and the CENTCOM Commander for visits to their
respective headquarters at their earliest convenience.



SISON




Source: Wikileaks