EQUIPPING THE ANSF: SEIZING THE MOMENTUM OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 005012

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, S/CRS, S/CT, EUR/RPM
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN
OSD FOR BREZINSKI
CENTCOM FOR CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2016
TAGS: MASS PGOV PTER AF
SUBJECT: EQUIPPING THE ANSF: SEIZING THE MOMENTUM OF
SEPTEMBER 27 NAC DECISION

REF: A. KABUL 4388

B. USNATO 576

C. KABUL 3987

Classified By: Charge Richard B. Norland; reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (U) This is an Action Request, see paragraph 10.


2. (C/REL ISAF) Summary: The Afghan National Security Forces
(ANSF) are at a critical point in their development and
require dependable ammunition, weapons, and other equipment.
The North Atlantic Council's (NAC) September 27 decision
(reftel B) to help equip the Afghan National Army (ANA)
provides an important opportunity to redouble our efforts to
obtain donations of ammunition, weapons, and equipment for
the ANSF. Rapid approval and delivery of promised or
prospective donations will make an important difference in
the current development of the ANSF, which faces an
increasingly capable enemy. According to the Combined
Security Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A),the
following NATO allies, partners, or ISAF non-NATO
contributors have expressed an interest in providing
assistance to the ANSF: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Germany, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Post requests
Department assistance in urging potential donor governments
to move quickly to provide their assistance to the ANSF, and
encouraging others to consider donations. Nations should
also be urged to provide transport, or funding for transport
for nations who have donations but lack lift. End Summary.

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SUPPORTING THE ANSF
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3. (C/REL ISAF) The Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF)
are at a critical point in their development and require
dependable ammunition, weapons, and other equipment. In the
face of heavily-armed insurgents, narco-traffickers, and
criminal gangs, the Afghan National Army (ANA) and the Afghan
National Police (ANP) forces face an increasingly difficult
security challenge. An ANSF capable of holding its own
against these threats will allow the GOA to project security
into unstable rural areas, set the conditions for increased
development assistance and improved governance, and reduce
Afghan reliance on U.S. and other foreign forces. ISAF's
Operation Medusa (reftel A) demonstrated clearly that NATO
and ANSF forces have the will and capability to prevail
against concentrations of Taliban and other anti-GOA forces
when those forces choose to stand and fight. However,
properly equipped ANA and ANP forces will be of increasing
importance for ISAF, the international community, and the GOA
as they seek to consolidate the gains of Operation Medusa and
hold on to the ground that has been won.

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SEIZING THE MOMENTUM
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4. (C/REL ISAF) The North Atlantic Council's (NAC) September
27 decision (reftel B) to help equip the ANA provides an
important opportunity to redouble our efforts to obtain
donations of weapons and equipment for the ANSF. A number of
NATO members, aspirants, partners, and ISAF non-NATO
contributing countries have expressed commitments or interest
in contributing weapons, ammunition, other equipment, and
training to the ANSF. In support of the superb work being
done by USNATO and SHAPE colleagues, we believe that we
should seize the momentum with targeted, persistent bilateral
approaches in capitals. Rapid approval and delivery of
promised or prospective equipment donations will make an
important difference in the current development of the ANSF,
which faces an increasingly capable enemy.


5. (C/REL ISAF) In this context, it is important to emphasize
that the ANSF needs quality equipment -- new or nearly new --
and that donations of worn out or substandard surplus
equipment to the ANSF ultimately are counterproductive.

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Transportation resources to deliver the donated equipment in
a timely fashion, namely strategic airlift, also are vitally
important. In light of the NAC decision, NATO allies,
partners, and ISAF non-NATO contributors especially should be
encouraged to provide transportation (or funding to same) for
donated equipment, especially if they themselves do not have
suitable equipment to donate.


6. (C/REL ISAF) We must impress upon potential donors that
the need is urgent, especially for small arms and ammunition.
Absent increased donor support, we will lose valuable time
in our efforts to put more of an Afghan face on
counter-insurgency efforts here. We will confront increasing
Afghan resentment, particularly in the most affected rural
areas. The political fallout would come in many forms for
the G8, NATO, and our other partners. Certainly, without a
steady increase in ANSF capabilities, the GOA will find it
more difficult to remain in lockstep with ISAF and the
international community in making the difficult decisions
necessary to combat the Taliban and narco-traffickers.

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DONATIONS FOR TODAY AND FOR TOMORROW
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7. (C/REL ISAF) Donations are needed for the ANSF that exist
today -- the still developing ANA and ANP that use Soviet-era
weapons of varying ages and qualities. Today's ANSF urgently
require more, higher quality and reliable weapons,
ammunition, and spare parts of types traditionally identified
with former the Eastern European Bloc. These ANSF needs
include AK-47 assault rifles, PKM and PRK machine guns, and
the associated ammunition and spare parts. Additional needs
include 82mm mortar ammunition and indirect fire
sights/equipment for 82mm mortars and 122mm D30 howitzers.
This list is neither exhaustive nor exclusive but seeks to
illustrate some of the most urgent of the ANSF's needs.


8. (C/REL ISAF) The future success of the ANSF as a force
capable of setting conditions for a peaceful, democratic, and
economically growing Afghanistan depends upon meeting the
immediate needs described above and on continued force
development. Further down the road, NATO-standard weapons
must be a part of the future development of ANSF. These
NATO-standard weapons are more reliable and more capable.
Thus, the planning for donations for the "next generation"
ANSF must begin now, for shipments to begin sometime in 2007.
A more capable ANSF will require NATO-standard small arms,
crew-served weapons, mortars, howitzers, and the associated
ammunition, training, and sustainment. Again, this list is
suggestive and not exhaustive.

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COORDINATED EFFORT IN KABUL
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9. (C/REL ISAF) Post is working alongside CSTC-A, ISAF, and
the GOA to determine the road ahead for ANSF development and
the donations process. A Donations Working Group (DWG),with
members from the Embassy, CSTC-A, and ISAF has been formed
and will meet weekly. The DWG will work with NATO's Training
and Equipment Coordination Group (NTECG) to expedite the
donations process and to ensure that NATO-coordinated
donations are targeted to meet ANSF current and future needs.

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ACTION REQUEST
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10. (SBU) Post requests Department assistance in urging
potential donor governments to move quickly to provide their
assistance to the ANSF. According to the Combined Security
Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A),the following NATO
allies, partners, or ISAF non-NATO contributors have
expressed an interest in providing assistance to the ANSF:
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Slovakia,
and Slovenia. A coordinated approach in the capitals of

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other NATO Allies and capable partners could also spur
thinking in those countries about donations and the provision
of transport for donations. Details of the prospective
donations follow (according to information available to
CSTC-A):

-- Bosnia: Pledged July 25, 2005 to donate 10,000 AK-47s for
both the ANA and the ANP, as well as machine guns and
ammunition worth $22 million.

-- Bulgaria: Agreed October 4, 2004 to donate armor piercing
tank rounds and other ammunition worth $3.9 million. CSTC-A
reported July 1 that Bulgaria only needs a seven day notice
to have the shipment available for pick up by a designated
EUCOM transportation platform.

-- Croatia: Expressed June 1 an interest in donating 1,786
AK-47s, 136 heavy machine guns, 68 pistols and assorted
ammunition worth $1.6 million. According to CSTC-A, the
Croatian MOD has yet to approve the donation.

-- Germany: Agreed May 1 to provide $3.1 million for the
construction of two border police supply points, in Helmand
and Zabul provinces. Germany reportedly would transfer the
funds to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which would
then provide them to the U.S. Corps of Engineers to execute
the construction.

-- Slovakia: Offered $16.4 million June 15, 2005 for
ammunition, assault rifles, and heavy machine guns. The
Slovakian MOD is working on the final approval.

-- Slovenia: The Minister of Defense offered 10,000 new
AK-47s and 2,000,000 rounds of ammunition, worth a total of
$3.5 million, during a bilateral meeting with the Secretary
of Defense at the September 28 NATO Informal Defense
Ministerial.
NORLAND