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FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
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RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
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RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//DHO 1//

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000558 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION 
COMMANDER, U.S. EUROPEAN COMMAND FROM DATT 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2019 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAO MOPS MARR NATO HR DEFENSE
REFORM 
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR COMMANDER, U.S. EUCOM'S Visit to 
Croatia 
 
Classified By: COL Brendan McAloon, DATT/ARMA, for 
reasons 1.4 (b) & (d). 
 
¶1.  (C/NF) Sir, your visit to Exercise JACKAL STONE 09 
comes at a time when the excellent security relationship 
between Croatia and the United States continues to grow 
stronger.  Croatia appreciated the United States being 
one of earliest countries to ratify Croatia's NATO 
accession protocol and the Croatian Armed Forces (CAF) 
see the U.S. in general and U.S. EUCOM in particular as 
friends and allies with no hidden agendas.  You will have 
the opportunity to meet the Chief of the General Staff, 
GEN Josip Lucic (Lootz-itch).  Lucic was unexpectedly 
reappointed for an unprecedented second five-year term as 
CHOD in January 2008.  Lucic is President Mesic's closest 
military advisor and thus may not last in his position 
much longer after Mesic's second term ends in February of 
¶2010.  Although he participated in three months of 
language training in the United States, his ability to 
speak English remains rudimentary.  Your visit will also 
give you a chance to meet the new U.S. Ambassador to 
Croatia, James Foley, during his first few weeks on 
station. 
 
¶2.  (C) OMLTs/ISAF.  Prior to joining NATO in April, 
Croatia had the only self-funded, non-NATO OMLT in 
Afghanistan as part of its almost 300 troops in ISAF. 
Croatia has since deployed two more OMLTs:  one garrison 
OMLT and one Combined Combat Support OMLT with their 
state partner, the Minnesota National Guard (NGMN).  The 
OMLTs are deployed with the 209th ANA Corps and are based 
in Mazar-e Sharif (MeS).  Croatia paid all expenses for 
the initial OMLT with the exception of U.S.-provided 
stratlift.  They have no operational limitations on 
deployment or ROE, but do have two caveats: no CT and no 
Counter-narcotics operations.  The combined NGMN-CRO 
Combat Support OMLT has not been smooth sailing. 
Planning and equipment shortfalls exacerbated by poor 
team-building made its initial entry into theater 
difficult.  We have conducted an extensive lessons 
learned process and have submitted a 1206 proposal for 
training equipment support to improve the quality of this 
OMLT's efforts and ensure that future combined OMLTs are 
better prepared for deployment. The NGMN is addressing 
the training equipment shortfalls in the near-term.  The 
deployment with U.S. Soldiers is a point of pride for the 
Croatian Army.  The Minister of Defense has announced the 
intention to deploy two additional Police OMLTs in 2010, 
raising Croatia's ISAF contribution to 330.  Currently 
their contingent is dispersed in four locations 
throughout RC-N, RC-W, and RC-Capital.  Croatia has 
expressed a desire to consolidate its forces to 
facilitate logistical support.  There is also a U.K. 
proposal at SHAPE for Croatia to take the ISAF 
Headquarters security mission.  Without an additional 
increase in the ISAF contingent, the HQ security mission 
would require a decrease in Croatia's commitment of 131 
soldiers securing the German base in MeS.  The CAF is 
attracted to the ISAF HQ security mission and Lucic may 
ask you your thoughts on this proposal. 
 
¶4. (C/NF) KFOR/Croatian Air Force:  The Croatian Air 
Force deployed two new MI-171Sh lift helicopters and 20 
airmen to Camp Bondsteel in July 2009.  This was the 
first deployment outside of Croatia for the Air Force. 
Croatia sees this as a test run deployment for the Air 
Force and has not closed the door on deployment of 
helicopters in support of ISAF in the future. 
Additionally, SOCEUR has expressed keen interest in 
working with the Croatian Air Force to develop 
partnership capacity to support SOF operations.  We have 
recently submitted a 1206 proposal for funding this 
program. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Peacekeeping: Croatia prides itself on its 
transition from a security consumer with UN Peacekeepers 
on its territory as recently as 1998 to a security 
provider with CAF elements involved in numerous UN 
peacekeeping operations around the globe, to include 98 
CAF personnel on the UN mission in the Golan Heights and 
15 of its Special Forces soldiers to the UN mission in 
Chad.  With these deployments Croatia is in the process 
of implementing its plans to increase and sustain its PKO 
contributions from 250 soldiers in 2007 to 600 soldiers 
 
in 2010. 
 
¶6. (C) ASPA: The U.S. FMF and IMET programs were 
suspended in July 2003 due to American Serviceman 
Protection Act (ASPA) sanctions.  As a result, the CAF 
depended entirely upon national resources to accomplish 
its NATO partnership goals and to equip its forces for 
ISAF.  Croatia is the only ISAF partner and new NATO 
member that accomplished its transformation and financed 
its ISAF commitments without FMF or Coalition Support 
Funding.  The suspension of IMET has had a telling impact 
throughout the CAF that we still see today.  Most notable 
is the lack of U.S.-educated staff officers at the senior 
and mid-grade officer level to fill critical billets on 
the MOD, CAF, and NATO Staffs. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) FMF/IMET levels.  Croatia did not receive any 
FMF in FY08, and only one million dollars in FMF and 500K 
in IMET in 2009.  We recently received the good news that 
an additional 110k of end of year IMET will be added to 
this year's numbers after approval.  The proposed budget 
numbers trend better in FYs 10 and 11, but still far 
short of what is needed to properly train and equip 
Croatia for its ISAF mission. 
 
¶8.  (C) Procurement Priorities.  The financial crisis has 
forced two budget cuts already with another expected 
soon.  While there was initially enough fat to cut 
without too much pain, the latest budget cuts have 
started to impact longstanding procurement cases.  The 
contract for the new Patria Armored Personnel Carrier 
will be changed to lengthen the delivery and payment 
timelines.  The contract for ten new coastal patrol 
vessels for the Navy will be adjusted so that four will 
be delivered and then the need for the other six will be 
reevaluated.  Replacement for the aging MiG-21 fighters 
remains on the agenda, though the high price has delayed 
the decision.  U.S. FMF funding will be directed at 
obtaining the necessary NATO-compatible JTAC equipment, 
radios, night vision devices, weapon sights, and GPS 
required to sustain Croatia's forces in ISAF.  USAREUR 
assisted Croatia by leasing two HMMWVs for use in pre- 
deployment drivers training.  We provided through no-cost 
lease 30 up-armored HMMWVs in ISAF to make the deployed 
Croatian soldiers more survivable and have encouraged 
Croatia to request an additional 30 up-armored HMMWV's. 
FOLEY