CJTF-82 COMMANDER SCAPARROTTI,S MEETING WITH

S E C R E T KABUL 002466 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/A, EUR/RPM STATE PASS USAID FOR ASIA/SCAA E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/26/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EAID KJUS AF SUBJECT: CJTF-82 COMMANDER SCAPARROTTI,S MEETING WITH POLISH PRIME MINISTER Classified By: Interagency Provincial Affairs Deputy Coordinator Hoyt Y ee for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S) Summary. CJTF-82 Commanding General Scaparrotti and RC-East Senior Civilian Representative Kilner met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk for 30 minutes during the PM,s trip to Ghazni on August 16. Tusk had planned to visit Poland,s combat brigade ) the largest non-American force in RC-East -- on the occasion of Polish Armed Forces Day, but the trip was heavily colored by the death of a Polish soldier in Arjiristan six days earlier. Gen. Scaparrotti responded in detail to the PM,s questions about the August 10 ambush. He and SCR strongly praised the Polish brigade,s performance and Poland,s contribution to ISAF. End Summary. ¶2. (S) PM Tusk first asked whether the Polish brigade, in Gen. Scaparrotti,s view, was properly equipped for its mission in Ghazni Province. Scaparrotti said that it clearly was. At the same time, options for additional support were under continual review within CJTF-82. During Polish CHOD Gagor,s recent visit, the brigade,s requirements for counter-IED route clearance packages and MRAPs had been discussed. Although the terrain around Arjiristan does not allow for the use of MRAPs, U.S. forces would strengthen the Poles, low-level voice intercept capabilities in that region. In addition, the U.S. would position two CH-47 and two AH-64 attack helicopters at FOB Ghazni for rapid response, as needed. ¶3. (S) Gen. Scaparrotti said he understood that questions had been raised in Poland about how quickly close air support had arrived to aid the Polish company in Arjiristan on August ¶10. The facts were that air support had arrived nine minutes after the call for help, six minutes less than the average response time of 15 minutes in RC-East. 4.(S) Tusk thanked Gen. Scaparrotti for this information, underlining the sensitivity of Polish public opinion toward the Afghanistan mission generally. Scaparrotti stressed that Poland should be proud of its soldiers, performance. They had responded very ably in a difficult situation in Arjiristan. Regrettably, one Polish soldier had been killed in action, but the enemy suffered far higher losses and was defeated. More generally, Scaparrotti continued, the brigade has made a notable contribution to improving security in an important province. IED incidents along the key transit artery, Highway 1, have declined and road traffic has increased. The brigade was also working together with U.S. forces to build the Afghan National Army,s capabilities. Polish Special Forces were highly valued, and ISAF would like to make even more use of them. ¶5. (S) The PM then asked whether COMISAF,s recent tactical directive, with its focus on protecting the populace, would make the coalition forces, mission more dangerous. Gen. Scaparrotti replied that it was the right approach. Gaining the trust of the population was the key to better intelligence on insurgent activities, and better intelligence was the best way to improve both CF and Afghan security. In Ghazni, for example, we sensed that Afghan citizens already were becoming more forthcoming with information about IEDs. Conversely, Scaparrotti continued, when we wound Afghanistan citizens in an attack, it is very hard to persuade the public that our actions are for their own good. It pays to use force very carefully, and Polish forces in Ghazni are, thankfully, very disciplined. Tusk (with a smile) agreed that patience is usually a virtue. Gen. Scaparrotti replied that coalition forces have the combat power to dominate any encounter. We can therefore afford to be patient. ¶6. (C) In concluding the meeting, SCR and Gen. Scaparrotti again underscored the importance of Poland,s contribution to NATO,s Afghanistan Mission, and thanked the Prime Minister for his country,s solidarity with the Alliance. ¶7. (U) This message has been cleared by CG Scaparrotti and SCR Kilner. EIKENBERRY