AUSTRALIA TO CONTRIBUTE ADDITIONAL ANSF TRAINERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 000129 SIPDIS NOFORN SCA/A FOR ANTHONY RUSH AND EUR/RPM FOR RAPHAEL CARLAND AND AARON COPE E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2020 TAGS: MASS PREL NATO SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA TO CONTRIBUTE ADDITIONAL ANSF TRAINERS REF: SECSTATE 143366 Classified By: Pol/Econ Counselor Edgard D. Kagan for reasons 1.4(b)(d) Australia Considering How to Contribute -------------- ¶1. (C/NF) Deputy National Security Advisor Angus Campbell confirmed that Australia is considering how to increase its contribution to the training mission in Afghanistan while still maintaining current troop levels. It is possible that additional trainers will be sent as part of Australia's embed program and would not count against their publicly stated 1550 troop limit. PolEconCouns stressed that we are not asking Australia to increase its overall troop numbers and that this demarche is in line with previous statements, most recently by Deputy Secretary of Defense Lynn last week, that we would not ask for more troops. Campbell said that he would make sure the context of the request was conveyed. Additional Trainers Consistent with Plan -------------- ¶2. (C/NF) Campbell was unaware of additional trainers that had already been pledged through NATO channels, but that this seemed in line with Australia's thinking. Reports from the U.S. Mission to NATO that Australia had promised additional trainers to the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander for Europe seemed correct to Campbell. While he admitted that we were "one step ahead of him" and that he had not yet seen that cable, he confirmed that the numbers, 10 trainers with as many as 22 to follow, fit with Australia's plan. BLEICH