Cablegate: Dutch Prepare for Civilian Command of Uruzgan Prt And

VZCZCXRO8762
RR RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #2780/01 2920809
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 180809Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5860
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 0699
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 002780

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, EUR/RPM
STATE PASS TO AID FOR ASIA/SCAA
NSC FOR WOOD
OSD FOR WILKES
CENTCOM FOR CG CSTC-A, CG CJTF-101 POLAD
THE HAGUE PASS TO POL

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ETRD EFIN AF TI

SUBJECT: DUTCH PREPARE FOR CIVILIAN COMMAND OF URUZGAN PRT AND
EVENTUAL TROOP WITHDRAWAL

1. (SBU) Summary: The Dutch civilian staff embedded in the Task
Force Uruzgan (TFU) and PRT was recently expanded to twelve
officials in an effort to ensure civilian control over governance
and development issues, and greater involvement in security matters.
As of July 26, the senior Dutch civilian, or CivRep, is now
co-commander of the TFU on security, governance and development,
although the TFU Commander retains final authority on security
issues. The Deputy CivRep, a new position, is co-commander of the
PRT, but his successor will assume full command of the PRT in March
2009. The military has successfully integrated the civilian staff
into all TFU and PRT operations, and the transition to civilian
leadership of the PRT is consistent with the Netherlands' firm
commitment to relinquish leadership of the ISAF mission in Uruzgan,
withdraw all or most of its troops in 2010, and maintain a civilian
staff in the province following the troop withdrawal. End summary.

Civilians Assume Co-Command, Prepare for Full PRT Command
--------------------------------------------- ----------

2. (SBU) The Dutch Task Force Uruzgan (TFU) and PRT are steadily
and deliberately making the transition from military to civilian
leadership. On July 26, the civilian staff was enlarged from nine
to twelve MFA officials, and they were placed in key positions in
the TFU and PRT (1,700 Dutch troops in total). The senior Civilian
Representative (CivRep), who is equivalent to a colonel in rank,
leads a team of one Deputy CivRep , two political advisors, three
development advisors, two tribal/cultural advisors, and three
Dutch-Afghan development assistants/interpreters. The CivRep and
Deputy CivRep now serve as co-commanders with the TFU Commander and
PRT Commander.

3. (SBU) The TFU and PRT Commanders currently remain the final
authority on military and civil-military coordination (CIMIC)
operations, but the civilian staff has the lead on governance and
development issues and ensures civilian input in security matters.
The civilian staff report directly to the CivRep, not the TFU or PRT
Commander. The final phase of the transition will be in March 2009,
when a Dutch diplomat will replace the PRT Commander.

4. (SBU) The military commander and civilian staff have agreed on
the following measures to facilitate increased civilian leadership
and involvement in the PRT and TFU:

-- The Deputy CivRep chairs a bi-weekly civil-military meeting that
synchronizes the reconstruction and development activities of the
Dutch PRT mission teams operating in the province (military staff);
PRT functional specialists for civil infrastructure, rule of law,
and business development (military reservists); Dutch development
advisors (civilians); Australian Reconstruction Task Force
(military); and USAID and State Department representatives.

-- The development advisors are involved in the planning of all
military-led reconstruction (i.e. CIMIC) projects.

-- The CivRep and political advisors participate in all planning
sessions on security operations, ANSF training and mentoring, and
counter-narcotics efforts.

-- The civilian staff will receive their own armored vehicles to be
able to conduct meetings in the provincial capital, without relying
on TFU or PRT support. Currently, the civilian staff has to rely on
military transport and adjust their activities to the schedule of
the military.

-- The CivRep and Deputy CivRep share office space with the TFU
Commander and the PRT commander respectively.

-- The CivRep and COM TFU jointly receive and brief visitors (e.g.
politicians, journalists and NGOs) to underline the increasing
civilian face of TFU.

Military Welcomes Civilian Leadership...
----------------------------------------

5. (SBU) The current influence of the civilian staff in TFU and PRT

KABUL 00002780 002 OF 002

activities is significant and pervasive. For example, PRTOff
observed that the civilians played a critical role in shaping the
TFU's military response to recent security concerns in Chora and
Tarin Kowt districts, and no decisions regarding the TFU's and PRT's
involvement in Afghan National Police training are made without
civilian input. The TFU and PRT Commanders remain convinced that
Coalition forces have created sufficient security to allow for a
greater focus on governance and development. Thus, civilian
leadership of the PRT and civilian co-command of the TFU is the next
logical step.

...And Plans to Withdraw by 2010
--------------------------------

6. (SBU) The Dutch CivRep recently confirmed for PRTOff that the
Netherlands will relinquish lead nation status and withdraw all or
most of its troops from Uruzgan in 2010. The Dutch have already
begun to make preparations for their troop withdrawal by replacing
Dutch Operational Mentor and Liaison Teams (OMLTs) with French,
Australian, Hungarian, and possibly U.S. forces, although the Dutch
will retain command and control. The Czech Republic and Slovakia
also recently joined the TFU and PRT to relieve or augment Dutch
forces assigned to CIMIC planning and base security. Although
deliberations in The Hague are ongoing, the TFU Commander and CivRep
expect that Dutch civilians will remain in Uruzgan after the troop
withdrawal in 2010. Thus, greater civilian leadership and
involvement in the TFU and PRT is consistent with Dutch planning for
post-2010.

WOOD

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