UNDER SECRETARY FEITH MEETING WITH AFGHAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 004724 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (ADDED ADDEE) PERSONAL FOR SECRETARY RUMSFELD; SECRETARY POWELL; DR. RICE; GEN MEYER; DR. WOLFOWITZ; MR. HADLEY; MR. ARMITAGE; GEN PACE; MR. GROSSMAN; GEN FRANKS; GEN CASEY; DR. KHALILZAD; MS. ROCCA; AMB JOHNSON SECDEF WASHINGTON DC FOR MUSTAFA POPAL AND RONALD YAGGI E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2012 TAGS: AF PARM PARM PREL PRELAF AFGHANISTAN SUBJECT: UNDER SECRETARY FEITH MEETING WITH AFGHAN VICE-PRESIDENT/MINISTER OF DEFENSE, MARSHAL FAHIM KHAN CLASSIFIED BY: USDP DOUGLAS FEITH, REASON 1.5 (D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR POLICY CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ROME 04724 01 OF 02 040006Z DOUGLAS FEITH MET WITH MOD FAHIM KHAN IN KABUL ON 29 SEPTEMBER. MOD FAHIM MET WITH THE U.S. DELEGATION IN PRESIDENT KARZAI'S OFFICE AND MADE THE FOLLOWING KEY POINTS DURING THE DISCUSSION: (A) MOD SAID HE SHARES U.S. OBJECTIVES FOR PEACE AND STABILITY FOR AFGHANISTAN. (B) COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR AN AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY. (C) RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT U.S.-LED ANA PROGRAM. (D) GREATER RECONSTRUCTION ASSISTANCE NEEDED FOR SUCCESSFUL DEMOBILIZATION/DISARMAMENT. ¶2. (C) USDP CONVEYED THE FOLLOWING KEY POINTS: (A) BUILDING ANA IS INTEGRAL TO CREATING A PROSPEROUS AND STABLE AFGHANISTAN. (B) "AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY" AS US OFFICIALS ARE USING THE TERM, REFERS TO U.S.-LED TRAINING EFFORT; NOT TO AFGHAN MOD PROGRAM. (C) MOD NEEDS TO ASSIGN MISSIONS TO THE GRADUATING BATTALIONS AND TO EQUIP THEM. (D) RECOGNIZE IMPORTANT LINK BETWEEN ECONOMIC AND SECURITY RECONSTRUCTION. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ROME 04724 01 OF 02 040006Z (E) NEED TO PRESERVE LEGITIMATE AFGHAN POLITICAL PROCESSES. (F) GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR MOD FAHIM TO PLAY A UNIFYING ROLE FOR THE COUNTRY DURING PEACETIME. ¶3. (C) MOD FAHIM STRIKES A NATIONAL CHORD: -- MOD FAHIM NOTED THE SUCCESSFUL MILITARY ALLIANCE OF THE U.S. AND HIS FORCES AND THEIR ABILITY TO OVERCOME HARDSHIPS TOGETHER. -- HE AFFIRMED THE MOD'S WILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE RECRUITS AND RESOURCES FOR THE ANA. BUT NOTED THAT U.S. SUPPORT WOULD BE WELCOME GIVEN THE MOD'S LIMITED CAPABILITIES. -- HE SAID HE AGREED WITH USDP FEITH THAT ANA REFERS TO US-LED TRAINING EFFORT, AND THAT ANA SHOULD NOT REFER TO THE ARMIES OF THE REGIONAL LEADERS. -- COMMANDER AHMAD SHAH MASOUD AND HIS SUPPORTERS LONG CALLED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTRAL AUTHORITY AND GOVERNANCE. -- TOGETHER WITH LTG BARYALAI, THE MOD IS WORKING TO ESTABLISH ANA RECRUITING CRITERIA. -- NATIONAL MISSION AND NATIONAL MAKE-UP FOR THE ANA IS THE ONLY VIABLE WAY AHEAD. -- GRADUATED ANA BATTALIONS SHOULD CONDUCT COUNTERINSURGENCY OPERATIONS, PROJECT THE CENTRAL AUTHORITY'S POWER IN THE REGIONS, AND SERVE TO DIMINISH REGIONAL FORCE PRESENCE AND CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 ROME 04724 01 OF 02 040006Z LEGITIMACY. -- TRAINING ANA FORCES IN THE REGIONS WOULD HELP DIMINISH THE INFLUENCE OF REGIONAL MILITIAS. -- THE SLOW PACE OF ECONOMIC RECONSTRUCTION WILL HAMPER DEMOBILIZATION/DISARMAMENT/REINTEGRATION EFFORTS. -- THE AFGHAN PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF WAR. -- THE PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES BROUGHT ON BY 23 YEARS OF WAR WOULD TAKE TIME TO RESOLVE. ¶4. (C) USDP RESPONSE -- USDP UNDERSCORED THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING AN ARMY THAT HAS SENSE OF UNITY BASED ON COMMON TRAINING AND DOCTRINE. -- USDP NOTED DIFFICULTIES OF DISSOLVING THE NUMEROUS REGIONAL ARMIES. -- HE ASKED MOD FAHIM WHO, AMONG THE REGIONAL LEADERS, WOULD CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ5037 PAGE 01 ROME 04724 02 OF 02 040008Z ACTION SS-00 INFO LOG-00 COR-01 EUR-00 TEDE-00 SSO-00 SAS-00 /001W -------------- F14125 040008Z /15 P 300721Z SEP 02 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC//SAB// PRIORITY 6062 JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI//J5// PRIORITY SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 004724 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (ADDED ADDEE) PERSONAL FOR SECRETARY RUMSFELD; SECRETARY POWELL; DR. RICE; GEN MEYER; DR. WOLFOWITZ; MR. HADLEY; MR. ARMITAGE; GEN PACE; MR. GROSSMAN; GEN FRANKS; GEN CASEY; DR. KHALILZAD; MS. ROCCA; AMB JOHNSON SECDEF WASHINGTON DC FOR MUSTAFA POPAL AND RONALD YAGGI E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2012 TAGS: AF PARM PARM PREL PRELAF AFGHANISTAN SUBJECT: UNDER SECRETARY FEITH MEETING WITH AFGHAN VICE-PRESIDENT/MINISTER OF DEFENSE, MARSHAL FAHIM KHAN BE EXPECTED TO DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP BY BEING THE FIRST TO SEND HIS FORCES FOR TRAINING IN KABUL. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ROME 04724 02 OF 02 040008Z -- HE ENCOURAGED THE MOD TO CONSIDER WAYS THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT CAN HELP DIRECT RECONSTRUCTION ASSISTANCE TO REGIONS THAT HAVE AND/OR WILL PROVIDE RECRUITS FOR THE ANA. -- THE USG IS KEEN ON SEEING INCREASED INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR AFGHANISTAN. -- PRESERVATION OF THE COUNTRY'S LEGITIMATE POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS AND IMPROVEMENT OF SECURITY THROUGH THE ANA WOULD PROVIDE FOUNDATION FOR INCREASED INTERNATIONAL AID. -- USDP OBSERVED THAT FAHIM HAD HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY TO BE SEEN AS "FOUNDING FATHER" OF FREE AND STABLE AFGHANISTAN. SEMBLER CONFIDENTIAL > 2002ROME04724 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL