Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STATE122731
2009-12-01 01:58:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

THE PRESIDENT'S ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE WAY

Tags:  CLINTON HILLARY RODHAM PREL AF PK 
pdf how-to read a cable
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TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI IMMEDIATE 1176
RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY IMMEDIATE 2539
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

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