Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SINGAPORE532
2009-06-05 08:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Singapore
Cable title:
SINGAPORE SLOWLY WADING DEEPER INTO AFGHANISTAN
how-toVZCZCXRO1314 PP RUEHCHI RUEHDBU RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH RUEHPW DE RUEHGP #0532 1560831 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 050831Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6796 INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2345 RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SINGAPORE 000532
SIPDIS
EAP/MTS - M. COPPOLA
NEW DELHI - J. EHRENDREICH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS ASEC PTER MARR AF SN
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE SLOWLY WADING DEEPER INTO AFGHANISTAN
FIGHT
Classified By: E/P COUNSELOR IKE REED FOR REASONS 1.4 (B AND D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SINGAPORE 000532
SIPDIS
EAP/MTS - M. COPPOLA
NEW DELHI - J. EHRENDREICH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS ASEC PTER MARR AF SN
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE SLOWLY WADING DEEPER INTO AFGHANISTAN
FIGHT
Classified By: E/P COUNSELOR IKE REED FOR REASONS 1.4 (B AND D)
1. (C) Singapore announced in the Straits Times newspaper
June 4 that it will deploy to Afghanistan a battlefield radar
system and supporting personnel that can detect enemy
artillery, rocket and mortar launches and help direct
counter-battery fire. The radar requires a four-man team to
operate and Defense Attach Office (DAO) contacts at the
Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) have confirmed that 15 personnel
will be deployed along with the radar.
2. (C) According to MINDEF contacts, the radar system will be
set up in support of Australian troops based in Camp Holland
in the Afghan province of Oruzgan. Singapore is already
familiar with the conditions on the ground in Oruzgan; it
deploys a medical team in support of a Dutch PRT there. A
39-member medical team deployment (the second of three
planned) recently returned to Singapore from Oruzgan
following a three-month stint. Defense Minister Teo Chee
Hean was quoted saying that the deployment of the radar
system and the troops to man it could last as long as 9-12
months. MINDEF contacts told DAO that they expect to deploy
the unit and supporting personnel on an August-September
time-frame.
3. (C) Comment: Concerned by potential negative public
reaction, the GOS has kept its previous Afghanistan
contributions modest, low key, and largely out of harms way
and its public statements have emphasized their humanitarian
role. This deployment will break new ground by placing
Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel in an explicitly
combat role. The front-page article in the
government-influenced Straits Times led off by saying the SAF
"is getting into the fight" in Afghanistan. The latest in a
series of prominent articles in recent months which have
highlighted in favorable terms SAF deployments to Afghanistan
and the Gulf of Aden, it appears to represent an attempt to
sensitize the public to the GOS's decision to increasingly
allow SAF forces to engage in a combat role. While this is a
positive development in terms of our ability to encourage
Singapore to do more, it does not necessarily suggest the GOS
is willing to significantly expand its contributions. Our
DAO believes this deployment may represent a desire by
Singapore to "try out" one of its weapon systems in an actual
combat environment, while still keeping risks to its
personnel relatively low. End Comment.
Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm
SHIELDS
SIPDIS
EAP/MTS - M. COPPOLA
NEW DELHI - J. EHRENDREICH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS ASEC PTER MARR AF SN
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE SLOWLY WADING DEEPER INTO AFGHANISTAN
FIGHT
Classified By: E/P COUNSELOR IKE REED FOR REASONS 1.4 (B AND D)
1. (C) Singapore announced in the Straits Times newspaper
June 4 that it will deploy to Afghanistan a battlefield radar
system and supporting personnel that can detect enemy
artillery, rocket and mortar launches and help direct
counter-battery fire. The radar requires a four-man team to
operate and Defense Attach Office (DAO) contacts at the
Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) have confirmed that 15 personnel
will be deployed along with the radar.
2. (C) According to MINDEF contacts, the radar system will be
set up in support of Australian troops based in Camp Holland
in the Afghan province of Oruzgan. Singapore is already
familiar with the conditions on the ground in Oruzgan; it
deploys a medical team in support of a Dutch PRT there. A
39-member medical team deployment (the second of three
planned) recently returned to Singapore from Oruzgan
following a three-month stint. Defense Minister Teo Chee
Hean was quoted saying that the deployment of the radar
system and the troops to man it could last as long as 9-12
months. MINDEF contacts told DAO that they expect to deploy
the unit and supporting personnel on an August-September
time-frame.
3. (C) Comment: Concerned by potential negative public
reaction, the GOS has kept its previous Afghanistan
contributions modest, low key, and largely out of harms way
and its public statements have emphasized their humanitarian
role. This deployment will break new ground by placing
Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel in an explicitly
combat role. The front-page article in the
government-influenced Straits Times led off by saying the SAF
"is getting into the fight" in Afghanistan. The latest in a
series of prominent articles in recent months which have
highlighted in favorable terms SAF deployments to Afghanistan
and the Gulf of Aden, it appears to represent an attempt to
sensitize the public to the GOS's decision to increasingly
allow SAF forces to engage in a combat role. While this is a
positive development in terms of our ability to encourage
Singapore to do more, it does not necessarily suggest the GOS
is willing to significantly expand its contributions. Our
DAO believes this deployment may represent a desire by
Singapore to "try out" one of its weapon systems in an actual
combat environment, while still keeping risks to its
personnel relatively low. End Comment.
Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm
SHIELDS