Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KABUL3460
2007-10-10 08:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kabul
Cable title:  

SPANISH OFFER TO TRAIN AFGHAN ARMY COMPANY

Tags:  PREL MARR AF 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5320
OO RUEHDBU RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #3460/01 2830859
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 100859Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID IMMEDIATE 0393
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0836
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHMFISS/COMSOCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 4237
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 3685
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 KABUL 003460 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN
OSD FOR SHIVERS
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A. CG CJTF-82 POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR AF
SUBJECT: SPANISH OFFER TO TRAIN AFGHAN ARMY COMPANY

REF: MADRID 1910

Classified By: A/DCM Carol Rodley for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 KABUL 003460

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN
OSD FOR SHIVERS
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A. CG CJTF-82 POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR AF
SUBJECT: SPANISH OFFER TO TRAIN AFGHAN ARMY COMPANY

REF: MADRID 1910

Classified By: A/DCM Carol Rodley for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D)


1. (U) This is a resend of Kabul 03437. This is a joint
Embassy-Combined Security Transition Command Q) Afghanistan
message.


2. (C) Spanish willingness to support and train the Afghan
Army is appreciated. Our concerns here are that Spanish (and
other) Allied assistance be provided in a manner that
reinforces Q) not undercut Q) the coherence and integrity of
the Afghan National Army (ANA) long-term training plan in
which the USG has (and will continue to) invested
considerable manpower and financial resources. A careful
reading of the draft MOU (text in para. 7) provided by the
Afghan MOD in response to the original Spanish proposal will
show that SpainQ,s objectives in making the offer can be
accomplished in a manner that reinforces the overall ANA
training plan.

Concerns Regarding the Original Spanish Proposal
-------------- --------------

3. (C) As noted reftel, the original Spanish proposal to the
MOD was to train and equip a company-sized ANA unit for
deployment in Badghis province, where the Spanish are
responsible for security and where their PRT, in the capital
Qual-i-Naw, is located. The Spanish offer included the
prospect of expanding the unit, and associated facilities, to
support a battalion.


4. (C) The proposal to train and sponsor a unit as small as
a company limited to one area of deployment would be
corrosive of our mutual goals in Afghanistan on several
counts. It would undercut our training objective to permit
the Afghans to field an army that can operate in relatively
large formations, i.e., battalions, brigades, etc. on a
national scale. Since the Spanish want the company-size unit
primarily to protect their PRT, the unit would be unable to
deploy as necessary and as determined by the Afghan command
structure, thus undercutting the integrity of ANA command and
control. (PRT protection could be accomplished by other
means, such as deploying more Spanish troops or hiring a

private security contractor.) Given the shaky public support
in Spain for the Afghanistan deployment, there was concern
that the unit might be left without backing were Spain to
withdraw its presence in the near-to-medium term. Finally,
we are concerned that other Allies (German, Italy) have
indicated that if the Spanish succeed in Q&adoptingQ8 an ANA
unit, they will seek to replicate it, thus magnifying the
command/control and other challenges to unity of effort in
the ANA training program that we see in the concept.

A Win-Win Solution
--------------

5. (C) The MOD response to the Spanish proposal outlines a
way forward that will accomplish Spanish objectives while
integrating a new Spanish contribution into the overall ANA
training plan. The draft MOU proposes to accept the core
Spanish offer to train and equip a company but to supplement
it with additional U.S. resources in order to train an entire
battalion. Under this proposal, the ANA would get
accelerated fielding of a battalion, and Badghis gets the
level of security appropriate for the situation there (i.e.,
a battalion). A careful reading of the draft MOU outlines
the following:

-- Facilities (Section 3): By taking up the Spanish offer to
provide facilities for a battalion, an ANA battalion can be
constituted in Qual-E-Naw instead of a company; furthermore,
the Mou proposes to build a Forward Operating Base (FOB),
which is temporary, instead of a permanent garrison, which

KABUL 00003460 002 OF 005


meets the needs of the current security situation in Badghis
without locking ANA into permanent stationing, and it will be
far less expensive for the Spanish to build.

-- Equipping and Sustainment (Section 4.1): Spain commits to
equip one company and to pay for its living and operating
costs, not to exceed a set cost;

-- Training (Section 4.1): The Spanish commit to providing
an ISAF-standard OMLT.

-- Command/Control (Section 4.2): Even though the
Spanish-sponsored company will be under operational control
of the battalion and subject to ANA and corps requirements
for deployment, the Afghans will consider keeping one company
at the FOB at all times.

-- Duration (Sections 2 and 4.1): The Spanish would commit
to supporting the FOB and the company for five years.


6. (C) We recommend that Embassy Kabul, Embassy Madrid and
USNATO engage with Spanish counterparts to persuade them to
accept the Afghan draft MOU proposal.


7. (C) Text of the Afghan MOD draft MOU:

Begin Text:

MOU FOR SPONSORSHIP OF AN AFGHAN UNIT

The Ministry of Defense of the Kingdom of Spain and the
Ministry of Defense of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,
hereinafter called the Participants, have reached the
following agreement in the framework of the United Nations
Security Council Resolution 1386 of December 20, 2001,
whereby the member states are urged to take part in the
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and to provide
their assistance to help the Provisional Afghan Authority,
today the legitimate Government of Afghanistan, to establish
and train new Afghan National Security Forces.

Section One. Definitions.

The following definitions shall apply to this memorandum:

a) Host Participant: The Ministry of Defense of
Afghanistan
b) Sponsoring Participant: The Ministry of Defense of
Spain.
c) Sponsorship: Support that the Spanish Ministry of
Defense (sponsor) provides to the Afghan Ministry of Defense
(host) in the areas of infrastructure, equipment, advising,
training, living, and operations of an Afghan National Army
unit.
d) Sponsored Afghan Military Unit (SAMU): The Afghan
National Army company that is covered by the sponsorship
activities of this Memorandum of Understanding

Section Two. Purpose and Scope.

The purpose of this MOU is to define the general conditions
that will govern the activities to support the sponsorship of
a force of the Afghan National Army in order to support
stability, security, and public order in Afghanistan, and
particularly in the Province of Badghis, where the Spanish
Provincial Reconstruction Task Force is deployed.

The Spanish Ministry of Defense will support the early
establishment of a Battalion of the 2d Brigade, 207th Corps,
to be based for the near to mid-term in the Province of
Badghis and will continue support as described in this
Memorandum of Understanding for a period of not less than

KABUL 00003460 003 OF 005


five years.

Section Three. Concept.

The Spanish Ministry of Defense will fund and build a Forward
Operating Base (FOB) in the Province of Badghis of sufficient
size for an ANA battalion and associated advisor team (OMLT)
to operate from. The ANA will accelerate the fielding of a
standard infantry battalion of the 2nd Brigade of the 207th
Corps and will base the battalion at this FOB on a mutually
agreed upon timescale. This battalion will be equipped and
structured as other ANA infantry battalions, and will operate
under the command and control of the 207th Corps, functioning
normally as part of the ANA, in support of the host nation
National Military Strategy. However, the host participant
will ensure consideration to retaining at least a
company-sized element operating from the FOB in Badghis at
all times for as long as this MOU is in effect. The
sponsoring participant will provide an Advisor Team (OMLT)
for this battalion.

Section Four. Obligations.

4.1. Sponsoring Participant obligations.

- Infrastructure. The sponsoring participant will solely
cover the expenditures for construction of an ANA-standard
FOB in the Province of Badghis, to include all living,
feeding, training, and administrative accommodations,
equipment storage and maintenance facilities, and command,
control, and communication facilities, sufficient for an
infantry battalion of standard ANA structure and associated
support elements, including the OMLT. The sponsoring
participant will pay costs to maintain the FOB in good
operating status, in accordance with force protection
standards of the ANA for FOBs, for a minimum of five years.

- Equipment. The sponsoring participant will initially
provide ANA standard individual and collective equipment for
one full company of the battalion, ensuring standardization
of equipment with the rest of the battalion. The sponsoring
participant will then provide NATO-standard equipment, which
will be fielded along with the rest of the battalion. The
sponsoring participant will be responsible for costs of
maintenance and sustainment of the equipment provided for a
period of not less than five years from the date of this
Memorandum of Understanding.

- Living and Operations Maintenance. The sponsoring
participant will pay costs required to maintain the SAMUQ,s
living and operating activities up to a maximum monthly limit
of Q ,50,000. This includes a pro-rata share of the
battalionQ,s food and water, electric power (batteries and
generated),and garbage disposal. It also includes fuels and
lubricants, medical support from the PRT and costs for
medical support provided by other organizations, and
transportation provided by the sponsoring participant or
contracted transportation.

- Training and Advising. The sponsoring participant will
provide an ISAF-standard OMLT with sufficient advisors to
support unit training and operations of the battalion while
it is based in the Province of Badghis. This OMLT will advise
and operate with the battalionQ,s elements wherever it is
deployed by the ANA, and will coordinate with CSTC-A for
continued development of the battalionQ,s capabilities.

4.2. Host Participant obligations.

- Infrastructure. The host participant will make land
available in the Province of Badghis for the sponsoring
participant to build a forward operating base. The host

KABUL 00003460 004 OF 005


participant will indemnify the sponsoring participant for any
and all claims concerning the land provided.

- Equipment. The host participant, in coordination with
CSTC-A, will provide equipment to the battalion, less the
SAMU, which will receive its equipment from the sponsoring
participant.

- Operations and Maintenance. The host participant, in
coordination with CSTC-A, will provide equipment maintenance,
sustainment, and other operations and maintenance funding
that is not provided by the sponsoring participant as per
paragraph 4.1.

- Recruiting and Training. The host participant will
recruit all soldiers and officers for the ethnically-balanced
battalion and will provide all initial entry and specialty
training for the battalion. The host participant will
transport soldiers to the unit from the initial entry
training centers.

- Soldier Pay. The host participant will be responsible
to pay all soldiers and officers of the battalion, in line
with ANA pay regulations.

- Command and Control (C2). The SAMU will be under the
operational control of its battalion. The battalions will
operate in accordance with requirements of the ANA and the
207th Corps Cdr, and the host participant, as the mission
situation permits, will pay consideration to keeping one
company in the FOB at all times, available to operate within
Badghis Province.

- The host participant will exempt the sponsoring
participant from all contributions, levies, customs duties,
and other internal taxes that may exist in relation to the
import and export of products, material properties and
equipment, imported or purchased in the host country by or
for the Spanish military personnel and the civilian personnel
accompanying them, in connection with their official duties
stemming from this Memorandum of Understanding.

- The host participant will provide to the sponsoring
participant any documentation justifying the use of financial
contribution made available by virtue of this Memorandum of
Understanding.

Section Five. Fund Control and Management.

The funds provided by the host participant shall be
maintained and disbursed in accordance with its
accountability and financial procedures.

In the event that a third state or international organization
wishes to assist in the sponsorship of the SAMU or of the
parent battalion, the host participant will first approved of
such assistance, in coordination with CSTC-A.

Section Six. Jurisdiction and Claims.

The agreements provided in Appendix A of the Military
Technical Agreement signed on January 4, 2001, between ISAF
and the Interim Administration of Afghanistan shall apply to
the personnel of the sponsoring participant.

Section Seven. Conflicts.

Any conflict regarding the interpretation or application of
this Memorandum of Understanding shall be resolved by mutual
agreement between the two participants.

Section Eight. Beginning and Duration.

KABUL 00003460 005 OF 005



Enforcement of this Memorandum of Understanding shall begin
on the day following signature thereof by both participants.

This Memorandum of Understanding shall remain in effect for
five years. On reaching that expiration date, the
obligations acquired by both participants shall expire,
without detriment to the provisions stipulated for the
participants in Section Four. Notwithstanding the above, this
Memorandum of Understanding may be extended by mutual
agreement between both participants, subject to a written
request submitted by either party at least three months in
advance.

The sponsoring participant may unilaterally terminate this
Memorandum of Understanding before its stipulated term of
five years has concluded by written notification thereof
three months in advance of termination. In the event of
early termination, the sponsoring participant will continue
to pay the costs for operations and maintenance of the unit
and of the FOB for the remainder of the originally agreed
upon five years.

This Memorandum of Understanding may be modified at any time
by mutual agreement between both participants.

Two originals are signed, each drawn up in Spanish and Dari,
with each of the texts being equally authentic and entitled
to full force and effect..



Minister of Defense Minister of Defense
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Spain

End Text.
WOOD