US embassy cable - 02ROME4724

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 004724 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y (ADDED ADDEE) 
 
PERSONAL FOR SECRETARY RUMSFELD; SECRETARY POWELL; DR. 
RICE; GEN MEYER; DR. WOLFOWITZ; MR. HADLEY; MR. ARMITAGE; 
GEN PACE; MR. GROSSMAN; GEN FRANKS; GEN CASEY; DR. 
KHALILZAD; MS. ROCCA; AMB JOHNSON 
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC FOR MUSTAFA POPAL AND RONALD YAGGI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2012 
TAGS: AF, PARM, PARM, PREL, PRELAF, AFGHANISTAN 
SUBJECT: UNDER SECRETARY FEITH MEETING WITH AFGHAN 
VICE-PRESIDENT/MINISTER OF DEFENSE, MARSHAL FAHIM KHAN 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: USDP DOUGLAS FEITH, REASON 1.5 (D) 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR POLICY 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  04724  01 OF 02  040006Z 
DOUGLAS FEITH MET WITH MOD FAHIM KHAN IN KABUL ON 29 
SEPTEMBER.  MOD FAHIM MET WITH THE U.S. DELEGATION IN 
PRESIDENT KARZAI'S OFFICE AND MADE THE FOLLOWING KEY POINTS 
DURING THE DISCUSSION: 
 
(A) MOD SAID HE SHARES U.S. OBJECTIVES FOR PEACE AND 
STABILITY FOR AFGHANISTAN. 
 
(B) COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR AN 
AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY. 
 
(C) RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT U.S.-LED ANA PROGRAM. 
 
(D) GREATER RECONSTRUCTION ASSISTANCE NEEDED FOR SUCCESSFUL 
DEMOBILIZATION/DISARMAMENT. 
 
2. (C) USDP CONVEYED THE FOLLOWING KEY POINTS: 
 
(A) BUILDING ANA IS INTEGRAL TO CREATING A PROSPEROUS AND 
STABLE AFGHANISTAN. 
 
(B) "AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY" AS US OFFICIALS ARE USING THE 
TERM, REFERS TO U.S.-LED TRAINING EFFORT; NOT TO AFGHAN MOD 
PROGRAM. 
 
(C) MOD NEEDS TO ASSIGN MISSIONS TO THE GRADUATING BATTALIONS 
AND TO EQUIP THEM. 
 
(D) RECOGNIZE IMPORTANT LINK BETWEEN ECONOMIC AND SECURITY 
RECONSTRUCTION. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  04724  01 OF 02  040006Z 
(E) NEED TO PRESERVE LEGITIMATE AFGHAN POLITICAL PROCESSES. 
 
(F) GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR MOD FAHIM TO PLAY A UNIFYING ROLE 
FOR THE COUNTRY DURING PEACETIME. 
 
3. (C) MOD FAHIM STRIKES A NATIONAL CHORD: 
 
-- MOD FAHIM NOTED THE SUCCESSFUL MILITARY ALLIANCE OF THE 
U.S. AND HIS FORCES AND THEIR ABILITY TO OVERCOME HARDSHIPS 
TOGETHER. 
 
-- HE AFFIRMED THE MOD'S WILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE RECRUITS AND 
RESOURCES FOR THE ANA.  BUT NOTED THAT U.S. SUPPORT WOULD BE 
WELCOME GIVEN THE MOD'S LIMITED CAPABILITIES. 
 
-- HE SAID HE AGREED WITH USDP FEITH THAT ANA REFERS TO 
US-LED TRAINING EFFORT, AND THAT ANA SHOULD NOT REFER TO THE 
ARMIES OF THE REGIONAL LEADERS. 
 
-- COMMANDER AHMAD SHAH MASOUD AND HIS SUPPORTERS LONG CALLED 
FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTRAL AUTHORITY AND GOVERNANCE. 
 
-- TOGETHER WITH LTG BARYALAI, THE MOD IS WORKING TO 
ESTABLISH ANA RECRUITING CRITERIA. 
 
-- NATIONAL MISSION AND NATIONAL MAKE-UP FOR THE ANA IS THE 
ONLY VIABLE WAY AHEAD. 
 
-- GRADUATED ANA BATTALIONS SHOULD CONDUCT COUNTERINSURGENCY 
OPERATIONS, PROJECT THE CENTRAL AUTHORITY'S POWER IN THE 
REGIONS, AND SERVE TO DIMINISH REGIONAL FORCE PRESENCE AND 
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PAGE 04        ROME  04724  01 OF 02  040006Z 
LEGITIMACY. 
 
-- TRAINING ANA FORCES IN THE REGIONS WOULD HELP DIMINISH THE 
INFLUENCE OF REGIONAL MILITIAS. 
 
-- THE SLOW PACE OF ECONOMIC RECONSTRUCTION WILL HAMPER 
DEMOBILIZATION/DISARMAMENT/REINTEGRATION EFFORTS. 
 
-- THE AFGHAN PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF WAR. 
 
-- THE PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES BROUGHT ON BY 23 YEARS OF WAR 
WOULD TAKE TIME TO RESOLVE. 
 
4. (C) USDP RESPONSE 
 
-- USDP UNDERSCORED THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING AN ARMY THAT HAS 
SENSE OF UNITY BASED ON COMMON TRAINING AND DOCTRINE. 
 
-- USDP NOTED DIFFICULTIES OF DISSOLVING THE NUMEROUS 
REGIONAL ARMIES. 
 
-- HE ASKED MOD FAHIM WHO, AMONG THE REGIONAL LEADERS, WOULD 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ5037 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  04724  02 OF 02  040008Z 
ACTION SS-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   COR-01   EUR-00   TEDE-00  SSO-00   SAS-00     /001W 
                  ------------------F14125  040008Z /15 
P 300721Z SEP 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC//SAB// PRIORITY 6062 
JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY 
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI//J5// PRIORITY 
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 004724 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y (ADDED ADDEE) 
 
PERSONAL FOR SECRETARY RUMSFELD; SECRETARY POWELL; DR. 
RICE; GEN MEYER; DR. WOLFOWITZ; MR. HADLEY; MR. ARMITAGE; 
GEN PACE; MR. GROSSMAN; GEN FRANKS; GEN CASEY; DR. 
KHALILZAD; MS. ROCCA; AMB JOHNSON 
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC FOR MUSTAFA POPAL AND RONALD YAGGI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2012 
TAGS: AF, PARM, PREL 
SUBJECT: UNDER SECRETARY FEITH MEETING WITH AFGHAN 
VICE-PRESIDENT/MINISTER OF DEFENSE, MARSHAL FAHIM KHAN 
 
BE EXPECTED TO DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP BY BEING THE FIRST TO 
SEND HIS FORCES FOR TRAINING IN KABUL. 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  04724  02 OF 02  040008Z 
 
-- HE ENCOURAGED THE MOD TO CONSIDER WAYS THE AFGHAN 
GOVERNMENT CAN HELP DIRECT RECONSTRUCTION ASSISTANCE TO 
REGIONS THAT HAVE AND/OR WILL PROVIDE RECRUITS FOR THE ANA. 
 
-- THE USG IS KEEN ON SEEING INCREASED INTERNATIONAL 
ASSISTANCE FOR AFGHANISTAN. 
 
-- PRESERVATION OF THE COUNTRY'S LEGITIMATE POLITICAL 
INSTITUTIONS AND IMPROVEMENT OF SECURITY THROUGH THE ANA 
WOULD PROVIDE FOUNDATION FOR INCREASED INTERNATIONAL AID. 
 
-- USDP OBSERVED THAT FAHIM HAD HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY TO BE 
SEEN AS "FOUNDING FATHER" OF FREE AND STABLE AFGHANISTAN. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2002ROME04724 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL