AUSTRALIAN DEFENSE CHIEF'S CONCERNS OVER

C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 000779 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2019 TAGS: AF MCAP MOPS PREL SUBJECT: AUSTRALIAN DEFENSE CHIEF'S CONCERNS OVER MCCHRYSTAL REPORT Classified By: CHARGE DANIEL A. CLUNE. REASON 1.4 (C) and (D) ¶1. (C/NF) Chief of Australian Defense Force Air Chief Marshall Angus Houston told Charge on August 20 that he planned to call Admiral Mullen, General Petraeus and General McChrystal in the next few days to explain that it will be important that General McChrystal,s upcoming assessment on the situation in Afghanistan not inadvertently undermine Prime Minister Rudd,s attempts to maintain public support for Australia's participation in the conflict. ¶2. (C/NF) Houston explained that the Prime Minister has maintained support for the war effort by defining Australia,s task as securing Oruzgan province and training the Afghan Fourth Brigade, currently stationed there. Rudd is concerned that a new strategy might result in various brigades being rotated through Oruzgan province, thus turning what can be defined as a finite task into one with an indefinite term. Houston said Australia was willing to take entire responsibility for training the Fourth Brigade, including manning the seven Operational and Liaison Teams (OMLTs) required in the province. He intends to ask New Zealand to provide half of one of the OMLTs. ¶3. (C/NF) Houston expressed continuing concern over who will take over leadership in Oruzgan after the departure of the Dutch in 2010, and again expressed his preference for the U.S. assuming that role. Charge expressed great U.S. appreciation for Australia's contribution to the effort in Afghanistan, promised to convey his concerns to Admiral Mullen, General Petraeus and General McChrsytal and assured him that we would take care to avoid steps that might undermine the Prime Minister's efforts to maintain public support for the war effort. ¶4. (C/NF) In response to Charge,s inquiry regarding the August 20 announcement by Rudd and New Zealand Prime Minister Key that the two countries will explore the possibility of forming a combined "ANZAC" military contingent for future joint, Houston explained that Australia and New Zealand forces already operate together in Timor Leste and the Solomon Islands, and that the ANZAC contingent would simply provide a structure for future operations of that kind. CLUNE