Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KABUL222
2009-01-30 04:33:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kabul
Cable title:  

WARDAK GOVERNOR FEDAI REVIEWS STABILIZATION

Tags:  PGOV PREL KDEM AF 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8673
OO RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #0222/01 0300433
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 300433Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7083
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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
--------

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
--------------

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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