Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KABUL2411
2006-05-28 06:04:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kabul
Cable title:  

New ISAF Headquarters Approach to PRTs:

Tags:  PREL PGOV PTER MARR AF 
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VZCZCXRO3469
OO RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #2411/01 1480604
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 280604Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0479
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//JF/UNMA//
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J3//
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFIUU/COMSOCCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2573
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 2722
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 5995
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 1395
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 002411 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CR, SCA/PAB, S/CT,
EUR/RPM
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND
OSD FOR BREZINSKI
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD

E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER MARR AF
SUBJECT: New ISAF Headquarters Approach to PRTs:
Coherence


KABUL 00002411 001.3 OF 003


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 002411

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CR, SCA/PAB, S/CT,
EUR/RPM
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND
OSD FOR BREZINSKI
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD

E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER MARR AF
SUBJECT: New ISAF Headquarters Approach to PRTs:
Coherence


KABUL 00002411 001.3 OF 003



1. Summary: The Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC)
has assumed the mantle of command of ISAF. They are
bringing a commitment and plan of action to the
Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) program that
should bring greater coherence to the effort. We
strongly support this initiative, and recommend that
we cooperate fully. This might even include making
our State PRT officers more directly responsible to
ISAF HQ. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Prior and subsequent to the ISAF change of
command on May 4, we have had numerous meetings with
the ARRC personnel who are taking over and will be
responsible for the PRT program. We are very
impressed by the thought and effort they are putting
into improving the performance of the 13 PRTs ISAF
will control in Phase 3.


3. (SBU) The most important elements of these
contacts are encapsulated in a briefing given by
British Brigadier General Dickie Davis to the PRT
Executive Steering Committee Working Group (ESC WG)
on the subject of QPRT Coherence.Q Brigadier Davis
is the Chief Engineer at ISAF and reconstruction and
develop programs, as well as the PRTs, will be in
his portfolio.

PRT Coherence


4. (SBU) General Davis, who was the first UK PRT
commander in Mazar-e Sharif as a colonel, listed six
areas in which ISAF hopes to bring coherence to the
PRT program: Policy, Policy Support, Process,
Training, Information, and Review. On Policy, he
stressed the importance of making ESC guidance
available to the PRTs and conforming PRT programs to
that guidance. There has been a proposal to make
ESC meetings every other month instead of quarterly,
and to provide more opportunity for discussion
rather than just presentations.


5. (SBU) On Policy Support, he listed the PRT ESC
Working Group (WG) as the mechanism, and giving
timely support to the ESC as the goal. ISAF intends
to spend more effort on WG projects, and will make

staffing available for those projects, although
exactly in what form has yet to be determined. ISAF
staff see a functioning ESC and ESC WG at the center
of all other efforts to improve the PRTs.


6. (SBU) Regarding Process, there is a belief at HQ
ISAF that there is too much variation in the way
that PRT commanders and civilian components in
various PRTs approach the mission. While
understanding that national caveats will always play
a role, and that PRTs have to be flexible enough to
meet the particular challenges in their regions,
there is also recognition that without stronger
guidance and coordination from the center, it will
not be possible to push ISAF, or more importantly,
central government programs out to the provinces in
any coherent fashion. As a first step to bringing
this to fruition, they have embarked on compiling a
PRT handbook that will collect ESC-agreed guidance
and best practices. While the final status is under
consideration, they hope to make it as binding as

KABUL 00002411 002.3 OF 003


possible. They have invited the international
community to join the working group, and will seek
comments from the ESC before going final. Target
timeframe for completion is July.


7. (SBU) To get an early start on Training, ISAF
sent a major to monitor the April National Defense
University course for incoming PRT officers, and was
well represented at the UN Assistance Mission
Afghanistan (UNAMA) course in May. They were
impressed by the potential for such courses to unify
thinking on PRT missions and procedures, and are
exploring how best to institutionalize such training
so that all senior incoming PRT personnel are
exposed. There will be another UNAMA course in
October with ISAF support and USG participation.


8. (SBU) Information is being approached through a
traveling program and a headquarters-based program.
On the travel side, there will be PRT Engagement
Teams that travel to the provinces. Exact
composition and tasking is still being developed,
but it is envisioned to include UNAMA and embassy
representatives, as well as technical support staff.
On the other hand, there will be a PRT Helpdesk that
will take any and all questions, from basic
background information to major policy issues, and
get an answer back out to the field as quickly as
possible. Davis hopes that this process will help
form a link between ISAF and the PRT that will
complement the support of their respective
embassies.


9. (SBU) Finally, on Review, ISAF has taken
considerable interest in the ESC Provincial
Indicators process that was finally put in place by
the former ISAF staff just as it was departing.
Although an ESC initiative, the program will need
strong coordination from Kabul if it is to be
meaningful, and ISAF is in the best position to
provide that. Although expressing some reservations
about the questions and methods, ISAF HQ took the
reasonable approach that it was better to use the
baseline this will provide, and generally refine the
process, than start again from scratch.

Comment and Thoughts for the Future:


10. (SBU) We strongly support the steps ISAF is
taking to bring greater coherence to the PRT
program, and intend to support it as much as
possible. Our most serious concern is that the
command relationship between the headquarters and
the PRTs remains weak, and almost everything General
Davis hopes to accomplish will have to be done more
through persuasion than by direction. For our part,
we have always instructed our State representatives
at ISAF PRTs to be as responsive as possible to
their commanders and to requests from ISAF in Kabul
Q they are to consider themselves an ISAF asset as
well as an Embassy one. We are also providing
support to the handbook, training, and provincial
indicators efforts.


11. (SBU) Our most significant contribution to date
has been the establishment of a USAID position at

KABUL 00002411 003.3 OF 003


ISAF HQ to act as an adviser and to provide
coordination with our bilateral programs. The
incumbent had the opportunity to train with the ARRC
in Europe prior to deployment, and is well-
integrated into the ISAF structure. We are in the
process of establishing a similar State Department
position in the office of the political adviser, and
hope to have someone in place by late August.


12. (SBU) As ISAF moves to Phase 4, possibly by late
Fall, it will oversee all of the PRTs. If our
experience continues to be a positive one, and we
are confident we can significantly influence the
direction of the PRT program through our civilian
placements at ISAF and an increase in American
military presence (as some of CJTF76 personnel and
responsibilities are transferred),we may want to
take stronger steps.


13. (SBU) One such measure would be to encourage
ISAF to require every PRT to host two political
officers whose primary responsibility would be to
it, and not to their lead nationQs MFA. We could
offer our 20 field officers to form the basis for
that pool, with other lead nations responsible for
providing the other 30 or so officers necessary.
This would strengthen the PRT program by giving ISAF
more control over PRT activities, would increase our
insights into some provinces where we currently do
not see PRT reporting (which would then be available
to us through NATO),and would resolve our recurring
bilateral problems with housing our officers at
other countriesQ PRTs Q ISAF could set down minimum
standards for communications, housing, food, and,
most importantly, force protection services. If we
decide to move in this direction we should attempt
to do this under the current, primarily British, HQ.
If we wait until ISAF X, which will be more heavily
American, it may be greeted with suspicion by some
in NATO. End Thoughts and Comment.


14. (SBU) Key HQ ISAF Staff with PRT
Responsibilities:
-- Lead: Brigadier General Dickie Davis
-- Development Advisers (DEVADs): USAID Michelle
Parker, DFID Clare Harkin
-- Political (POLADs): Terence Jagger and Paul
Wyatt (both are partially dedicated; Terence is FE-
MC equivalent)
-- Coordinating officer for PRT Coherence: LTC
Petersen
-- Secretary to the ESC and WG support: Major
Matthew Swannell
-- Operational analyst supporting Provincial
Indicators: Mr. Rob Grossman
-- Several other military officers and supporting
staff will be involved with delivering 'PRT
coherence'
-- Drazen Hrastic, NATO Senior Civilian
Representative POLAD, is also engaged, although this
is a partnership not under ISAF command.
NEUMANN