Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09DUBLIN105
2009-03-04 16:19:00
SECRET
Embassy Dublin
Cable title:
INFORMING ISAF PARTNERS OF POTENTIAL CHANGES TO
how-toVZCZCXRO9496 PP RUEHAG RUEHROV DE RUEHDL #0105 0631619 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 041619Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY DUBLIN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9860 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES PRIORITY RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0034 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0233
S E C R E T DUBLIN 000105
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2019
TAGS: MARR MOPS NATO PREL EI
SUBJECT: INFORMING ISAF PARTNERS OF POTENTIAL CHANGES TO
U.S. SOF POSTURE IN AFGHANISTAN
REF: A. STATE 18868
B. DUBLIN 73
Classified By: Pol/Econ Section Chief Ted Pierce;
Reasons 1.4 (A) and (B).
S E C R E T DUBLIN 000105
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2019
TAGS: MARR MOPS NATO PREL EI
SUBJECT: INFORMING ISAF PARTNERS OF POTENTIAL CHANGES TO
U.S. SOF POSTURE IN AFGHANISTAN
REF: A. STATE 18868
B. DUBLIN 73
Classified By: Pol/Econ Section Chief Ted Pierce;
Reasons 1.4 (A) and (B).
1. (C) POLOFF delivered demarche on March 3 to Isolde
Moylan, Director, Asia and Oceania Division, Department of
Foreign Affairs. Moylan reiterated the full support of the
Government of Ireland for the USG policy review on
Afghanistan and expressed appreciation for the briefing on
SOF plans. (Note: Ireland is an ISAF partner, but not a
member of NATO. It has assigned seven troops to HQISAF
through the Partnership for Peace program. Since 2005, Irish
Aid has allocated over euro 16 million (USD 20.2 million) to
Afghanistan in relief, recovery, and development assistance.
End note.)
2. (C) In responding further to the invitation to comment on
the policy review (Ref B),Moylan added one observation made
by the Government of Ireland. She said that discussions with
Irish NGO personnel working in the field in Afghanistan have
revealed deep NGO concerns that insurgents in Afghanistan are
increasing unable to differentiate between combat personnel
and NGO workers, which puts the NGO workers at enhanced risk
of attack. Part of the reason for this, she said, was that
combat troops are engaged in development and reconstruction
activities, seriously blurring the line (in the eyes of
Afghanis) between military and civilian personnel. PRTs, she
stated, contribute to such blurring. Anecdotally, she noted
that some Irish aid workers say they feel safer when widely
separated from troops because their role as civilian
humanitarian workers is more clearly perceived by the
Afghanis. Moylan suggested that PRTs should be civilianized
as soon as possible.
FAUCHER
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2019
TAGS: MARR MOPS NATO PREL EI
SUBJECT: INFORMING ISAF PARTNERS OF POTENTIAL CHANGES TO
U.S. SOF POSTURE IN AFGHANISTAN
REF: A. STATE 18868
B. DUBLIN 73
Classified By: Pol/Econ Section Chief Ted Pierce;
Reasons 1.4 (A) and (B).
1. (C) POLOFF delivered demarche on March 3 to Isolde
Moylan, Director, Asia and Oceania Division, Department of
Foreign Affairs. Moylan reiterated the full support of the
Government of Ireland for the USG policy review on
Afghanistan and expressed appreciation for the briefing on
SOF plans. (Note: Ireland is an ISAF partner, but not a
member of NATO. It has assigned seven troops to HQISAF
through the Partnership for Peace program. Since 2005, Irish
Aid has allocated over euro 16 million (USD 20.2 million) to
Afghanistan in relief, recovery, and development assistance.
End note.)
2. (C) In responding further to the invitation to comment on
the policy review (Ref B),Moylan added one observation made
by the Government of Ireland. She said that discussions with
Irish NGO personnel working in the field in Afghanistan have
revealed deep NGO concerns that insurgents in Afghanistan are
increasing unable to differentiate between combat personnel
and NGO workers, which puts the NGO workers at enhanced risk
of attack. Part of the reason for this, she said, was that
combat troops are engaged in development and reconstruction
activities, seriously blurring the line (in the eyes of
Afghanis) between military and civilian personnel. PRTs, she
stated, contribute to such blurring. Anecdotally, she noted
that some Irish aid workers say they feel safer when widely
separated from troops because their role as civilian
humanitarian workers is more clearly perceived by the
Afghanis. Moylan suggested that PRTs should be civilianized
as soon as possible.
FAUCHER