This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 005051 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA AMBASSADOR QUINN, INL/FO, NSC FOR 
HARRIMAN/AMEND 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2015 
TAGS: SNAR PGOV AF
SUBJECT: DEPUTY MINISTER DAUD BOLSTERS OPERATIONAL SUPPORT 
FOR ERADICATION EFFORT 
 
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY ADCM ANGUS SIMMONS FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D 
 
¶1. (C) On December 11, 2005, Deputy Minister General Daud 
Daud of the Ministry of Interior (MOI), Alistair Corbett of 
the UK Drugs Team and Doug Wankel Director of Embassy Kabul's 
CN Task Force, met with General Wardak of the Ministry of 
Defense (MOD). General Wardak, who had previously worked with 
General Daud in the MOD, briefed General Wardak on the GOA's 
successes in reducing opium cultivation this past year and 
said that it was very important to Afghanistan that this 
reduction be preserved and increased. 
 
¶2. (C) General Daud said that the same day during a Cabinet 
meeting on counter narcotics, President Karzai made it very 
clear that the GOA is serious about reduction of opium 
cultivation and wants the Governors more involved and 
accountable. Daud outlined some of the problems encountered 
last year, such as the late start, bad weather, lack of 
coordination, lack of Governor's commitment, etc. He went on 
to say that this year plans and programs such as the Poppy 
Elimination Program (PEP) were underway to ensure that 
similar problems wont reoccur in 2006. Daud highlighted the 
need for Governor-led eradication and said that during the 
next two weeks the MOI was bringing 13 Governors from key 
opium growing provinces to Kabul to begin discussing the 
operational needs and plans for Governor-led eradication 
which should begin sometime in January. Daud said he needs 
the commitment and support of the Afghanistan National Army 
(ANA) to support the eradication effort this year. General 
Daud pointed to the UK and US officials and said that the UK 
and US are allies and key supporters of the eradication 
effort. 
 
¶3. (C) General Wardak said that he wanted to help in this 
effort last year, but it wasn't clear then whether the ANA 
should be involved or whether the ANA was strong enough to 
become involved. Wardak said he understands that Coalition 
Forces have priorities for the ANA that may impede the ANA's 
ability to directly support poppy eradication. Wardak asked 
CNTF Director Wankel for his views about the ANA's role. 
Wankel said that he came to the meeting only to support 
General Daud in his efforts to ensure that the necessary 
coordination and communication was undertaken before the 
start of the 2006 eradication effort. Wankel said, any 
decision or discussion regarding the additional involvement 
of the ANA, in eradication support, should be determined by 
the GOA and CFC-A. General Wardak said that he felt that he 
could indirectly show support the MOI's eradication efforts 
by making ANA forces available if the "situation gets out of 
control." General Wardak closed by saying that the MOI can be 
assured of the MOD's support and he believes there are no 
excuses for Afghanistan not to be successful in the 2006 
eradication effort. He said emphatically, "there is a way to 
achieve the desired results." 
 
¶4. (C) Deputy Minister Daud hosted a meeting with CG Vecchio 
of ISAF to discuss eradication on December 11. Embassy Kabul 
CNTF Director, UK Drugs Team Member Alistair Corbett, MG 
Roger Lane, Deputy Commanding General for Operations, Colonel 
Chiapperini and the Political Advisor to ISAF also attended 
the meeting. 
 
¶5. (C) General Vecchio told General Daud that ISAF considered 
the successful implementation of the Counter Narcotics (CN) 
pillar as critical to the democratic process in Afghanistan. 
He said that the elimination of drug trafficking was of vital 
interest to Afghanistan and that ISAF was ready to give all 
possible support to this mission. General Vecchio said his 
mandate is to support GOA agencies working on CN and support 
the UK Embassy, the lead nation on CN. General Vecchio said 
that the maximum effort from central, provincial and local 
authorities is required to achieve success. The General said 
that the GOA can be assured that ISAF will provide support 
within means and capabilities to include in extremis support, 
if necessary. 
 
¶6. (C) General Daud thanked General Vecchio for his offer of 
support and also thanked him for ISAF's support during the 
Parliamentary Elections in September. Daud said that the GOA 
has had some achievements, some problems and some lessons 
learned during the past year's efforts on CN programs. As 
success stories, he highlighted the 48 percent reduction in 
opium cultivation and the new judicial system with the 
Counter Narcotics Tribunal (CNT) which has now received some 
490 cases for review. Daud said that while Afghanistan has 
become a nation known for drug trafficking because of 30 
years of war and the Taliban, it is now the GOA's 
responsibility to deal with the problem. Daud went on to say 
that drugs fuel terrorism and undermine the stability of the 
GOA. General Daud advised General Vecchio that President 
Karzai is very committed to CN programs, including 
eradication. General Daud said that the MOI was bringing in 
13 key provincial governors for discussion of their 
operational needs and plans for eradication (Nangarhar, 
Laghman, Kunar, Helmand, Badakshan, Farah, Uruzgan, Balkh, 
Badghis, Samangan, Baghlan, Sar-e-Pul and Kandahar). Daud 
said that there are three things that will negatively impact 
eradication this year: 1) Senlis Council's messages about the 
legalization of opium cultivation are confusing to farmers 2) 
Alternative Livelihood programs deemed unsuccessful by 
farmers and 3) the security situation. General Daud told 
General Vecchio in order to ensure success, he needs ISAF to 
support eradication, share intelligence on drug traffickers 
and help the MOI capture drug traffickers. 
 
¶7. (C) General Vecchio thanked General Daud for his briefing 
and said that he was pleased to hear of the decrease in opium 
cultivation this year and said that he believed that the 
GOA's decision to conduct a "holy war" against drugs would be 
effective. He went on to say that ISAF would continue to 
support the Public Information campaign directed against drug 
trafficking and that messages would soon be changed to 
reflect the upcoming Governor-led eradication. General Lane 
said that ISAF would continue to share intelligence through 
the arrangement with the UK (as the lead nation for CN) and 
would welcome all opportunities to coordinate activities with 
eradication efforts. Lane went on to say that ISAF would not 
provide direct support for eradication or interdiction, 
because ISAF policy dictates that the GOA lead these efforts. 
 
¶8. (C) General Lane said that ISAF believes there is a fourth 
problem confronting the GOA's efforts to support CN programs. 
He said that there is a need for stronger governance 
especially as related to the Governors and Chiefs of Police. 
Daud agreed and said that the MOI is also making plans to 
deal with corrupt officials, including police chiefs. Daud 
said it is important that the rule of law become stronger so 
that there are limitations as to what traffickers and corrupt 
officials can control or impact. The meeting concluded with 
Daud and General Vecchio agreeing to work together to ensure 
cooperation and coordination in CN efforts. 
 
¶9. (C) Comment: Daud is determined to ensure better 
cooperation, coordination and planning for the 2006 
eradication effort and he sees the support from the MOD, ISAF 
and CFC-A as integral to his efforts. General Daud will seek 
a similar meeting with General Eikenberry when he returns to 
Afghanistan. End Comment. 
NEUMANN