VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSM #0484/01 2150706
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 030706Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4593

UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000484 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SECSTATE FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/PPD, EUR/NB, SA/PPD, S/SRAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO PINS PINR EUN AF SW
SUBJECT: Media Reaction - Swedish Role in Afghanistan 
 
Swedish media have recently featured a spate of articles and 
commentary pieces examining the Swedish presence and role in 
Afghanistan.  Much of the introspection stems from a July 23 attack 
on Swedish troops in northwest Afghanistan in which no Swedes were 
injured, but three attackers were killed.  Swedish and Finnish 
troops operating out of their main base, Camp Northern Lights, near 
Mazar-e-Sharif came under fire again on July 30 with no casualties. 
Excerpts of recent reporting follow. 
 
FM Bildt: EU Should take Bigger Role in Afghanistan 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
On July 27, TT - Sweden's wire service - carried an article with the 
headline "Bildt: Bigger Role for EU in Afghanistan" reporting 
statements from Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt in his widely 
read blog that he had "great difficulty understanding" reported 
calls to withdraw Swedish and EU troops from Afghanistan.  His blog 
entry entitled "Abandon?  No, quite the opposite", argued for 
enhanced engagement, saying "I believe that the European Union can 
do more to help Afghanistan."  In the entry, Bildt did not elaborate 
on the role he envisaged for the EU in Afghanistan.  He said Sweden, 
which holds the rotating presidency of the 27-member bloc, would 
table a proposal after the summer.  Bildt also praised recent 
changes to U.S. Afghanistan policy: "They have recognized the need 
to protect civilians, and to focus more on civil and economic 
measures for building peace." 
 
 
Editorial: Swedish Government Must Defend Involvement 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
In a July 27 lead editorial entitled, "A new Vietnam?" Swedish 
broadsheet Dagens Nyheter argued that the war in Afghanistan can 
only be won with help from the civilian population, and that the 
Swedish government must be prepared to defend Sweden's participation 
when the losses mount.  Excerpts follow: 
 
"In the past week Swedish soldiers have been involved in firefights 
in Afghanistan. No Swedes have been injured as of yet since the 
violence has increased, but it is only a matter of time..." 
 
"The government needs to be prepared for criticism.  Dead Swedish 
soldiers will raise the question of what Swedish soldiers are doing 
in Afghanistan.  There are a number of reasons.  Sweden is a part of 
the international community and must take its responsibility for all 
nations' collective security.  It is indisputable that the Taliban, 
during their time in control, allowed Osama bin Laden's terror 
network to conduct its business unhindered, and the risk is 
considerable that if they returned to power they would do so again." 
 
 
"Afghanistan accounts for 90% of the world's opium production - 
opiates that are used for heroin production and smuggled to Europe. 
The Taliban have also systematically violated human rights, operated 
against their own people with brutality and are well-known for their 
oppression of women, which has manifested itself by their attacks 
against schools for girls...The threat from the Taliban remains..." 
 
"The criticism (of the Swedish government) will increase.  But the 
war in Afghanistan is not a colonial war, but is aimed at self-rule 
and a democratic Afghanistan.  It is also about international 
security, but it can only be won with the Afghans support. 
Otherwise the risk is great that it develops into a repeat of the 
Vietnam War - this time with Swedish soldiers on the front lines." 
 
Op-Ed: Politicians Must Show Stronger Support for Troops 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
In a July 28 op-ed in Dagens Nyheter entitled "Support our Troops" 
Former DN Political Editor Niklas Ekdal criticizes Swedish 
politicians' weak support for the military after they have deployed 
it.  Excerpts follow: 
 
"...In modern times there has been a price to pay for being 
non-aligned.  When those in charge do not take a position the troops 
risk receiving criticism no matter how they act.  When governments 
say one thing to the people, but do something else on the 
international scene, the troops get left in the balance without a 
safety net." 
 
"This phenomenon has expressed itself differently over the years. 
Traumatized (Swedish) UN soldiers were forgotten for a long time 
without honors or enough support.  When the (Swedish) troops were to 
be sent to the Balkans a Swedish Minister of Defense demanded that 
they not have "combat tasks".  In Afghanistan our governments have 
pretended that the Swedish effort can be separated from the U.S. 
effort, and as soon as something goes wrong the responsibility is 
kicked downward, to the Armed Forces' leadership, instead of at the 
political level where it belongs." 
 
"After the escalation of violence in Afghanistan and the attacks in 
the past few days where Swedes were involved in the killing of three 
Taliban, these questions have come to the forefront. The lack of 
political responsibility and popular support has dangerous 
consequences.  It is nonchalant to the personnel who are risking 
their lives, and it makes recruitment to the Armed Forces more 
difficult. It breeds bad morale and increased risk; if one 
well-aimed attack or a different constellation in the parliament 
would be enough for Sweden to pull out." 
 
"Foreign Minister Carl Bildt has argued well on his blog, but he is 
far too alone in his comments.  "Support our troops" is a mantra 
that one hears in the U.S. that shows that the nation stands behind 
the soldiers that the U.S. as a democratic country sends out into 
the world.  Why are Swedish politicians ashamed to say something 
similar? Why do they not take their full responsibility for their 
decisions and explain the purpose behind having troops in military 
missions in foreign countries?" 
 
"A quick look at the map and history books shows that the US cannot 
solely solve the problems in Afghanistan, no matter how many troops 
they send, or how many Taliban they bomb.... 
If the international coalition gets the same image as their imperial 
forerunners the mission is over.  It was right to stop al-Qaeda and 
its Taliban hosts after the terror attacks of 9/11, right to try and 
assist the re-building of the country, but it is not possible to 
bomb freedom into existence..." 
 
"...there exists a UN mandate, international responsibilities and 
good humanitarian intentions of which Sweden is a part.  In this 
case it is imperative that the troops have the nation's support... 
Explain to the citizens what the military effort entails and that it 
is decided by the developments in Afghanistan, not the elections in 
Sweden 2010.  Give the Swedish soldier and officers the recognition 
they deserve." 
 
Op-Ed: Defence Minister Lays Out Case for Involvement 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
In a July 29 op-ed in Dagens Nyheter, shortly after returning from 
meeting Defense Secretary Gates and other officials in Washington, 
Swedish Minister of Defence Sten Tolgfors laid out for the public 
"This is why Swedish soldiers are fighting in Afghanistan."  His 
bottom line was that "we are in Afghanistan for the sake of the 
Afghanis and ourselves."  Excerpts follow: 
 
"Their (Afghanis) freedom is being threatened by forces who want to 
destroy the coming election with violence.  Swedish soldiers, 
together with troops from 40 countries, are making an important 
effort under a UN mandate so that the elections on August 20th can 
be conducted in a safe way.   Sweden is also in Afghanistan for 
Sweden's own security. It is not possible to let the country fall 
apart and let it be taken over by terrorists." 
 
"Many countries have been targeted by terrorism that has its roots 
in Afghanistan, but it has not been said enough that those who have 
suffered the most are Afghanistan's civilians." 
 
"Today Afghanistan is a country where 2 million girls go to school, 
but schools are still torched, schoolgirls threatened and subjected 
to attacks by the opposition. Recently, acid was sprayed on a group 
of schoolgirls. Today, 80% of the country's population has access to 
basic health services. Before the international effort it was 8 
percent.  Today Afghanistan has a democratically elected President 
and government.  On August 20, a new election will be held in 
Afghanistan. That is one reason for the escalation of violence. The 
forces that are opposed to freedom, the equal treatment of men and 
women and democracy have as their goal to destroy the elections 
through threats and violence." 
 
"Another purpose with the violence is to get the West to question 
its presence in the country. Without the efforts of ISAF, which has 
a UN mandate, Afghanistan would fall back into civil war, oppression 
and dictatorship." 
 
"Sweden is in Afghanistan for the Afghan people's security. For the 
conviction that respect human rights and freedoms is a universal 
human right. Sweden is in Afghanistan because the conflict must be 
seen in a regional context. The conflict is not limited to 
Afghanistan, but is closely tied to the troubles in Pakistan." 
 
"Sweden is in Afghanistan because it affects Sweden's own security. 
The acts of September 11, 2001 showed that in today's globalized 
world it is not possible to allow a country fall apart so that it is 
taken over by groups that allow terrorist organizations. On the 
contrary, regional problems can become so large that they have a 
global impact." 
 
"...Sweden welcomes the new US strategy for Afghanistan..." 
 
"The efforts in Afghanistan are not without risk to the personnel 
there.  If that risk was not present there would be no need to send 
troops... It is central that the elections on August 20 can be 
conducted safely.  It is important that a broader civilian-military 
cooperation effort is achieved.  If this is successful, the 
country's population can see that the development is going in the 
right direction and that the efforts are bearing fruit. That creates 
the foundation for a stable Afghanistan in the future." 
 
Poll:  Majority of Swedes Support Involvement in Afghanistan 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
A poll released on July 28, by independent broadcaster TV4 showed 
that more than half of Swedes agree with the government's decision 
to send soldiers to Afghanistan.  The new poll by Novus Opinion 
reveals: 
Support for the Swedish presence in Afghanistan is greatest among 
men and conservative voters. 
63 percent of men think sending Swedish troops to the country is a 
good idea, compared to 35 percent of women. Likewise, 67 percent of 
conservative voters support the troops' presence, while only 41 
percent of socialist bloc voters do. 
 
Op-Ed: Central Asia Problems will come to Europe if no Action 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
A July 31 op-ed in Swedish broadsheet Svenska Dagbladet by Mark 
Rhinard and Erik Brattberg of the Swedish Foreign Affairs Institute, 
entitled "The EU must do more for Central Asia" called for greater 
EU contributions to stability in Afghanistan and Pakistan to avoid 
drug-trafficking, migration and radicalism problems reaching Europe. 
 Excerpts follow: 
"...The EU has good possibilities to aid Central Asia, and has good 
reasons for doing so when its own security is at stake..." 
"If nothing is done, the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan, along 
with the neighboring Central Asian countries, will sooner or later 
reach Europe.  The EU should therefore adopt a more comprehensive 
strategy for the region..." 
"While the US puts great emphasis on military solutions, the EU can 
instead use the many tools it has access to in order to improve 
democracy, the rule of law and education in the entire region..." 
"Finally, the EU should use its credibility and its economic 
influence to engage other powers who have interests in the region, 
such as China and Russia, to engage in a dialogue and cooperation 
around common goals and solutions for the region at large..." 
"Sweden should forcefully push the issue of a common long-term 
strategy for Central Asia during its chairmanship.  It is not only 
Central Asia's future that is at stake; for every day that passes it 
is becoming clearer that Europe's future is as well." 
SILVERMAN