VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBUL #0118 0130930
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 130930Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5396

UNCLAS KABUL 000118 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/RA (JBRENNIG), SCA/A, DRL, INL/CNPR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM SNAR PINR PTER AF
SUBJECT: LEAHY VETTING REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION: ABDUL GHAFAR 
 
REF:  a) KABUL 4474   b) SECSTATE 201184 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request, see para 7. 
 
¶2. (U)  In reftel b, Department instructed that ANP Brigadier 
General Abdul Ghafar was not cleared for U.S. funded assistance due 
to ref a's reference to the likelihood of Ghafar a violator of human 
rights as well as ref' b's reference to his "connections to the 
Taliban while under the command of General Dostum." 
 
¶3. (U) Post has no record of any connection of Abdul Ghafar to the 
Taliban or General Dostum.  According to our records, during the 
jihad and civil war period, Abdul Ghafar was affiliated with the 
Mahaz-e Milli Party, a politically moderate group headed by Pir Syed 
Ahmad Gailani. 
 
¶4. (SBU) At Post's request, the United Nations Assistance Mission in 
Afghanistan has conducted a supplementary investigation into the 
background and performance of Abdul Ghafar, who is currently Chief 
of Police of Ghazni province.  UNAMA reports that the allegations 
referred to in ref a, when Ghafar was Chief of Police in Kunar 
province, have not been verified.  UNAMA has assessed that these 
allegations may have originated with his political enemies.  UNAMA 
had originally reported "recent (unverified) reports of beating 
subordinates."  On further investigation, these reports have not/not 
been substantiated. 
 
¶5. (U) UNAMA further reports that Abdul Ghafar has performed very 
well in Ghazni.  U.S. police mentors in Ghazni have assessed Ghafar 
positively in the areas of loyalty to the GOA, leadership, 
integrity, ethics, and professionalism.  Ghafar has the full 
confidence of the Minister of Interior, who has selected him to be 
transferred to Zabul province as chief of police there. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The governor of Zabul province has reported to the Ministry 
of Interior that the incumbent chief of police is not sufficiently 
strong or active enough in Zabul, a southern province of key 
strategic importance.  The governor has requested that the new chief 
of police be moved into place as soon as possible in order to 
counter the active insurgency. 
 
¶7. (U) In light of this new information, Post requests Department to 
review its previous decision and clear Abdul Ghafar for U.S. funded 
assistance. 
 
NEWELL