STRATEGY FOR EXPANDING BULGARIAN ENGAGEMENT IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SOFIA 000713

SIPDIS

RELEASABLE TO UNITED KINGDOM ONLY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2028
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR BU
SUBJECT: STRATEGY FOR EXPANDING BULGARIAN ENGAGEMENT IN
AFGHANISTAN

Classified By: DCM Alex Karagiannis for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (NATO CONFIDENTIAL REL/UK) Summary. Bulgaria has 470
soldiers in Afghanistan (up from 80 in 2006),most of whom
are in Kandahar. The Bulgarians will add their first
Operational Mentor and Liaison Team (OMLT),in cooperation
with the Tennessee National Guard, to Kandahar in February

2009. Withdrawal of 152 troops from Iraq in December will
allow Bulgaria to redirect additional assets to Afghanistan.
Bulgaria has capacity for more OMLTs and a Role Two Military
Medical Facility, as advocated by Embassy Sofia and NATO.
With clear and concerted U.S. and NATO engagement, Bulgaria
would likely agree to further new contributions or additional
manpower to medical, military police or engineering units.
We should approach the Bulgarians formally before the end of
the year to avoid the political slowdown that will develop as
next year's general election nears. End Summary.


CURRENT DEPLOYMENTS: FOCUSED IN RC-SOUTH


2. (NATO CONFIDENTIAL REL/UK) In 2007, the Bulgarians
deployed an additional 340 troops to Afghanistan to
supplement the 80 already in place. The bulk of these forces
guard the perimeter of Kandahar Airfield, while the remainder
are embedded in international contingents in Kabul and Herat
Provinces. A Bulgarian mechanized company and staff officers
are embedded with the Italians in Eastern Kabul; a mechanized
platoon is embedded with the Germans in Kabul; a five-person
medical team is embedded with French hospital in Kabul; ten
military doctors serve in two teams embedded in the Spanish
Hospital in Herat; and two Bulgarian officers are serving
with the Hungarian Provincial Reconstruction Team in Pol-e
Khomri. Past support includes the provision of 70 personnel
for Air Traffic Control at Kabul International Airport and
donations of light weapons, ammunition and ancillary
equipment to the Afghan National Army.


3. (NATO CONFIDENTIAL REL/UK) In June 2008, Bulgaria
approved the deployment of 50 additional troops to Kandahar
Airfield to assume the Entry Control Point 4 mission,
bringing it to its current total of 470. Starting in 2008,
Bulgaria signed an agreement to train a dozen Afghani
diplomats per year in Sofia. In February 2009, Bulgaria will
send seven soldiers to participate in its first OMLT, along
with six soldiers from the Tennessee National Guard
(Bulgaria's state partner),who will be in command. The OMLT
will utilize HMMWVs provided under the Coalition Solidarity
Fund. After six months, it will be replaced by a second OMLT
(with the same composition,) but under Bulgarian command.
Future OMLTs will be entirely Bulgarian staffed. The
Bulgarians have also offered to provide two MI-17 transport
helicopters with crews to ISAF if NATO members pay for the
extensive refurbishments necessary; (we understand the UK has
tentatively agreed.)

BULGARIAN FORCES: EFFECTIVE IN THE FIELD, THOUGH NOT FULLY
UTILIZED


4. (NATO CONFIDENTIAL REL/UK) American and allied
commanders have praised the skill and professionalism of
Bulgarian soldiers in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo and Bosnia.
Bulgarian soldiers are capable, and in many instances, may be
under-utilized (e.g., Special Forces personnel assigned to
perimeter security missions, etc.) Bulgaria remains below
NATO targets for deployable troops as a percentage of the
whole as it is currently downsizing and professionalizing its
Armed Forces. Despite this, it still retains a sizable pool
of deployable forces, many with prior experience in
Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Bosnia or peacekeeping missions in
Africa. As a rule, Bulgarian soldiers are eager to
participate in overseas operations and the General Staff
always has more volunteers than slots to fill.


5. (NATO CONFIDENTIAL REL/UK) While Bulgaria possesses
capable forces, its soldiers have very little experience
leading operations and its political leadership remains leery
of sending troops into combat situations. (Bulgaria
maintained combat troops in Iraq for almost three years
sustaining 13 military KIAs, before switching to a perimeter
security mission at Ashraf Refugee Camp.) Two Bulgarian
soldiers were wounded in a rocket attack on Kandahar Airfield
in early October 2008. This does not appear to have shaken

the Bulgarian government's resolve to remain in Afghanistan
in the slightest, but it will likely reinforce their
preference to keep its troops "behind the wire." The
government does not impose caveats on its forces in
Afghanistan, but it does adopt the caveats of any ally with
whom its forces are embedded. This applies to its
Kabul-based infantry contingents which mirror the limitations
of the commanding Italian and German units.


RECOMMENDATIONS


6. (NATO CONFIDENTIAL REL/UK) The President, Prime
Minister, Foreign Minister and Defense Minister have all
strongly supported NATO operations in Afghanistan. We can
turn this political support into practical, on-ground
contributions by defining the most valuable specific
contributions they can make. The more NATO the optic and
operation, the easier for the government to make the
strategic case to the public.

- Following two rotations of OMLTs partnered with
Tennessee National Guard, Bulgaria should commit to fielding
two Bulgarian-only OMLTs simultaneously starting in 2010.

- Bulgaria should provide a Role 2 Military Medical team
in 2009 as recommended in the CJSOR.

- Although the 152 Bulgarian troops returning from Iraq
in December 2008 cannot be directly reassigned overseas, the
United States or NATO should propose a new Bulgarian mission
in Afghanistan for roughly the same number of troops.

- U.S. and NATO should consider proposals for additional
Bulgarian civilian-military contributions to Afghanistan,
such as engineering or medical teams.

- Pending the outcome of the MI-17 refurbishment plan,
Bulgaria should be approached to consider additional
contributions of transport helicopters and crews.



7. (NATO CONFIDENTIAL REL/UK) Comment: For a country of
its size and GDP, Bulgaria's contributions to Afghanistan
have been exceptional, but we believe Bulgaria can do still
more. The Bulgarian military, both upper-level and the
rank-and-file, are willing to be forward-leaning on new
deployments that the U.S. or NATO suggests, but will not
propose new ideas on their own. The Bulgarian political
leadership wants to be seen as reliable partners in
international security, but will need time to socialize new
deployment proposals among all government coalition partners.
With elections on the horizon next year, we must move
quickly to lay down a road map for more ambitious
contributions for 2009.
McEldowney