Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BAGHDAD2031
2007-06-20 08:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

IMPROVING EFFECTIVENESS OF PROVINCIAL

Tags:  AMGT ASEC IZ PREL 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0011
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGB #2031/01 1710802
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 200802Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1784
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).

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