CORRECTED COPY - KARZAI COMMENTS ON WARPLANES, ANA

C O N F I D E N T I A L KABUL 000221

SIPDIS

FOR SCA/A, INL/AP, EUR/RPM
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
NSC FOR JWOOD
OSD FOR USDP EDELMAN AND WILKES
CENTCOM FOR CG CJTF-101 AND POLAD
KABUL FOR COS USFOR-A

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2019
TAGS: AFIN PGOV PREL PTER AF
SUBJECT: CORRECTED COPY - KARZAI COMMENTS ON WARPLANES, ANA
ROLE, AND CIVILIAN CASUALTIES AT NMAA GRADUATION CEREMONY

Classified By: DCM Christopher W. Dell for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)



1. (U) Summary. During a speech at the graduation of the
first class from the National Military Academy of
Afghanistan (NMAA),President Karzai declared that if the
U.S. does not provide Afghanistan with military aircraft,
he will look elsewhere. He also told Afghan National Army
(ANA) graduates that their role was to defend the borders
and independence of Afghanistan. Karzai added, that
although they had not been trained to fight a domestic
struggle, Afghanistan will soon be in charge of its own
security and civilian casualties will be a thing of the
past. End summary.


2. (U) On January 25, the National Military Academy of
Afghanistan (NMAA) graduated its first class of 84 cadets.
President Karzai, Ambassador Wood, COMISAF McKiernan, and
many Afghan dignitaries attended the ceremony. During his
speech, Karzai warned that if the U.S. does not provide
Afghanistan with military aircraft, he will look
elsewhere. The President is quoted as saying, "I have told
America and the world to provide us with planes; otherwise,
we will get them from other countries. We have lost
patience. We cannot live without planes." Press reports
linked Karzai's NMAA graduation remarks with other recent
public statements in which he spoke of improving Afghan
relations with Russia, and that Russia had offered to
provide military assistance to Afghanistan if asked.


3. (U) While addressing the cadets directly, Karzai made
additional remarks that were also certainly crafted for
international ears. He said, "Officers, you are not
trained to defend the villages and homes of Afghanistan,
and be engaged in domestic war forever. No, you are
trained to defend the borders and independence of this
country. . . You are not trained for fighting and
conducting house searches in our villages. Your job should
be to guard this country,s borders and defending this
country,s independence...We will soon reach the point where
this country,s security will be in our own hands, so that
we will not suffer from civilian deaths. As we witnessed
civilian casualties once again in Laghman yesterday."
(Note. Reports vary on the outcome of a night raid by
Coalition forces in Laghman Province on the evening of
Friday, January 23. Karzai continues to claim publicly
that 16 civilians were killed in the raid. End note.)

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


4. (C) Consistent with his recent pattern in public
appearances, Karzai took the opportunity of his speech to
"make hay" against Coalition partners, specifically the
U.S., raising a series of his familiar complaints. His
call for military aircraft echos requests made through the
Ministry of Defense to the U.S. for some time. We do not
believe Afghanistan is ready for such equipment, given the
lack of trained Afghan personnel and logistical and support
capabilities. Karzai's remarks reflect both strong
personal views and probably a belief that public criticism
of U.S. reticence to supply military aircraft and on
civilian casualties, proven or not, will enhance his
electoral chances later this year. If so, it may be a
miscalculation as his remarks have been widely criticized in
the press and Karzai's spokesman has already begun to walk
the comments back.


WOOD