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