IMPROVING EFFECTIVENESS OF PROVINCIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002031 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2017 TAGS: AMGT ASEC IZ PREL SUBJECT: IMPROVING EFFECTIVENESS OF PROVINCIAL RECONSTRUCTION AND SUPPORT TEAMS BASED AT AL-HILLAH REGIONAL EMBASSY OFFICE Classified By: Ambassador Crocker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) The work of the Provincial Reconstruction and Support Teams based at Hillah (PSTs Karbala-Wasit and Najaf-Diwaniyah, and PRT Babil) has been of concern to Embassy Management and senior Department officials for some time. The effectiveness of our Hillah-based personnel has been hampered by difficulty in: -- traveling outside the Regional Embassy Office (REO), especially to the other provinces covered from Hillah, given security concerns; and -- maintaining unity of effort with the military, given that our civilian personnel are not co-located with military units. ¶2. (C) Therefore, to improve the mobility of these units and ensure improved coordination with the U.S. military units in this area, I have conveyed the following plan to Gen. Petraeus, and signed a supplemental security agreement (para 3) to confirm these arrangements. -- PRT Babil, PST Najaf-Diwaniyah and those PST Karbala-Wasit personnel focused on Karbala will be able to use military movement support, including both ground and air assets, as has been offered by 3ID MG Lynch and endorsed by MNC-I CG Odierno. -- Such movements will follow military standards of risk assessment, without need for consultation with RSO, as is currently the situation for PRTs located on FOBs and for embedded PRTs. Military convoy movements will have QRF and medevac capabilities available according to standard MNC-I practice. These civilian personnel will retain their ability to make use of civilian movement assets, and may remain based at the Hillah REO, where they have hardened housing, office space and secure communications facilities. -- This arrangement is specified in an Additional Supplemental Agreement to the Memorandum of Agreement Between Commander, MNF-I, and Chief of Mission, U.S. Mission Iraq Regarding Security Responsibility on PRT Security Responsibilities and Requirements (attached). -- These PRT and PSTs will work closely with the 3ID units to coordinate their provincial strategies and ensure optimum cooperation in implementing the Joint Campaign Plan in their particular AOR. -- The Wasit-focused portion of PST Karbala-Wasit will move from the REO to co-locate and embed with the brigade transferring to Camp Delta in Wasit Province, when that brigade deploys there and when the Department of State approves funding for a new ePRT. -- Staff responsible for Qasidiyah Province will be attached to PRT Babil pending further review of potential work in that province. ¶3. (C) Text of Crocker-Petraeus Agreement: Additional Supplemental Agreement To the Memorandum of Agreement Between Commander, Multinational Force-Iraq, and Chief of Mission, U.S. Mission Iraq Regarding Security Responsibility on PRT Security Responsibilities and Requirements ¶1. Purpose of Additional Supplemental Agreement This document specifies the concurrence of the Commander, MNF-I and the Chief of Mission, U.S. Mission Iraq, on provision of military transport using military risk assessment and emergency back-up capabilities to members of Provincial Reconstruction Teams. ¶2. References Supplemental Agreement to the Memorandum of Agreement on PRT Security Responsibilities and Requirements, signed by Deputy chief of Mission Daniel Speckhard and MGen. Thomas L. Moore on 09 and 10 November, respectively Memorandum of Agreement concerning Provincial Reconstruction Teams, signed by Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte and Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England on 22 February 2007 ¶3. Expansion of Military Security Responsibility for COM Personnel The Supplemental Agreement, noted above, specifies inter alia that quote CDR MNF-I shall have security responsibility for all PRT members, wherever assigned, while in transit in military convoys and while at the intended destination, other than REOs. Appendix 1, SECURITY REQUIREMENTS/PRT INITIATIVE, specified minimum-security requirements and planning guidance. Unquote. This document clarifies that military transit may be provided to PRT, PST and REO staff members based at the Regional Embassy Office in Hillah, Babil Province, when such transport is made available by the regional commander. Such movement will be in accord with military standards of risk assessment, including availability of appropriate quick reaction back-up and medevac capabilities. Such movement will not require consultation with other Mission sections, including the Regional Security Office. All other portions of the Supplemental Agreement remain in effect. Signed: Ambassador Ryan Crocker Gen. David Petraeus CROCKER