WARDAK GOVERNOR FEDAI REVIEWS STABILIZATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000222 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, EUR/RPM STATE PASS USAID FOR ASIA/SCAA NSC FOR WOOD OSD FOR WILKES CG CJTF-101 POLAD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM AF SUBJECT: WARDAK GOVERNOR FEDAI REVIEWS STABILIZATION PROGRAMS FOR INCOMING BRIGADE COMMANDER Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Wardak Governor Mohammed Halim Fedai met with incoming Task Force (TF) Spartan Commander Colonel Haight on January 22. The Governor stressed the importance of successfully launching in Wardak the pilot program for a supplemental community security force, the Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF),and continuing to empower district councils under the Afghan Social Outreach Program (ASOP). He also presented the incoming battalion commander with a list of development projects prepared by local councils and approved by the Provincial Development Committee (PDC). The Governor asserted that security and governance are trending in the right direction for Wardak. ¶2. (U) Combined Task Force (CTF)Currahee Commander Colonel Johnson introduced TF Spartan Commander Colonel Haight to Wardak Governor Fedai in Wardak on January 22. Logar and Wardak Provinces are being transferred from the existing CTF Currahee,s area of operations to the newly created TF Spartan. Also present were the provincial National Directorate for Security Chief, Said Amir Shah, and provincial Chief of Police Muzaffaroddin Yamin. Governor Welcomes TF Spartan -------------- ¶3. (U) The Governor arrived late to the meeting, explaining that he had been meeting with a delegation of mullahs from Wardak,s nine districts; he had been urging them to support the government. Lodin welcomed the new forces and the additional troop concentration they represent. He stressed that the U.S. military played a crucial role in the provinces security, governance and development goals. APPF Program Critical -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Colonel Johnson asked the governor to review current programs for Colonel Haight. Fedai began with the Afghan Public Protection Forces (APPF),which is intended to bring 200 personnel per district into service after they are vetted by the National Directorate for Security and the Ministry of Interior. Fedai acknowledged that the earlier Afghan National Auxiliary Police (ANAP) program had been a disaster; but "people had learned from the mistakes made." These new personnel, he noted, are being chosen by the new 30-member District Councils created by the Afghan Social Outreach Program (ASOP) and would be firmly under MOI control. He spoke of a plan to kick off the program with a joint press conference with the Ministers of Interior, and Defense, the Independent Directorate for Local Governance and the ISAF Commander. Failure at this point, asserted the governor, would be a strategic failure. Fedai was confident that the pilot program in Wardak would be successful and soon spread to other provinces. Local ANSF's Needs and Responsibilities -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The governor noted that he had made a series of suggestions to ANA 201st Corps Commander General Mangal on the priority of steps toward security: -- Fully equip the security-focused Provincial Coordination Center, and then use it to coordinate and act on all intelligence in the province. -- Support the District Centers; government cannot function without electricity, water, windows, etc. -- Fully equip and train the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police. People will not support the government if the government cannot support its employees. -- Start insurgent "clean-up operations," targeting the right people at the right locations. Until people see enemies being arrested, they will be afraid to choose the government,s side. Most importantly, when people provide information on insurgents, action has to be immediate, before the informer can be targeted. Humanitarian Assistance Critical -------------- KABUL 00000222 002 OF 002 ¶6. (SBU) Fedai maintained that the increase in security must be accompanied by a corresponding increase in humanitarian assistance (HA),development assistance, and improved governance. Based on feedback received from constituents in the province, Fedai argued that the overwhelming reason that people were reluctant to support the government was the government,s refusal to carry through on previous promises. He added that HA should start immediately, in addition to prepartory work on additional long-term projects, so time is not lost at the start of the construction season. Progress Has Been Achieved -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Fedai asserted that security and governance trends were already moving in the right direction in the province. Five months ago, he said, many district administrators were afraid to go to their district centers, and mullahs would not come to see him. UNAMA had held a press conference noting that the province was unsafe. Now, public meetings are being held at district centers, mullahs are coming to see him, and UNAMA wants to open an office in the province, he contended. ¶8. (SBU) Colonel Johnson and Colonel Haight assured the governor that there would be an increase in assistance, and that with the additional battalion in the province more effort could be concentrated in remote areas and more mentoring provided to security forces. Fedai acknowledged U.S. contributions and sacrifices, and assured PRTOFF that he had just finished telling the mullahs they should appreciate that "the Americans have left the good life in the United States to come and help Afghanistan." ¶9. (U) CTF Currahee Commander and the 3/10 Commander have reviewed this message. WOOD