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Friday, July 23, 2010     INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING

Air Force officer is new U.S. security coordinator for Israel, Palestinian Authority

WASHINGTON — The administration of President Barack Obama has replaced its security coordinator for the Palestinian Authority.

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Defense Secretary Robert Gates replaced U.S. security coordinator Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton with an Air Force officer, Middle East Newsline reported. The new coordinator was identified as Maj. Gen. Michael Moeller, designated for promotion to lieutenant general, which would mean a third star.

"Air Force Maj. Gen. Michael R. Moeller has been nominated for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general with assignment as U.S. security coordinator, Israel-Palestinian Authority," the Defense Department said on July 12.

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Moeller has been serving as director of strategy, plans and policy at U.S. Central Command. He is not known to have direct experience with the PA.

Under the appointment, Moeller would replace Dayton, who spent five years as security coordinator and was responsible for the development of PA security forces. Moeller was expected to arrive in Israel in October 2010.

Moeller's appointment requires Senate confirmation. Officials said the administration did not expect congressional opposition.

The Air Force general was said to have met Israeli officers in his position at Centcom. Moeller, a former bomb wing commander, has focused on U.S. operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait.

Officials said Moeller would increase coordination between Centcom and the U.S. security program for the PA. They said this marked a key goal of the Obama administration, particularly outgoing commander Gen. David Petraeus.

Over the last year, Dayton, who led a 45-man team, met PA resistance to his efforts to manage the security forces. Officials said the PA limited Dayton's role to the delivery of financing, training and equipment to Palestinian security forces.

Under Dayton, an Army artillery officer, the United States trained five battalions of the PA National Security Forces and one from the Presidential Guard. Washington plans to train up to 10 NSF battalions at the International Police Training Center in Jordan by 2012.



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