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O 010158Z DEC 09
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TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI IMMEDIATE 1176
RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY IMMEDIATE 2539

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 122731 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CLINTON HILLARY RODHAM PREL AF PK
SUBJECT: THE PRESIDENT'S ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE WAY 
FORWARD IN AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN 
 
STATE 00122731  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
THE FOLLOWING IS A MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY TO 
ALL CHIEFS OF MISSION: 
 
Ref: State 122234 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  After a period of intensive review, 
the President will announce his decision about the way 
forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan in an address to the 
nation from the United States Military Academy at West 
Point on December 1 at eight o'clock pm eastern standard 
time. I request that Chiefs of Mission engage host 
governments at a senior level prior to the President's 
address to preview U.S. strategy and invite broad 
international support for international efforts in 
Afghanistan and Pakistan.  My goal is for leaders of 
countries around the world, and particularly those 
contributing to or with direct interests in Afghanistan 
and Pakistan, to publicly and strongly endorse the 
President's strategy and international efforts to 
achieve our shared goals.  (Please see action request in 
paragraph six.)  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Background:  President Obama enunciated the 
core U.S. goal in Afghanistan and Pakistan on March 27, 
2009:  to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda and to 
prevent their return to either Afghanistan or Pakistan 
in the future. That goal has not changed. Also on March 
27, 2009, the President instructed his Administration to 
assess our progress toward that goal rigorously and 
regularly.  The review we have just completed was a 
deliberate and disciplined process to check the 
alignment of our goals, methods, and resources against 
developments in the region since the strategy was 
originally announced in March 2009.  The U.S. consulted 
extensively with the Afghan and Pakistani governments, 
regional countries, ISAF Allies and partners and other 
interested countries as part of its review process, and 
the President's decision has been informed by these 
international consultations. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The President will announce significant 
additional military and civilian resources for 
Afghanistan and significant additional civilian 
resources for Pakistan.  The size of these commitments 
will not be made public before the President's address, 
but the commitments will not be open-ended.  The 
military mission in Afghanistan will be narrow, time- 
limited, and clearly defined.  International troops will 
serve as a bridge, clearing and holding while 
accelerating and expanding the training of the Afghan 
National Security Forces so that Afghans can take the 
lead in securing and governing their own country, as 
President Karzai outlined in his inaugural address. 
 
¶4. (SBU) While our combat mission in Afghanistan is not 
open-ended, we will maintain a partnership with 
Afghanistan and Pakistan to protect our enduring 
interests in that region and remain politically, 
diplomatically, and economically engaged in Afghanistan 
and Pakistan for the long-term. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The people and governments of Afghanistan and 
Pakistan, and people around the world, from Europe to 
Australia, from Russia to China to India, and across the 
Middle East, all face a common threat from al Qaeda.  In 
recent months, dozens of countries have reaffirmed their 
interest in a stable and prosperous region.  The 
President's announcement will provide a new opportunity 
for U.S. Allies and partners to provide meaningful 
political and concrete support to the international 
mission in Afghanistan and international support for 
Pakistan. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Action request:  I am asking that Chiefs of 
Mission engage host governments at a senior level prior 
to the President's address to preview U.S. strategy and 
invite broad international support for international 
efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan, drawing upon 
talking points in paragraph seven.  I also encourage you 
to amplify the President's remarks through vigorous 
public diplomacy engagement following the speech, as 
appropriate in the context of your host country.  See 
reftel (State 122234). Posts will receive an embargoed 
version of the President's speech and updated guidance 
for post-speech engagement with host-government 
 
STATE 00122731  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
officials on Tuesday, 1 December, shortly before the 
President speaks. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Talking points: 
 
- The President announced the core U.S. goal on March 
27, 2009, and it has not changed: to disrupt, dismantle, 
and defeat al Qaeda and to prevent their return to 
either Afghanistan or Pakistan in the future. 
 
-  The President will announce significant additional 
military and civilian resources for Afghanistan and 
significant additional civilian resources for Pakistan. 
The size of these commitments will not be made public 
before the President's address, but the commitments will 
not be open-ended. 
 
-The international military mission in Afghanistan will 
be narrow, time-limited, and clearly defined.  U.S. and 
international forces from 43 other nations will 
accelerate and expand training of the Afghan National 
Security Forces (ANSF), so that the Afghans can take the 
lead in securing and governing their own country. 
Additional U.S. combat forces deployed primarily in 
Afghanistan's South and East will serve as a bridge 
force, clearing and holding while building sufficient 
capacity for Afghan forces to secure and govern their 
own country.  This is consistent with the vision 
outlined by President Karzai in his inaugural address. 
 
- For Afghanistan:  Our military efforts and civilian 
assistance will be closely coordinated: focused 
geographically in the South and East, on essential 
ministries in the central government, more on sub- 
national governance, especially where we are clearing 
and holding, and with agriculture as the top development 
priority.  We will also help Afghans to create jobs, 
which is critical to undermine extremists' appeal in the 
short term and for sustainable economic growth in the 
long term.  Some of our new initiatives include: 
 
-- Increasing significantly the number of civilian 
technical advisers in key central government ministries 
and in the provinces and district centers to help make 
Afghan government institutions more visible, effective, 
and accountable. 
-- Focusing the current, narrow combat mission on the 
geographic core of the insurgency within Afghanistan's 
East and South, and protecting the population. 
 
-- Expanding and accelerating efforts to grow and build 
Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) capacity by 
deploying additional ISAF trainers and partnering 
international forces with ANSF at all levels. 
 
-- Implementing a new civilian-military agriculture 
redevelopment strategy that will create licit economic 
and alternative opportunities for those supporting the 
Taliban as well as sapping income from poppy 
cultivation. 
 
-- Expanding sub-national capacity building efforts 
through new civ-mil initiatives, such as the District 
Development Working Groups and District Support Teams, 
and increasingly investing in programs with a proven 
ability to give Afghans a greater stake in their own 
government, such as the National Solidarity Program.  A 
key emphasis will be assisting Afghan efforts to reduce 
corruption. 
 
-- Improving coordination of international political and 
economic assistance to build Afghan capacity and improve 
life for the Afghan people.  We will continue to 
strengthen UNAMA, as well as explore options for 
identifying a civilian counterpart for the ISAF 
commander. 
 
- For Pakistan:  We are now adding to the foundation for 
a long-term strategic partnership that is based on our 
common goals.  To enhance the Pakistani government's 
capacity to address the immediate needs of the Pakistani 
people, facilitate sustainable economic growth, and 
build on its success against militants, we are: 
 
-- Requesting considerable new development assistance, 
including through the landmark Kerry-Lugar-Berman Act. 
 
-- Shifting significant civilian assistance resources 
toward signature infrastructure projects that address 
the problems that most affect the Pakistani people (such 
 
STATE 00122731  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
as energy and water).  These programs will define to the 
Pakistani people the nature and scale of the United 
States' long-term strategic commitment to Pakistan.  We 
will increasingly direct our assistance through 
Pakistani institutions to ensure that it reflects 
Pakistani priorities and builds the capacity of 
Pakistani institutions. 
 
-- Sustaining support to Pakistan's military and police 
operations against militant groups. 
 
-- Additional U.S. assistance will help Pakistan build a 
foundation for long-term development, and will also 
strengthen ties between the American and Pakistani 
people by demonstrating that the United States is 
committed to addressing problems that most affect the 
everyday lives of Pakistanis. 
 
-- Success will require a sustained international 
political, diplomatic, and economic commitment to 
stabilizing Afghanistan and Pakistan and the broader 
region, which is supported by the combined resources of 
the international community. 
 
¶8.  (U) Minimize considered. 
CLINTON