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P 020452Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
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INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
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RUEOMFD/MACDILL AFB FL HQ USCENTCOM
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
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RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC
RUEATRS/TREASURY DEPT WASHDC 0112
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 001478 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CT, EUR/RPM 
NSC FOR O'SULLIVAN/HARRIMAN/AMEND 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2016 
TAGS: PREL MARR PTER AF
SUBJECT: WARDAK-HILLEN MEETING: ANA IS IMPROVING, ISAF 
EXPANSION PLANS ON TRACK 
 
 
KABUL 00001478  001.4 OF 003 
 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ANGUS SIMMONS, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) A 
ND (D) 
 
¶1. (C)  Summary. Minister of Defense Wardak said the 
quality of the ANA is improving and he welcomes 
recent Coalition planning for joint operations.  In 
a March 20 discussion with visiting Assistant 
Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs 
 
SIPDIS 
John Hillen, Minister Wardak said that as the ANA 
gradually builds its ability to provide security for 
Afghanistan, the Coalition will be able to step back 
to a supporting role.  He said that although he had 
initially been concerned about ISAF extending its 
role in the South and East, he was satisfied that 
the &dual-hatted8 role of the U.S. operational 
commander would ensure that security needs are met. 
A/S Hillen noted that the Canadians and the British 
will certainly step up to their responsibilities in 
the South, and the Dutch are military prepared for 
the fight, although their political system is risk- 
averse.  Regarding Pakistan, Minister Wardak 
emphasized the need for confidence building 
measures.  He said that he was aware of the 
proposal, raised by A/S Hillen, for the ANA to join 
in the air assault exercise &Inspired Gambit8 in 
early May, but did not say whether the ANA would in 
fact participate.  Finally, Minister Wardak thanked 
the U.S. delegation for the recent visit of 
President Bush to Afghanistan, saying it brought 
home to the Afghan people that the United States has 
made a long-term commitment to this country.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2. (C) Minister Wardak described the relationship 
between U.S. forces and the ANA as a &joint venture, 
joint success.8  He said that as the ANA gradually 
takes over physical security, the Coalition will be 
able to step back to a supporting/mentoring role. 
He said he had recently been briefed on the 
Coalition,s spring offensive, which represents a new 
partnership with the ANA that will help the ANA 
mature.  He said that we are starting to see good 
results from the implementation of the new policy of 
fewer kandaks in training and increased emphasis on 
quality.  However, he said the ANA is still short of 
combat enablers ) it is unable to operate 
independently due to lack of fire and air support 
capability.   The Minister said he is very sensitive 
to the need for sustainability, but that conversely, 
being fully enabled would allow the ANA to protect 
itself without having to rely on continued US 
presence over the long term.  OSC-A Commander MG 
Durbin said that there is an open dialogue on this 
subject.  The U.S. military appreciates that the ANA 
needs tactical and operational mobility.  He said 
that OSC-A is considering the possibility of 
providing aircraft beyond Presidential airlift 
requirements, as well as developing high-end 
infantry and special operations capabilities. 
 
ISAF Expansion 
-------------- 
 
¶3. (C) With regard to ISAF expansion, the Minister 
said that he had originally been worried, but he has 
since been reassured by the concept of the dual- 
hatted U.S. command, which will have capability to 
operate around the country.  He said he didn,t 
anticipate a problem in the South since the British 
and the Canadians are ready for the job.  A/S Hillen 
 
KABUL 00001478  002.4 OF 003 
 
 
noted that while the Dutch are ready militarily, 
their political system is risk averse.  Still, they 
made the right decision in honoring their commitment 
to come to Uruzgan.  A/S Hillen noted that once 
people get into a fight it binds them together. 
 
Afghanistan-Pakistan Relations 
------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (C) Regarding Afghanistan,s relationship with 
Pakistan, the Minister said that he was skeptical of 
the Tripartite Commission.  He said the meetings are 
frequent, but so far they have been cosmetic rather 
than practical.  He said the Pakistanis have to 
realize that they and Afghanistan have a common 
enemy.  A/S Hillen said he had just come from 
Pakistan, where Embassy Islamabad told him they had 
seen an attitude shift within the GOP.  He said the 
Pakistanis are getting more aggressive with their 
own operations, and are making new attempts at 
cooperation.  He noted that the Pakistan Army had 
invited ANA participation in an air assault exercise 
later this spring, and said he hoped the ANA would 
agree to attend.   Wardak said the ANA had received 
the invitation and was considering it.  (Note: A few 
days after this meeting, the GOA agreed to send an 
ANA platoon to the exercise, &Inspired Gambit.8  End 
note.) 
 
¶5. (C) Minister Wardak emphasized the need for 
confidence-building measures with Pakistan.  He 
proposed a joint task force, so that if the GOA 
hears of a terrorist sanctuary it can share that 
information with the GOP. 
 
Other Regional Issues 
--------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) Regarding recent developments in the U.S.- 
India relationship, Wardak said that the Pakistanis 
were worried, and that worry could be used for 
leverage, within limits.  He said that in his view 
the U.S. relationship with India should be of major 
significance.  A/S Hillen commented that South Asian 
international relations is no longer a zero-sum 
game:  President Bush has been the first to 
dehyphenate the Indo-Pak relationship and pursue 
improved relations with both countries for their own 
sakes and on their own terms. 
 
¶7. (C) On Iran, Wardak warned that while the Iranian 
Foreign Affairs Ministry is still trying to have 
good relations with Afghanistan, the Revolutionary 
Guard and intelligence services are involved in 
everything here.  He said that intelligence suggests 
these entities are linking up with the Taliban, and 
may also be working with the Russians in pursuit of 
regional goals. 
 
¶8. (C) Finally, Minister Wardak expressed the 
gratitude of the Afghan people for President Bush,s 
recent visit.  Noting that it was only the second 
time in 50 years that a U.S. president has visited 
Afghanistan, he said that it showed the U.S. 
commitment to the region.  He said that in the 
meeting he attended, it was clear that President 
Bush was speaking from the heart, and that was very 
much appreciated here. 
 
¶9. (U)  This cable has been cleared by A/S Hillen. 
 
KABUL 00001478  003.4 OF 003 
 
 
 
Neumann