THE PRESIDENT'S ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE WAY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 122731 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CLINTON HILLARY RODHAM PREL AF PK SUBJECT: THE PRESIDENT'S ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE WAY FORWARD IN AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN STATE 00122731 001.2 OF 003 THE FOLLOWING IS A MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY TO ALL CHIEFS OF MISSION: Ref: State 122234 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: After a period of intensive review, the President will announce his decision about the way forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan in an address to the nation from the United States Military Academy at West Point on December 1 at eight o'clock pm eastern standard time. I request that Chiefs of Mission engage host governments at a senior level prior to the President's address to preview U.S. strategy and invite broad international support for international efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan. My goal is for leaders of countries around the world, and particularly those contributing to or with direct interests in Afghanistan and Pakistan, to publicly and strongly endorse the President's strategy and international efforts to achieve our shared goals. (Please see action request in paragraph six.) End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Background: President Obama enunciated the core U.S. goal in Afghanistan and Pakistan on March 27, 2009: to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda and to prevent their return to either Afghanistan or Pakistan in the future. That goal has not changed. Also on March 27, 2009, the President instructed his Administration to assess our progress toward that goal rigorously and regularly. The review we have just completed was a deliberate and disciplined process to check the alignment of our goals, methods, and resources against developments in the region since the strategy was originally announced in March 2009. The U.S. consulted extensively with the Afghan and Pakistani governments, regional countries, ISAF Allies and partners and other interested countries as part of its review process, and the President's decision has been informed by these international consultations. ¶3. (SBU) The President will announce significant additional military and civilian resources for Afghanistan and significant additional civilian resources for Pakistan. The size of these commitments will not be made public before the President's address, but the commitments will not be open-ended. The military mission in Afghanistan will be narrow, time- limited, and clearly defined. International troops will serve as a bridge, clearing and holding while accelerating and expanding the training of the Afghan National Security Forces so that Afghans can take the lead in securing and governing their own country, as President Karzai outlined in his inaugural address. ¶4. (SBU) While our combat mission in Afghanistan is not open-ended, we will maintain a partnership with Afghanistan and Pakistan to protect our enduring interests in that region and remain politically, diplomatically, and economically engaged in Afghanistan and Pakistan for the long-term. ¶5. (SBU) The people and governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan, and people around the world, from Europe to Australia, from Russia to China to India, and across the Middle East, all face a common threat from al Qaeda. In recent months, dozens of countries have reaffirmed their interest in a stable and prosperous region. The President's announcement will provide a new opportunity for U.S. Allies and partners to provide meaningful political and concrete support to the international mission in Afghanistan and international support for Pakistan. ¶6. (SBU) Action request: I am asking that Chiefs of Mission engage host governments at a senior level prior to the President's address to preview U.S. strategy and invite broad international support for international efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan, drawing upon talking points in paragraph seven. I also encourage you to amplify the President's remarks through vigorous public diplomacy engagement following the speech, as appropriate in the context of your host country. See reftel (State 122234). Posts will receive an embargoed version of the President's speech and updated guidance for post-speech engagement with host-government STATE 00122731 002.2 OF 003 officials on Tuesday, 1 December, shortly before the President speaks. ¶7. (SBU) Talking points: - The President announced the core U.S. goal on March 27, 2009, and it has not changed: to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda and to prevent their return to either Afghanistan or Pakistan in the future. - The President will announce significant additional military and civilian resources for Afghanistan and significant additional civilian resources for Pakistan. The size of these commitments will not be made public before the President's address, but the commitments will not be open-ended. -The international military mission in Afghanistan will be narrow, time-limited, and clearly defined. U.S. and international forces from 43 other nations will accelerate and expand training of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF),so that the Afghans can take the lead in securing and governing their own country. Additional U.S. combat forces deployed primarily in Afghanistan's South and East will serve as a bridge force, clearing and holding while building sufficient capacity for Afghan forces to secure and govern their own country. This is consistent with the vision outlined by President Karzai in his inaugural address. - For Afghanistan: Our military efforts and civilian assistance will be closely coordinated: focused geographically in the South and East, on essential ministries in the central government, more on sub- national governance, especially where we are clearing and holding, and with agriculture as the top development priority. We will also help Afghans to create jobs, which is critical to undermine extremists' appeal in the short term and for sustainable economic growth in the long term. Some of our new initiatives include: -- Increasing significantly the number of civilian technical advisers in key central government ministries and in the provinces and district centers to help make Afghan government institutions more visible, effective, and accountable. -- Focusing the current, narrow combat mission on the geographic core of the insurgency within Afghanistan's East and South, and protecting the population. -- Expanding and accelerating efforts to grow and build Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) capacity by deploying additional ISAF trainers and partnering international forces with ANSF at all levels. -- Implementing a new civilian-military agriculture redevelopment strategy that will create licit economic and alternative opportunities for those supporting the Taliban as well as sapping income from poppy cultivation. -- Expanding sub-national capacity building efforts through new civ-mil initiatives, such as the District Development Working Groups and District Support Teams, and increasingly investing in programs with a proven ability to give Afghans a greater stake in their own government, such as the National Solidarity Program. A key emphasis will be assisting Afghan efforts to reduce corruption. -- Improving coordination of international political and economic assistance to build Afghan capacity and improve life for the Afghan people. We will continue to strengthen UNAMA, as well as explore options for identifying a civilian counterpart for the ISAF commander. - For Pakistan: We are now adding to the foundation for a long-term strategic partnership that is based on our common goals. To enhance the Pakistani government's capacity to address the immediate needs of the Pakistani people, facilitate sustainable economic growth, and build on its success against militants, we are: -- Requesting considerable new development assistance, including through the landmark Kerry-Lugar-Berman Act. -- Shifting significant civilian assistance resources toward signature infrastructure projects that address the problems that most affect the Pakistani people (such STATE 00122731 003.2 OF 003 as energy and water). These programs will define to the Pakistani people the nature and scale of the United States' long-term strategic commitment to Pakistan. We will increasingly direct our assistance through Pakistani institutions to ensure that it reflects Pakistani priorities and builds the capacity of Pakistani institutions. -- Sustaining support to Pakistan's military and police operations against militant groups. -- Additional U.S. assistance will help Pakistan build a foundation for long-term development, and will also strengthen ties between the American and Pakistani people by demonstrating that the United States is committed to addressing problems that most affect the everyday lives of Pakistanis. -- Success will require a sustained international political, diplomatic, and economic commitment to stabilizing Afghanistan and Pakistan and the broader region, which is supported by the combined resources of the international community. ¶8. (U) Minimize considered. CLINTON