CODEL HOEKSTRA SEES POPPY PROBLEM FIRST HAND

C O N F I D E N T I A L KABUL 001277

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2016
TAGS: SNAR PREL PGOV AF
SUBJECT: CODEL HOEKSTRA SEES POPPY PROBLEM FIRST HAND


Classified By: Charge d' Affaires Richard M. Norland for reasons 1.4 (B
) and (D)


1. (C/NF) Summary: INL exposed Codel Hoekstra March 23 to
the challenges facing U.S. counternarcotics policy and
eradication in Afghanistan firsthand. The morning discussion
between the Representatives, Embassy CN officials, CFC-A and
the U.K. Embassy CN experts highlighted for the congressmen
the international community's efforts to reduce poppy
cultivation while maintaining support for the GOA.
Representative Souder argued that our current CN efforts have
been failures, and that aggressive eradication is the real
solution. Comments from the U.K. representative clarified
that the British are not supportive of aggressive
eradication, and that U.S. and U.K. CN policy is diverging on
that issue. A later discussion at PRT Lashkar Gah in Helmand
province elucidated the difference. The U.K. will soon be
taking command of PRT Helmand, and their advance team experts
indicated British opposition to aggressive eradication to
avoid a backlash in the province. An afternoon helicopter
flight in the surrounding area revealed hundreds of hectares
of poppy, with numerous fields in full bloom. Many fields
were located within or near residential compounds, which
complicates eradication efforts. End Summary.


2. (C/NF) In a spirited discussion with U.S. and U.K. CN
experts, Embassy staff, and CFC-A and OSC-A representatives,
Representative Souder argued that the international community
had failed in the counternarcotics effort in Afghanistan.
The congressman noted that Afghan King Zahir Shah had warned
him in Rome more than four years before that poppy production
would be a serious problem in the post-Taliban era. He
posited that an Afghan narco-state would be a greater threat
to regional security than Afghan terrorism alone, and pointed
to a nexus between narcotics profits and terrorist
operations. Souder said we have blown efforts to solve the
narcotics problem for three years, and that aggressive
eradication, including aerial spraying should be seriously
considered. Embassy and British officers responded that the
U.S. and U.K. goals are to reduce opium production while
maintaining the stability of the government. The British
representative indicated that the U.K. does not conduct nor
support eradication to the degree that the U.S. does.
Rather, the U.K.'s CN efforts are focused on targeting opium
fields, and providing intelligence on their location.
Eradication can then be conducted by the U.S. trained Afghan
Eradication Force (AEF).


3. (C/NF) At PRT Lashkar Gah, the Codel was briefed on the
current eradication operations in Helmand province by the PRT
Commander, the OSC-A CN Joint Coordination Center and the
INL/NAS eradication advisor. Also present were members of
the British advance team, to prepare for the imminent British
takeover in Helmand, where opium production has skyrocketed
in recent years. The U.K. targeting criteria were explained:
locations of fields in early stages of growth are provided to
the JCC and AEF. The British expert explained that the U.K.
opposes eradication at the flowering pre-harvest stage of the
poppy life cycle. The rationale is to avoid destroying
harvest ready fields, where farmers have already expended
months in labor and resources. The British wish to avoid a
backlash in the area from farmers who have lost major
investments, but accept some eradication of fields with new
growth before much labor has been expended. They also
indicated that they want eradication efforts to end in
Helmand soon, as they transition to PRT command. (Note: Due
to the governor-led nature of eradication, the AEF only began
working in Helmand on March 15, and the British have
suggested that eradication stop by the end of March. End
Note.)


4. (C/NF) INL arranged an overflight by Codel Hoekstra of
poppy fields near Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital of
Helmand province. Poppy fields were truly ubiquitous.
Hundreds of large fields of poppy could be seen easily from
the helicopters in varying stages of growth. Many fields
were in full bloom. The fields were often in closed
compounds and in the immediate proximity of homesteads.
Poppy cultivation was clearly widespread and open in Helmand
Province, even in the immediate vicinity of the provincial
capital.


5. (C/NF) Comment: The helicopter flight showed the
seriousness of the problem to Codel Hoekstra firsthand, and
let Representative Souder see how complicated aerial spraying
would be in a densely populated area where fields and homes
are contiguous. The Codel took particular note of the policy
nuances between the U.S. and the U.K. on eradication.
NORLAND