ASSISTING AFGHANISTAN BEYOND THE AUGUST

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 STATE 074362 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: NATO PREL MOPS MARR AF SUBJECT: ASSISTING AFGHANISTAN BEYOND THE AUGUST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION REF: A. STATE 14097 ¶B. STATE 29482 ¶C. STATE 28929 ¶D. STATE 31102 SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) The purpose of this demarche request is to encourage host governments to start thinking about how they might enhance their contributions to the effort in Afghanistan following the August 20 Afghan presidential election. General McChrystal, Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan (USFORA),is overseeing initial assessments of both ISAF and USFORA operations in Afghanistan. Based on the outcomes of these assessments, the United States will renew its suggestions for specific contributions to both civilian and military sectors. At this moment, the Department requests action addressees to impress upon host governments the importance President Obama places on broad international support for the agreed Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy through the commitment of additional civilian and military resources to meet the requirements in Afghanistan. In order to achieve demonstrable results within the coming twelve months, it is vital that new resources reach th e ground in the critical post-election period. OBJECTIVES -------------- ¶2. (SBU) As the United States is adopting a whole-of-government solution to stabilize Afghanistan, action addressees are instructed to pursue at the most senior appropriate level the following objectives with host government officials across the range of relevant ministries in your host country (such as finance, interior, development, and defense ministries): - emphasize the need for the international community to demonstrate continued and enhanced support for the Afghan people beyond Afghanistan's democratic presidential election on August 20, - (for Election Support Force contributors - Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, STATE 00074362 002 OF 005 Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UK) specifically encourage nations to consider extending their temporarily elevated troop levels beyond the election to a longer-term. - inform host governments that ISAF Commander (COMISAF) General McChrystal is conducting an assessment of international military efforts in Afghanistan, - inform host governments of our commitment to support the Afghan Government's efforts to identify priorities and our intention to respond to these priorities, including by the provision of more assistance directly through the Afghan Government and with the support of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), - advise host governments that, based upon the results of the ISAF Commander's assessment and the ongoing efforts by the Afghan Government and UNAMA to update civilian requirements, the international community will need to re-evaluate its contributions toward military as well as civilian contributions, and - encourage host governments to consider now what types of resources they are able to provide to help build the capacity of the Afghan government to effectively secure and govern the Afghan people. DEADLINE -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Department requests action addressees to report the results of their efforts by front channel cable slugged for S/SRAP - Karen Hanrahan, SCA/A - Ariella Viehe, and EUR/RPM - Aaron Cope by July 24. TALKING POINTS -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Action addressees should draw from following talking points: - In support of the new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan endorsed at the March 31 Afghanistan conference at The Hague, the United States is pursuing a whole-of-government solution to stabilize Afghanistan, leveraging civilian and military resources. - We are committed to working through the Afghan government and UNAMA, with our Allies and partners in Afghanistan to build the capacity of the Afghan government to effectively secure and govern the Afghan people. STATE 00074362 003 OF 005 - The international community is providing critical support to the August 20 Afghan presidential election, but a credible, inclusive, and secure election is not an end point. - The United States wants to ensure that the international community is ready to join us in enhancing civilian and military contributions in Afghanistan following the election. -- Civilian Contributions -- - The United States has expanded its efforts to cooperate with and strengthen Afghan government capacity, with UNAMA support, and is assessing civilian requirements and priorities. - We note that the Government of Afghanistan issued through UNAMA a proposal detailing its request for civilian capacity-building assistance on June 22. We welcome this initiative and encourage efforts to work with UNAMA and the Afghan Ministry of Finance in Kabul to meet those needs. - This proposal represents an important Afghan effort to lead the development and stabilization of Afghanistan and to build their own capacity to govern and deliver services. In addition, the Minister of Agriculture has produced a comprehensive strategy for the agriculture sector which the United States' new agriculture strategy will support. There will be other sector-based strategies soon. - The United States is reviewing how to support the Afghan government's request for civilian assistance and aims to align our assistance with Afghan priorities. -- The Afghan government, with UNAMA and international support, will be identifying its priority needs for civilian assistance in the coming months. Currently, priority areas in which additional civilian resources are needed include governance capacity-building, lawful and sustainable livelihoods, infrastructure, energy, higher education, and security (police training, counter-narcotics, and de-mining). -- Military Contributions -- - General McChrystal has begun an initial assessment of ISAF and U.S. efforts in Afghanistan, to determine current resources and needs in Afghanistan. - COMISAF, with Afghan and international input, will issue STATE 00074362 004 OF 005 his priority needs for military assistance in the coming months. The broad areas in which additional military resources may be needed are maneuver capabilities and related enablers, training and equipping the Afghan National Security Forces, aviation assets (including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance),and civil-military partnerships. - In addition to critical civilian assistance required to enhance Afghan government capacity, we encourage our ISAF partners to replace temporary Election Support Forces with longer-term troop deployments as a key measure to prevent violent extremists from undermining the new Afghan government's efforts to improve security and provision of governance for the Afghan people. - Training and equipping the Afghan National Security Forces requires Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams (OMLTs), Police Mentoring Teams, branch schools, and financial contributions to NATO's Afghan National Army Trust Fund and the UN's Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan. - Civil-military integration requires both mobilizing additional civilian expertise and improving coordination to ensure that civilian and military personnel work together to "clear" territory of insurgents, enable Afghan forces to "hold" areas, and "build" them by enhancing governance and economic growth. -- Renewing Commitments -- - Based on the assessments of civilian and military requirements in Afghanistan from COMISAF and the Afghan Government, the United States will review how to support these priorities with our own contributions and we will encourage the international community to join us in re-examining how each of us can contribute. - As these assessments are being completed, we ask that you identify now those areas, both civilian and military, in which your country is able to contribute. - While the current economic situation makes it particularly difficult for many countries to increase their international assistance, there are opportunities to provide personnel and other technical assistance without increasing troop pledges. - A strong demonstration of continued and broad international support for Afghanistan will be essential to extend the positive momentum generated by a credible, inclusive, and STATE 00074362 005 OF 005 legitimate election to facilitate further progress in economic development, governance, and security. BACKGROUND -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Through a series of demarche instructions sent this spring, the United States outlined for our Allies and partners in Afghanistan the strategic review initiated by the President and sought their input to it (Ref A State 14097); conveyed the results of that review (Ref B State 29482); and encouraged additional contributions in Afghanistan. These requests included specific contributions sought at the April 3-4 NATO Summit (Ref C State 28929) as well as other, long-term priorities (Ref D State 31102). As the circumstances in Afghanistan evolve and we adapt our strategy to those changes, the list of resources needed to succeed in Afghanistan must also evolve. Based on Afghan requests, our renewed emphasis on civilian contributions and the results of General McChrystal's assessment, we will renew our engagement with Allies, partners, and the broader international community on the additional resources they can provide in Afghanistan this fall. ¶6. (SBU) The ISAF/U.S. Forces-Afghanistan assessment will address the overall situation in Afghanistan, the military campaign plan and force requirements, civil-military integration, command and control structures, and rules of engagement with a focus on preventing civilian casualties. The U.S. Embassy, UNAMA, Afghan officials, and others are being consulted in the process of the assessment. The assessment process began in mid-June and likely will be completed by mid-July and presented to the North Atlantic Council in early August. ¶7. (SBU) See the "Afghanistan Asks" intellipedia site (http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Afgh anistan Asks) for a copy of the Government of Afghanistan's request for technical assistance and other background materials. CLINTON