VZCZCXRO7139
PP RUEHDBU RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #1378/01 1520843
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 010843Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9180
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001378 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2019 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM OREP AF
SUBJECT: CODEL CARPER STRESSES NEED FOR GREATER AFGHAN 
LEADERSHIP ON GOVERNANCE AND ADDRESSES CIVILIAN CASUALTIES 
 
REF: STATE 53082 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry for Reasons 1.4 (b)(d) 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  Senators Thomas Carper, Mark Udall, Jeanne 
Shaheen, Kay Hagan, and Mark Begich had a productive visit to 
Afghanistan that included meetings with President Karzai, the 
Ministers of Defense and Interior, and a visit to Regional 
Command-East.  The Codel delivered effective USG messages to 
Karzai and other senior Afghan officials regarding the need 
for improved governance.  They also reiterated the U.S. 
commitment to Afghanistan's future, a commitment demonstrated 
daily by the sacrifice of American lives. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The delegation began the day with an interactive 
discussion with the embassy's civilian-military integrated 
country team, led by Ambassador Eikenberry and COMISAF 
McKiernan.  The Codel was briefed on the political scene, 
including Karzai's likely re-election, and its implications 
for U.S. policy.  General McKiernan reviewed the plan for the 
ongoing 21,000-troop deployment and the effects expected. 
The Codel was also informed of the intended civilian uplift 
plans in the field and at the Embassy.  Codel members 
signaled their support upon their return to Washington. 
 
MOD WARDAK AND MOI ATMAR HIGHLIGHT IMPORTANCE OF INCREASING 
AFGHAN SECURITY FORCES 
 
¶3. (SBU) Minister of Defense Wardak provided the group with a 
tour of the National Military Command Center while explaining 
that MOD's primary near-term goal was to neutralize the 
enemy's ability to disrupt August elections.  The Codel asked 
Wardak to share with fellow Afghans the importance the 
American people place on working with Afghanistan to defeat 
the enemy and to remind them of the American lives lost. 
Minister of Interior Atmar provided a tour of the National 
Police Command Center and outlined his plans to root out 
police corruption, his top priority.  Both Wardak and Atmar 
stressed that accelerating the expansion of Afghan National 
Security Forces (ANSF) was the critical factor in providing 
Afghanistan with the means to defeat anti-government forces. 
 
IDLG: PROMOTING GOVERNANCE OUTSIDE KABUL 
 
¶4. (U) Barna Karimi, Deputy Director of the Independent 
Directorate for Local Governance, gave the delegation an 
overview of sub-national governance in Afghanistan and 
touched briefly on IDLG's most significant programs aimed at 
promoting governance at the local level.  Karimi and the 
Senators further discussed the challenge of building capacity 
at the regional and community level at a dinner later that 
evening. 
 
RC-SOUTH: PROGRESS IN A ONE OF AFGHANISTAN'S TOUGHEST AREAS 
 
¶5. (C) RC-South Commander Major General de Kruif and 
Brigadier General Nicholson briefed the delegation on the 
expected security and transformational effect of additional 
U.S. troop deployments.  Civilian advisor Sarah Chayes cited 
improved governance as the key to winning the current 
struggle in the region; she said Afghans feel exploited by 
both insurgents and corrupt Afghan officials.  In Helmand, 
State and USAID representatives from the Provincial 
Reconstruction Team in Lashkar Gah briefed the Codel on the 
daunting challenges in Helmand, while Helmand Governor Mangal 
described the province's counterterrorism, counternarcotics 
and anti-corruption efforts.  He also called for the training 
of more ANSF (including a police training center in Helmand.) 
 
DINNER PROVIDES CHANCE FOR MEANINGFUL, IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS 
 
¶6. (SBU) Ambassador Eikenberry and Ching Eikenberry hosted a 
dinner to which a range of senior Afghan officials, 
parliamentarians, civil society representatives, and 
businesspeople were invited.  Each senator hosted a table of 
six for dinner, thereby allowing for more in-depth 
conversation.  Finance Minister Zahkiwahl discussed with 
Senator Carper the need to increase direct transfers to the 
Afghan budget and pursue mechanisms such as the National 
Solidarity Program.  Senator Shaheen heard from presidential 
candidate Ashraf Ghani about allegations of electoral 
intimidation against his supporters.  Public Health Minister 
Fatimie related to Senator Hagan his efforts to train rural 
women in midwifery.  The Codel clearly benefited from the 
opportunity to have sustained dialogue with key Afghan 
leaders with reformist visions. 
 
PRESIDENT KARZAI ON AFGHANISTAN'S GREATEST CHALLENGES 
 
¶7. (C) The Codel and Ambassador Eikenberry met with President 
Karzai on May 23.  The President was in a relaxed mood.  He 
began by commending the decision to close Guantanamo, saying 
 
KABUL 00001378  002 OF 002 
 
 
it would be good for the U.S. in the eyes of the 
international community. 
 
¶8. (C) The delegation asked Karzai about his vision for 
Afghanistan in five years.  Karzai hoped for a country free 
of terror, and where people would be free from fear of their 
own intelligence service.  He wished for an Afghanistan at 
peace with its neighbors, and still enjoying a close alliance 
with the U.S. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Karzai identified three main challenges: 1) the 
narcotics trade; 2) terrorism; and 3) widespread corruption. 
Karzai added that civilian casualties (along with night raids 
and detentions) remained the most difficult issue between our 
two countries.  If the U.S. and Afghanistan could 
successfully address this difficult, sensitive issue, all 
else could be managed. 
 
OPIUM TRADE AND INSECURITY THREATEN HELMAND 
 
¶10. (C) Regarding the illicit opium trade, Karzai cited 
Helmand as the primary challenge.  Years ago, he noted, areas 
within Helmand were relatively secure; now, many of these 
same areas were out of government control.  These areas have 
become safehavens for narco-traffickers and insurgents. 
 
SHIA FAMILY LAW 
 
¶11. (SBU) Karzai fielded inquiries on the Shia Family Law, 
repeating his previous assertions that his staff had not 
informed him of the details of the law - which has 260 
articles and more sub-articles - and he had signed it without 
reading it.  He asserted that no one on his staff or among 
his advisors, including "experts" like the Minister of 
Justice and 2nd Vice President Khalili, had been aware of the 
details.  The Minister of Justice was now working with civil 
society elements to redraft the law for re-submission to 
parliament. 
 
PAKISTAN AND IRAN 
 
¶12. (C) Karzai asserted the U.S. and Afghanistan needed more 
clarity from Pakistan on its current counterinsurgency 
strategy.  He confirmed his relations with Pakistan President 
Zardari were strong.  Karzai noted he would visit Tehran the 
following day (May 24) for an Iran-Pakistan-Afghanistan 
presidential trilateral.  He said Zardari had encouraged him 
to attend the upcoming Tehran summit while they were together 
at the U.S.-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral talks.  Karzai 
claimed he had no idea what the agenda would be aside from a 
general discussion of regional security, political and 
economic cooperation. 
 
¶13. (C) Ambassador Eikenberry reiterated U.S. views on the 
Tehran summit (reftel).  He asked Karzai to convey the U.S. 
perspective that it is not seeking harmful competition in the 
region and shared common interests regarding a secure, 
prosperous Afghanistan. Karzai said he would provide a 
readout of the Tehran visit upon his return. 
 
DELEGATION DELIVERS CLEAR MESSAGE ON CIVILIAN CASUALTIES 
 
¶14. (C) The Codel delivered a strong, balanced message on 
civilian casualties. They noted the U.S. deeply regretted the 
loss of life in such incidents and was mindful of the 
problems they created for the Afghan government; however, 
they added, it was also important for Karzai and other Afghan 
officials to publicly recognize the sacrifices U.S. troops 
were making in assisting Afghanistan to bring a brighter 
future to its people.  The delegation also reiterated the 
long-term commitment to the U.S.-Afghanistan partnership, but 
stressed the need for the Afghan government to meet its 
commitments on governance and improved leadership.  They 
asked Karzai how he was going to address the issue of 
corruption with the Afghan people, an issue that, along with 
security, heads the list of their concerns and the areas in 
which they think the government has failed to deliver. 
 
COMMENT 
 
¶15. (C) Karzai spoke in broad terms regarding his vision for 
Afghanistan and how to tackle the issues that plague the 
country.  He has yet to present a detailed political platform 
for addressing those challenges he cites as threats to 
Afghanistan's future.  We will encourage all high-level 
visitors to press the President on these details and the need 
for an action plan that goes beyond platitudes. The Embassy 
team will continue to do the same. 
EIKENBERRY