APHSCT TOWNSEND'S FEBRUARY 8 MEETING WITH COMISAF

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000621

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR P, SCA/FO (DAS GASTRIGHT),SCA/A
NSC FOR FTOWNSEND AND AHARRIMAN
CENTCOM FOR CSTC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD, CSTC-A

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/11/2017
TAGS: NATO MOPS MARR PREL PINS AF
SUBJECT: APHSCT TOWNSEND'S FEBRUARY 8 MEETING WITH COMISAF

REF: KABUL 368

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald E. Neumann; reasons 1.4(a),(b),and (d
).


1. (S) Summary: General McNeill emphasized that ISAF will
maintain the initiative, and that the "spring offensive will
be mine." He said that, from a military perspective, he does
not like the current situation in Musa Qala (reftel).
However, he said that he is prepared to leave things as they
are, for now, unless called upon for assistance by the GoA,
or if the situation in Musa Qala presents a direct life/limb
threat to Coalition Forces. Referring to a recent meeting
with President Karzai, General McNeill said that Karzai had
been more moderate in his remarks regarding Afghan-Pakistani
relations than he had ever heard him to be. End Summary.


2. (SBU) In a February 8 meeting, COMISAF General Dan McNeill
discussed the security situation in Afghanistan with Frances
Fragos Townsend, Assistant to the President for Homeland
Security and Counterterrorism (APHSCT),and Ambassador
Neumann.

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Spring Offensive
--------------


3. (S) General McNeill emphasized that ISAF will maintain the
initiative, and that the "spring offensive will be mine." He
said that he expects that there will be some intense fighting
in the spring/summer, as the Taliban and other insurgents
continue to challenge ISAF and Afghan National Security
Forces (ANSF). General McNeill said that he also expects an
increase in IED attacks (particularly VBIEDs),and that ISAF
is working to mitigate this threat in cooperation with the
USG and GoA.


4. (S) Reviewing possible cross-border infiltration
scenarios, General McNeill commented that the Taliban might
conceivably attempt to send fighters around to the west of
Kandahar and Helmand provinces, perhaps entering Afghanistan
via Nimroz and then heading up to the northeast. He noted
that ISAF does not have any forces stationed in Nimroz, and
underlined that this is a concern that he is working to
address. General McNeill said that criminal activity is the
main security threat in the North of Afghanistan. He added
that the ISAF troops currently stationed in the North are
spread quite thinly, and are needed there.

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Musa Qala
--------------


5. (S) General McNeill said that, from a military
perspective, he does not like the current situation in Musa
Qala (reftel). However, he said that he has informed the UK
and GoA that he is prepared to leave things as they are, for
now, unless called upon for assistance by the GoA, or if the
situation in Musa Qala presents a direct life/limb threat to
Coalition Forces. General McNeill said that, if ISAF were to
intervene, it would take a measured approach, to avoid
unnecessary collateral damage. He noted that neither the
Musa Qala tribal elders nor Helmand Governor Wafa had asked
for help. General McNeill commented that he believes that
the situation, as is, does not compromise ISAF's position
with regard to Kajaki, where ISAF is supporting USG efforts
to repair a major hydroelectric dam.

--------------
Afghan-Pakistani Relations
--------------


6. (S) Referring to a recent meeting with President Karzai,
General McNeill said that Karzai had been more moderate in
his remarks regarding Afghan-Pakistani relations than he had
ever heard him to be. While Karzai still maintained that the
Pakistani government does not fully understand the risk posed
to Pakistan by the Taliban, his overall tone was generally
conciliatory. Karzai himself mentioned that he had just

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given a media interview in which he had made a point of
taking a moderate line in his comments with regard to
Pakistan.
NEUMANN