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### Viewing cable 05THEHAGUE2855, NETHERLANDS: DASD THOMAS VISIT TO THE HAGUE FOR

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
05THEHAGUE2855 | 2005-10-21 06:06 | 2011-01-17 00:12 | SECRET | Embassy The Hague

`

    This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

` `

    S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 THE HAGUE 002855

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/20/2015
    TAGS: MARR PREL NL
    SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS: DASD THOMAS VISIT TO THE HAGUE FOR
    QDR CONSULTATIONS

    Classified By: Charge D'Affaires Chat Blakeman, reasons 1.4 (b,d)

    ¶1. (C) Summary. DASD for Resources and Plans James P. Thomas
    visited The Hague for consultations with Dutch MOD and MFA
    officials October 10 on the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR).
    Thomas provided an overview of the ongoing QDR and sought
    Dutch views and comments. He emphasized the importance of
    adopting multinational approaches to address security
    challenges such as terrorism. He highlighted a common goal
    shared by the Netherlands and the United States: maintaining
    and growing civil society to address growing trans-national
    problems. Finally, he outlined emerging QDR capability
    priorities required to achieve the QDR's focus areas.

    ¶2. (C) Cont. Summary: Dutch interlocutors expressed their
    appreciation for the opportunity to consult during the
    ongoing QDR deliberations, and reacted favorably to the QDR's
    themes and emerging priorities. They inquired how QDR might
    affect the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. They also
    drew parallels to their own attempts to enhance security
    sector reform in Africa, and suggested enhancing ties between
    NATO, the UN, the EU and the African Union. End Summary.

    ¶3. (U) During his consultations in The Hague, DASD Thomas met
    with Admiral Nagtegaal (Defense Planning Process), BrigGen
    Veltman (International Military Cooperation), and Sebastian
    Reyn (Deputy Director, General Policy Directorate, MOD). In
    attendance on the USG side were Charge, DATT CAPT Frank
    Buerger, ODC Chief COL David Kelly, CAPT Mac Bollman, and
    Polmiloff Jason Grubb. At the MFA, DASD Thomas met with
    Robert de Groot (Director, Security and Defense Policy
    Department), Rob Gabrielse (Deputy Director, Conflict
    Prevention and Crisis Response Operations), Hans Sandee
    (Deputy Director, Security and Defense Policy), Karen van
    Stegeren (Advisor, International Security Policy), and Eric
    Strating (Security and Defense Policy). DATT, CAPT Bollman
    and Polmiloff attended for the USG.

    MOD Meeting -- Importance of Building Partner Capacity
    --------------------------------------------- ---------

    ¶4. (S) After thanking MoD officials for Dutch contributions
    to ISAF, NTM-I and Hurricane Katrina relief, and noting the
    importance of the Netherlands as a long-standing U.S. Ally,
    DASD Thomas opened consultations with MOD officials by
    outlining major QDR cross-cutting themes. He explained that
    the Pentagon, in concert with other elements of national
    power, was emphasizing multinational preventive approaches to
    international security, including the maintenance and
    expansion of global civil society and peacetime engagement
    activities to prevent problems from becoming crises, and
    crises from becoming conflicts. Shoring up effective and
    legitimate governments and enabling partners is key -- as
    part of the QDR, the Department of Defense is exploring
    mechanisms to deepen partnerships not only with traditional,
    stable allies, but also with vulnerable states in the
    developing world. Thomas also noted the importance of the
    ""indirect approach"" for addressing the challenges posed by
    terrorist extremism -- working by, with, and through others
    to defeat the threat. He noted that while the QDR emphasizes
    the need to develop new capabilities and skill sets
    associated with irregular warfare, such as language
    capabilities and cultural intelligence, DoD would maintain
    its conventional capabilities. Finally, he explained that
    achieving unity of effort with other Federal, state and local
    agencies for homeland defense and homeland security was also
    an important theme in the QDR.

    ¶5. (S) Admiral Nagtegaal said that the themes raised by
    Thomas suggested significant changes in security policy
    that extend beyond defense. Thomas agreed that the security
    challenges facing the Netherlands and U.S. demand holistic
    approaches that harness all instruments of national and
    allied power. Just as the Department of Defense has a
    unified command plan that assigns ""supported"" and
    ""supporting"" roles and responsibilities for warfighters, he
    suggested the need to explore the development of similar
    arrangements across governments. He stressed the need for
    dialogue, and pointed to the NATO Defense Planning Committee
    generation of force goals as a good example of multinational
    force planning. He suggested building upon that process to
    address a wider range of security challenges. The nature of
    the challenges we face are such, he said, that unilateral
    approaches cannot work. We must integrate multinational
    considerations more deeply into our national force planning.

    QDR Capability Priorities
    -------------------------

    ¶6. (S) DATT repeated a frequent question from MOD contacts
    regarding how the USG could afford the reforms required by
    the QDR, especially following the financial aftermath of
    Hurricane Katrina. Thomas noted that DoD faces a number of
    challenges, including ongoing operations, the growth of
    personnel health care costs, recapitalization of aging
    equipment, and the need to contribute to broader Federal
    deficit reduction efforts. That said, however, the QDR was
    not simply a ""budget drill"". He expected that there would be
    a number of proposals for new or increased investment in key
    areas, such as counterterrorism and homeland defense, and
    that any spending cuts would be made in light of the longer
    term strategic vision. Thomas outlined several emerging QDR
    capability priorities, including homeland defense and, in
    concert with broader interagency efforts, developing medical
    countermeasures against advanced, genetically-engineered
    bio-terror agents. He noted that emerging non-lethal
    technologies might be used to hold and secure a multitude of
    WMD-producing sites for eventual disarmament. Thomas also
    outlined plans to increase the numbers/capabilities of DoD
    Explosive Ordinance Disposal personnel to render safe nuclear
    devices, as well as irregular warfare training for general
    purpose forces and increases in some special operations
    forces.

    ¶7. (S) Thomas explained the importance of improving language
    and culture capabilities, in particular by attracting
    American heritage speakers to join the military. Thomas
    stressed the need to recruit individuals who are not only
    bilingual but also bicultural to improve the U.S. military's
    local knowledge and cultural awareness in less familiar areas
    of the world. Gen. Veltman related problems the Dutch faced
    in attracting individuals from different ethnic backgrounds
    to join the military -- often, these individuals or their
    families feel threatened if they cooperate with Dutch forces.
    Charge Blakeman suggested that linguistic skill was perhaps
    a contribution that the Netherlands and other NATO countries
    could make in future coalition operations; Gen. Veltman
    concurred. Thomas noted that such contributions would be
    welcomed.

    ¶8. (S) Thomas noted that enhancing deterrence was also an
    important topic within the QDR and in this regard stressed
    the importance of missile defenses to deter adversaries
    through the prospect of denying their objectives. He also
    noted that achieving Persistent Intelligence Surveillance
    Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities was another area of
    emphasis in the QDR. In this regard, he explained that
    avoiding a ""Pearl Harbor"" scenario in which space assets
    could be attacked was a concern. Thomas also related recent
    cyber operations originating from China appear to have
    targeted USG unclassified computer networks, resulting in
    large volumes of compromised information pertaining to
    logistics and defense acquisition programs. As such, net
    centricity and information assurance capabilities are vital.

    Affect on JSF?
    --------------

    ¶9. (S) Adm. Nagtegaal asked how the QDR might affect plans
    for the JSF program. Thomas explained that no decisions have
    been taken on JSF but that deliberations are ongoing.
    Multinational participation in the program is a
    consideration. He said that QDR deliberations were informed
    by a long-term strategic framework and the transition over
    time to unmanned aircraft. In this regard, he noted that JSF
    would likely be the last major manned tactical aircraft
    program. A key question would be how JSF and other aircraft
    programs would fit into such a transition. DoD is looking at
    a number of options, including reducing the number of JSF
    variants. Thomas noted that international participation
    informed deliberations about the program. He noted that on
    their current timelines some of the studies and analyses that
    would inform decisions on JSF would not be completed until
    after the QDR report was submitted. Thus, some decisions
    might not be made until sometime in 2006. Adm. Nagtegaal
    said that he would advise his leadership that reducing the
    number of JSF variants was under consideration although no
    decisions have been taken.

    ¶10. (S) Reyn related past concerns by the Dutch Parliament
    regarding QDR consultations, and asked that the USG
    coordinate any QDR-related consultation statements with the
    Dutch prior to releasing them to the public. In this regard,
    he also expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to
    hold bilateral consultations on the QDR in advance of the
    review's completion. Thomas agreed to coordinate any
    statements about these or future consultations, and asked
    that the Dutch do the same with the USG.

    MFA Meeting: QDR Focus Areas
    ----------------------------

    ¶11. (U) Sandee referred to an article in the Dutch press in
    March 2005 regarding Washington interest in consulting with
    Allies on this iteration of the QDR; as such, there is much
    interest in the Netherlands. Thomas confirmed that was the
    purpose of his trip, and looked forward to any comments or
    constructive criticism so that Dutch concerns might be better
    taken into account in QDR development. He explained the QDR
    timeline, noting the report's anticipated release in February
    ¶2006.
    ¶12. (S) Thomas commented on four QDR focus areas. The first
    involved building partnerships to defeat terrorist
    extremism. The challenge underscored the importance of
    integrating multinational considerations into force planning.
    A second focus area is defending the homeland in-depth --
    both internally by working with other Federal agencies, state
    and local governments, as well as by working with
    international partners globally as many potential problems
    cross borders (Avian Flu, international terrorism). Shaping
    choices of countries at strategic crossroads is a third focus
    area. He described the fourth focus area as preventing
    hostile states or non-state actors from acquiring or using
    WMD. Our approach should have a preventive dimension along
    the lines of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI).

    Think Globally, Act Locally
    ---------------------------

    ¶13. (S) Thomas reviewed several QDR cross-cutting themes,
    including the balance between prevention and response. He
    emphasized the need to prevent states from failing -- instead
    of attempting to rebuild them after failure -- by
    maintaining and growing civil society. Thomas noted the
    importance of enabling both traditionally strong and
    crisis-bound partners, especially at the local level. He
    referred to the indirect strategy, noting that the United
    States seeks to transform the character of the conflict with
    terrorist extremists by empowering moderates within the
    Islamic world to confront and ostracize extremists. He
    stressed the need to build local institutions and training
    trainers, harnessing local knowledge, and adopting tailored,
    differentiated approaches that are culturally or regionally
    appropriate, i.e., ""thinking globally but acting locally"".

    ¶14. (S) De Groot described the shift in thinking as ""quite
    incredible,"" and suggested that the change will be
    difficult as different mind-sets are required to effectively
    carry out this ""soft power"" transition. He suggested that
    ""lessons learned"" be included in the QDR process, especially
    regarding the military's role in post-conflict and the
    transition from military operations to the international
    community reconstruction effort. Gabrielse pointed to the
    Dutch MOD/development assistance ""integrated approach"" to
    security sector reform (SSR) in Africa. Thomas agreed on the
    importance of integrated approaches to security sector
    reform, stabilization and transition missions. He noted that
    U.S. and allied militaries can help set the security
    conditions for nation building, but ultimately the success
    would depend on local leaders taking the responsibility to
    build or rebuild their own nations; he recalled the
    President's statement from his 2nd inaugural address that ""we
    stand with others when they stand for freedom.""

    NATO, UN, EU, and African Union
    -------------------------------

    ¶15. (S) De Groot asked if NATO was capable of carrying out
    such an integrated approach to security sector reform,
    especially in connection to Africa. Thomas said that NATO
    probably has the capacity, as demonstrated by ISAF in
    Afghanistan and NTM-I. But NTM-I is a relatively modest
    effort -- NATO can do more with training missions, he said.
    Gabrielse agreed, pointing to NATO's role in transforming the
    post-Soviet Bloc. Thomas noted the effectiveness of the
    Partnership for Peace program, but cautioned against applying
    the Eastern European model for security sector reform and
    particularly institutional reform at the expense of
    constructive field training.

    ¶16. (S) De Groot noted that training for SSR was different,
    involving advisors and small teams, not military units.
    Noting the difference in mind-sets, he asked if the USG
    envisioned two separate battalions for fighting and
    post-conflict phases. Thomas said there should be no
    differentiation or specialization of general purpose forces
    -- ideally, military units in this capacity should be able to
    shift from conflict to stabilization and back to conflict
    phases, if necessary. They should also be trained to develop
    new skill sets and counter-insurgency techniques.

    ¶17. (S) De Groot noted that better relations between NATO,
    the UN, and the African Union (AU) should be developed.
    Thomas agreed, adding that DoD welcomed the development of
    such regional security institutions. Gabrielse asked if the
    QDR had examined NATO-EU relations in connection to SSR.
    Thomas explained that the QDR had not focused much on the EU,
    while observing that the EU might be better suited to address
    some non-traditional security issues. De Groot and Sandee
    highlighted expertise being developed in the EU with regard
    to civil-military coordination and suggested that the QDR
    factor the EU into the equation.
    ¶18. (U) DASD Thomas has cleared on this cable.
    BLAKEMAN

`