

Currently released so far... 12404 / 251,287
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
2011/03/22
2011/03/23
2011/03/24
2011/03/25
2011/03/26
2011/03/27
2011/03/28
2011/03/29
2011/03/30
2011/03/31
2011/04/01
2011/04/02
2011/04/03
2011/04/04
2011/04/05
2011/04/06
2011/04/07
2011/04/08
2011/04/09
2011/04/10
2011/04/11
2011/04/12
2011/04/13
2011/04/14
2011/04/15
2011/04/16
2011/04/17
2011/04/18
2011/04/19
2011/04/20
2011/04/21
2011/04/22
2011/04/23
2011/04/24
2011/04/25
2011/04/26
2011/04/27
2011/04/28
2011/04/29
2011/04/30
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Apia
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Auckland
Consulate Amsterdam
Consulate Adana
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belmopan
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dili
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Helsinki
Embassy Harare
Embassy Hanoi
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Consulate Hermosillo
Consulate Hamilton
Consulate Hamburg
Consulate Halifax
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kingston
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lahore
Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE
Mission USNATO
Mission UNESCO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manila
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia
Embassy New Delhi
Embassy Ndjamena
Embassy Nassau
Embassy Nairobi
Consulate Naples
Consulate Naha
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Of Spain
Embassy Port Louis
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Suva
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate St Petersburg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Toronto
Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Office Almaty
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius
Embassy Vienna
Embassy Vatican
Embassy Valletta
Consulate Vladivostok
Consulate Vancouver
Browse by tag
ASEC
AE
AF
AM
AR
AJ
AU
AORC
AG
AEMR
AMGT
APER
AGMT
AL
AFIN
AO
AMED
ADCO
AS
ABUD
ABLD
ASUP
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
APECO
AID
AND
AMBASSADOR
AN
ARM
AY
AODE
AMG
ASCH
AMCHAMS
ARF
APCS
APEC
ASEAN
AGAO
ANET
ADPM
ACOA
ACABQ
AORL
AFFAIRS
ATRN
ACS
AFSI
AFSN
ADANA
ASIG
AA
AX
AUC
AC
AECL
AADP
AGRICULTURE
AMEX
ACAO
ACBAQ
AQ
AORG
ADM
AINF
AIT
ASEX
AGR
AROC
ATFN
AFGHANISTAN
AFU
AER
ALOW
AZ
AVERY
BA
BY
BU
BR
BE
BL
BO
BK
BM
BILAT
BH
BEXP
BF
BTIO
BC
BBSR
BMGT
BTIU
BG
BWC
BB
BD
BX
BP
BRUSSELS
BN
BIDEN
BT
CW
CH
CF
CD
CV
CVIS
CM
CE
CA
CJAN
CLINTON
CIA
CU
CASC
CI
CO
CACM
CDB
CN
CMGT
CS
CG
CBW
CIS
CR
CONDOLEEZZA
CPAS
CAN
CWC
CY
COUNTER
CDG
CL
CT
CIC
CIDA
CSW
CHR
CB
CODEL
COUNTERTERRORISM
CTR
COM
CICTE
CFED
CJUS
CKGR
CBSA
CEUDA
CARSON
CONS
CITEL
CLMT
CROS
CITT
CAC
CVR
CDC
CAPC
COPUOS
CBC
CBE
CARICOM
COE
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
CACS
CTM
CNARC
ECON
EFIN
ETRD
EUN
EFIS
EG
ETTC
EZ
EPET
EAID
EAGR
ENRG
ECUN
EU
ELAB
ECPS
EAIR
EINV
ELTN
EWWT
EIND
EMIN
EI
ECIN
ENVR
ELECTIONS
EINVEFIN
EN
ES
ER
EC
EUC
EINT
EINVETC
ENGR
ET
EK
ENIV
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ECONOMY
EAP
EFTA
EUR
EUMEM
EXIM
ERD
ENERG
EUREM
ESA
ERNG
EXTERNAL
EPA
EINVECONSENVCSJA
ECONOMICS
ELN
EINN
EFINECONCS
ENNP
EEPET
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ENVI
ETRO
ESENV
ECINECONCS
ECONOMIC
EAIDS
EDU
ETRA
ETRN
EFIM
EIAR
ETRC
EAIG
EXBS
EURN
ECIP
EREL
ECA
ENGY
ECONCS
ECONEFIN
ETC
ETRDECONWTOCS
EUNCH
EINDETRD
IR
IZ
IS
IAEA
INRB
IRAJ
IQ
IN
IT
IMO
INTERPOL
ICAO
IO
IC
ITALY
ITALIAN
IRAQI
ICTY
ID
IPR
IWC
ILC
INTELSAT
IL
IBRD
IMF
IA
IRC
ICRC
ILO
ITU
ITRA
IV
IDA
IAHRC
ICJ
ISRAELI
IRS
INMARSAT
ISRAEL
ISLAMISTS
INDO
IZPREL
ITPHUM
ITPGOV
ITF
IBET
IEFIN
INR
IACI
INTERNAL
IDP
IGAD
IEA
ICTR
IIP
INRA
INRO
IF
KJUS
KSCA
KNNP
KU
KCOR
KCRM
KDEM
KTFN
KHLS
KPAL
KWBG
KACT
KGHG
KPAO
KTIA
KIRF
KWMN
KS
KG
KZ
KN
KMDR
KISL
KSPR
KHIV
KPRP
KAWK
KR
KUNR
KDRG
KCIP
KGCC
KTIP
KSUM
KPKO
KVIR
KAWC
KPIN
KGIC
KRAD
KIPR
KOLY
KCFE
KMCA
KE
KV
KICC
KNPP
KBCT
KSEP
KFRD
KFLU
KVPR
KOCI
KBIO
KSTH
KMPI
KCRS
KOMC
KTBT
KPLS
KIRC
KREL
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KFLO
KBTS
KSTC
KTDB
KFSC
KX
KFTFN
KNEI
KIDE
KREC
KMRS
KICA
KPAONZ
KCGC
KSAF
KRGY
KCMR
KRVC
KVRP
KSEO
KCOM
KAID
KTEX
KNUC
KNAR
KNUP
KNNPMNUC
KLIG
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KCRCM
KHDP
KGIT
KNSD
KOMS
KWMM
KPAI
KHSA
KTLA
KO
KMFO
KRCM
KCSY
KSAC
KTRD
KPWR
KID
KWNM
KRIM
KPOA
KCHG
KOM
KSCI
KFIN
KMOC
KESS
KWAC
KMIG
KSEC
KIFR
KDEMAF
KPRV
KBTR
KERG
KTER
KDDG
KPAK
KRFD
KHUM
KDEV
KCFC
KWWMN
KWMNCS
KJUST
MARR
MOPS
MU
MTCRE
MNUC
MY
MASS
MCAP
MOPPS
MAR
MPOS
MO
ML
MR
MASC
MX
MD
MP
MA
MTRE
MIL
MCC
MZ
MK
MDC
MRCRE
MAPS
MV
MI
MEPN
MAPP
MEETINGS
MAS
MTS
MLS
MILI
MTCR
MG
MC
MARAD
MIK
MILITARY
MEDIA
MEPI
MUCN
MEPP
MT
MERCOSUR
MW
MASSMNUC
MQADHAFI
NZ
NATO
NG
NI
NO
NATIONAL
NU
NPT
NIPP
NL
NPG
NS
NA
NGO
NP
NSG
NDP
NAFTA
NR
NC
NH
NE
NSF
NPA
NK
NSSP
NRR
NATOPREL
NSC
NT
NW
NORAD
NEW
NV
NSFO
NAR
NASA
NZUS
OTRA
OVIP
OPRC
OPDC
OSCE
OAS
ODIP
OIIP
OFDP
OVP
OREP
OFFICIALS
OSAC
OEXC
OPCW
OIE
OIC
OFDA
OSCI
OPIC
OBSP
OECD
ON
OCII
OHUM
OES
OCS
OMIG
OPAD
OTR
PGOV
PREL
PHUM
PINR
PTER
PSOE
PINS
PARM
PK
PBTS
PEPR
PM
POLITICAL
PARTIES
PREF
PBIO
PROP
PA
PSI
PINT
PO
PKFK
PL
PAK
PE
POLITICS
PINL
POL
PHSA
PU
PF
POV
PFOR
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PARMS
PRGOV
PNAT
POLINT
PRAM
PMAR
PG
PAO
PROG
PRELP
PPA
PCUL
PSEPC
PSA
PREO
PAHO
PGIV
PREFA
PALESTINIAN
PAIGH
POSTS
PTBS
PGOVLO
PORG
PGOVE
PLN
PINF
PAS
PUNE
POLICY
PDEM
PDOV
PCI
PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA
PBT
PHUMPGOV
PMIL
PNG
PP
PS
PHUH
PECON
POGOV
PY
PHUMPREL
PHUS
PRL
PGOC
PNR
PGGV
PROV
PTERE
PGOF
PHUMBA
PEL
RS
RU
RW
REGION
RP
RICE
ROBERT
RSP
RUPREL
RM
RO
RCMP
RSO
RELATIONS
REACTION
REPORT
RIGHTS
ROOD
RF
RFE
RIGHTSPOLMIL
SP
SA
SY
SF
SYR
SENV
SCUL
SOCI
SNAR
SO
SU
SG
STEINBERG
SHUM
SW
SMIG
SR
SZ
SIPRS
SI
SAARC
SPCE
SARS
SN
SYRIA
SANC
SL
SCRS
SC
SENVKGHG
SAN
SNARCS
SHI
SWE
SNARIZ
SIPDIS
SEN
SNARN
SPCVIS
SEVN
SSA
SH
SOFA
SK
ST
TPHY
TU
TRGY
TI
TX
TS
TW
TC
TFIN
TD
TSPA
TH
TT
TIP
TBIO
TSPL
TZ
TERRORISM
TRSY
TN
THPY
TINT
TF
TL
TV
TK
TO
TP
TURKEY
TNGD
TBID
TAGS
TR
UP
US
UNSC
UK
UZ
UE
UNESCO
UV
UNGA
UN
UNMIK
UNO
UY
UAE
UNEP
UG
UNHCR
UNHRC
USUN
UNAUS
USTR
USNC
USOAS
UNCHR
UNCSD
UNDP
USEU
USPS
UNDC
UNDESCO
UNCHC
UNFICYP
UNC
UNODC
UNPUOS
UNCND
UNICEF
UNCHS
UNVIE
USAID
UNIDROIT
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 09THEHAGUE328, NETHERLANDS/SCENESETTER; SECRETARY,S JUNE 1OTH
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09THEHAGUE328.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
09THEHAGUE328 | 2009-06-02 16:04 | 2011-01-17 00:12 | SECRET//NOFORN | Embassy The Hague |
VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHTC #0328/01 1531618
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 021618Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
TO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST IMMEDIATE 1201
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 2807
RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN IMMEDIATE 6735
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 0404
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 1845
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA IMMEDIATE 5251
RUEHTL/AMEMBASSY TALLINN IMMEDIATE 0179
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO IMMEDIATE 2226
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2887
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE 0674
S E C R E T THE HAGUE 000328
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2019
TAGS: PREL NATO MOPS MARR AF PAK NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/SCENESETTER; SECRETARY,S JUNE 1OTH
BILATERAL WITH DEFENSE MINISTER VAN MIDDELKOOP
Classified By: Char...
209768,6/2/2009 16:18,09THEHAGUE328,"Embassy The
Hague",SECRET//NOFORN,,"VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHTC #0328/01 1531618
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 021618Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
TO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST IMMEDIATE 1201
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 2807
RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN IMMEDIATE 6735
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 0404
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 1845
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA IMMEDIATE 5251
RUEHTL/AMEMBASSY TALLINN IMMEDIATE 0179
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO IMMEDIATE 2226
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2887
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE 0674
","S E C R E T THE HAGUE 000328
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2019
TAGS: PREL NATO MOPS MARR AF PAK NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/SCENESETTER; SECRETARY,S JUNE 1OTH
BILATERAL WITH DEFENSE MINISTER VAN MIDDELKOOP
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Michael F. Gallagher reasons 1.4 (b) a
nd (d).
Mr. Secretary:
--------
Overview:
--------
¶1. (S) Your participation in the Regional Command-South
RC-South) meeting and the bilateral with Dutch Minister of
Defense Emert van Middelkoop comes at a critical time for the
advancement of key U.S. priorities. Van Middelkoop and the
Dutch government as a whole remain among our strongest
allies, but Dutch domestic politics threaten to limit
progress on our common agenda. On Afghanistan, the
government faces an uphill battle to convince Parliament and
the Dutch people to continue combat missions after 2010.
¶2. (C) Van Middelkoop -- one of only two ministers from the
smallest member of the coalition government, the Christian
Union (CU) -- has a decidedly mixed record. He has vast
foreign and security policy experience as a member of
Parliament. He is also widely recognized as the author of
the Dutch policy requiring parliamentary approval of military
deployments overseas -- a result of the Dutch failure to
prevent the massacre at the Muslim enclave of Srebrenica in
¶1995. At the same time, this is the first time the CU and
van Middelkoop have served in the government, and their lack
of experience has been evident in several instances. In
January, for example, Van Middelkoop first denied and then
was forced to apologize for his remarks about the Dutch
mission in Afghanistan. He now almost exclusively reads
aloud from written notes to avoid additional missteps. More
influential voices on Afghanistan policy are Foreign Minister
Verhagen of the Christian Democrat party and Development
Minister Koenders of the Labor Party (reflecting the Dutch 3D
Approach (Development, Diplomacy and Defense).
¶3. (C) During his June 10 bilateral meeting with you, Van
Middelkoop will be interested in hearing more about new U.S.
command structures in Afghanistan; the influx of U.S. troops
into RC-S, including strategic objectives; and initiatives on
civil-military cooperation. Van Middelkoop will anticipate
questions regarding the future of the Dutch mission beyond
August 2010, although his comments will likely be guarded
ahead of a late autumn cabinet decision on the issue. Among
his public statements and misstatements, however, Van
Middelkoop has suggested he believes the Dutch will scale
down their presence.
¶4. (C) For the June 11 RC-S Ministerial, the Dutch foresee an
""intimate"" atmosphere in a 1 3 format with delegates from the
eight countries with troops in RC-S. Besides Van Middelkoop
and yourself, the principals will be Mr. John Hutton (United
Kingdom), Mr. Joel Fitzgibbon (Australia), Mr. Peter Kordon
MacKay (Canada), Mr. Soren Gade (Denmark), Mr. Jaak Aaviksoo
(Estonia), and Mr. Mihai Stanisoara (Romania). The Dutch
envision an informal round-table discussion centered around
three main agenda items: the evolution of RC-S, training and
Qthree main agenda items: the evolution of RC-S, training and
handover of responsibilities, and RC-S engagement with
Pakistan. Prior to the round-table discussion, the Dutch
request that you begin the meeting with an overview of
political developments to include the U.S. review, the influx
of U.S. troops, and new leadership in the mission.
-----------
Afghanistan
-----------
¶5. (C) The Dutch cabinet is presently considering the
Netherlands, role in Afghanistan after 2010, including our
""Afghanistan Asks"" request (Ref A). Senior officials have
specifically requested that we give them the room to
deliberate and come to their own decision, rather than
applying any sort of public pressure. The Embassy strongly
supports that approach, particularly because we are on the
right track for a good decision from the Dutch if we move
carefully.
¶6. (S/NF) On receipt of the ""Afghanistan Asks"" demarche, the
Deputy Director General for Political Affairs, Robert de
Groot, told us that most of the requests were very real
possibilities (Ref B). However, we omitted from the formal
request the proposed Provisional Reconstruction Team in the
province of Dai Kundi because De Groot had earlier advised us
that such a request would hurt our cause as negotiations in
the Dutch cabinet proceed. Since that time, there have been
two or three cabinet meetings on the issue. Subsequent
staff-level comments have not been as optimistic as De
Groot,s original remarks, so we are using every high-level
meeting as opportunity to press the U.S. request discreetly.
¶7. (C) The international media has lauded the accomplishments
of the ""Dutch Model"" for Development, Diplomacy, and Defense
(3D) integrated efforts. This praise has been better
received internationally than domestically where the public,
although very supportive of the soldiers, does not strongly
support their deployment. The Dutch have lost 19 soldiers to
date, and Dutch public believes they have done more than
their fair share. Moreover, many Dutch legislators are
concerned about the effect of the deployment on military
readiness and recruitment. The Dutch still have a shortfall
of approximately 7,000 personnel. The Dutch media report
that the ISAF mission is not successful in bringing security
to the region and many development programs are ineffective.
The cabinet and the Parliament will have to make very strong
and convincing arguments to continue a strong commitment
beyond 2010.
¶8. (C) A majority of the cabinet (the Christian Democrats and
the Christian Union) is committed to the NATO/ISAF mission
and the Afghan people. Throughout the cabinet's decision
process, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister and van
Middelkoop will be strong and effective allies in winning
support from the Parliament. The political challenge lies
with the Labor Party, where Development Cooperation Minister
Koenders will be the key player. Although part of the
coalition, Labor is the most skeptical of continuing ground
engagement in Afghanistan after 2010. For Labor,s rank and
file, the most compelling arguments are those that
demonstrate how Dutch efforts benefit the Afghan people,
rather than how essential the Dutch military is for ISAF
success. The March 31 Afghanistan Conference in The Hague
provided the cabinet a platform to portray its eventual
decision as one that was consultative in nature, ""one among
equals"", and not one of ""request"" from the U.S. or NATO.
This small point is very crucial in dealing with the Dutch
psyche and understanding their decision process. The cabinet
Qpsyche and understanding their decision process. The cabinet
will be very deft in announcing their decision which is
expected in the fall. Cabinet approval for some sort of
follow-on mission is only the first step. That plan then
goes to Parliament for approval. Although the coalition has
sufficient votes to pass a plan, Dutch consensus will require
support from parties other than just those in the coalition.
The Embassy believes the cabinet and Parliament will
eventually agree to some follow-on mission in Uruzgan, along
the lines of our ""asks"" items, but the number of Dutch
military troops committed to a battle group will be reduced
significantly and it will step down as lead nation for Task
Force Uruzgan. There is little information being provided by
the decision makers but what is received indicates that the
Dutch will commit to all of the ""asks"" with the exception
that the funding levels may be lower.
¶9. (C) From ref A, the specific ""asks"" delivered to the
Netherlands were:
- Contribute to fulfillment of Election Support Force
requirements for Regional Command-South
- Retain PRT, OMLTs, Special Operations Forces, and critical
enablers in Uruzgan Province beyond 2010
- Special Operations Task Group with Rotary Wing Lift to
conduct military training and mentoring
- Contribute $20 million per year for five years to the
Afghan National Army Trust Fund
- Support counter-narcotics initiatives including the GPI,
training the Counter-Narcotics Police of Afghanistan, and
funding Counter-Narcotics Advisory Teams
- Deploy gendarmerie for training and mentoring Afghan police
- Contribute $10 million/year for the ARTF and work with RC-S
partners to contribute resources to promote regional
agriculture and power development
- Continued training and contribution of fully-formed police
mentor teams for districts in Uruzgan Province to all future
cycles of Focused District Development
- Increased support for governance and development programs
at PRTs, including additional civilian experts with access to
programming resources
----
JSF
----
¶10. (C) The Dutch have gone to the brink as JSF partners. In
a bitter late-April political debate, the Labor Party forced
a compromise to purchase only one of the planned two OT&E
aircraft, and delay the decision on the purchase of the
second test aircraft until 2010, and delayed the decision to
buy 85 JSF aircraft from 2010 to 2012. Although strongly
supported by State Secretary of Defense DeVries, JSF will
likely continue to face headwinds in the Parliament for some
time to come.
¶11. (C) More broadly, the JSF compromise could indirectly
threaten the Dutch decision to stay in Afghanistan after
¶2010. The Labor Party, already skeptical on Afghanistan, is
viewed as having lost the JSF debate and several other policy
issues. Looking for a victory, the Labor Party may thus make
negotiations over Afghanistan more difficult.
--------
LAIRCM
--------
¶12. (C) The recent approval by OSD to grant an exception to
LAIRCM release policy for Dutch KDC-10 aircraft presents an
opportunity to reiterate appreciation for Dutch efforts and
shared risks in Afghanistan, along with the hope that a
significant contribution of Dutch military capabilities will
continue beyond 2010.
-------------------------------
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)
-------------------------------
¶13. (C) SAF/IA recently approved exchange of two Dutch Air
Force operators into an operational UAV squadron at Nellis
AFB, if the Netherlands agree to purchase MQ-1 or MQ-9 UAVs
within the next twelve to eighteen months. The Netherlands
move towards this type of system is borne out of their
experience in Afghanistan. Should this offer be accepted by
the Netherlands, it will the first of its kind for UAVs.
GALLAGHER