Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 51122 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 05KABUL5034, GOVERNORS OF GEORGIA, KANSAS, AND MISSISSIPPI MEET

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.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

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. #05KABUL5034.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
05KABUL5034 2005-12-13 12:25 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Kabul
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS KABUL 005034 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR SA/FO AMBASSADOR QUINN, SA/CT AND SA/A 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND 
CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFA-A, CG CJTF-76 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV SNAR AF
SUBJECT: GOVERNORS OF GEORGIA, KANSAS, AND MISSISSIPPI MEET 
WITH PRESIDENT KARZAI 
 
1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY: IN A MEETING WITH THE GOVERNORS OF 
GEORGIA, KANSAS AND MISSISSIPPI AND GENERAL BLUM, KARZAI 
WAS IN A GENIAL MOOD, HIGHLIGHTING PROGRESS ON COUNTER 
NARCOTICS, BUT PRESSING FOR CONTINUED INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT 
TO ENSURE SUCCESS.  HE PRAISED THE AFGHAN PEOPLE'S 
COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRACY AS EVIDENCED BY THE PEACEFUL 
ELECTIONS, WHILE MUSING ON THE EVILS OF TOO MUCH CENTRAL 
GOVERNMENT AND THE NEED TO IMPROVE HIS OWN GOVERNANCE.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (SBU)  ON NOVEMBER 26,  GEORGIA GOVERNOR BARBOUR OF 
GEORGIA, KANSAS GOVERNOR SIBELIUS, MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR 
PERDUE AND GENERAL BLUM CALLED ON PRESIDENT KARZAI. 
INITIALLY, KARZAI DISCUSSED HIS TRAVELS AROUND THE UNITED 
STATES AND HIS IMPRESSIONS OF VARIOUS REGIONS.  GOVERNOR 
SIBELIUS EXPLAINED THAT THE PURPOSE OF THEIR MISSION WAS TO 
VISIT THEIR STATES' TROOPS, STATIONED IN QATAR, KUWAIT, 
IRAQ, AND BAGRAM, NOTING THAT ALL THE SOLDIERS THEY SPOKE 
WITH HAD BEEN VERY POSITIVE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE IN 
AFGHANISTAN AND THE UTILITY OF THEIR PRESENCE. 
 
3.  (SBU)  IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT HOW AFGHANISTAN 
HAD PROGRESSED SINCE THE FALL OF THE TALIBAN, KARZAI 
COMPARED THE AFGHANISTAN OF FOUR YEARS AGO TO A "SAD, BLACK 
AND WHITE MOVIE," WHICH HAS NOW MOVED INTO "COLOR AND 
HOPEFULNESS."  HE DESCRIBED THE POSITIVE ATTITUDES AND 
IMPROVED HEALTH OF GROUPS OF TEACHERS HE HAD SPOKEN WITH 
RECENTLY, COMPARED WITH THOSE HE MET WITH IN 2001.  THEY 
HAVE MUCH BETTER ATTITUDES AND GENERALLY BETTER HEALTH. 
OTHER SIGNS OF NORMALIZATION ARE THE PRESENCE OF FIVE 
TELEVISION CHANNELS (ONE PUBLIC, FOUR PRIVATE) FEATURING 
PROGRAMS SUCH AS MUSICAL CONTESTS.  HE THANKED THE 
GOVERNORS FOR U.S. SUPPORT, EMPHASIZING THAT NONE OF THESE 
ACHIEVEMENTS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT IT.  "WE HAVE 
A GOOD ARMY AND POLICE FORCE, A WELL-FUNCTIONING 
BUREAUCRACY, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO FIGHT TERRORISM ALONG OUR 
BORDERS," HE CONCLUDED. 
 
4.  (SBU)   KARZAI CITED A NEW USG-LED SURVEY SHOWED A 48 
PERCENT REDUCTION IN LAND UNDER POPPY CULTIVATION, 
COMPARING IT TO AN EARLIER UN REPORT WHICH HAD SAID LAND 
UNDER CULTIVATION HAD BEEN REDUCED BY 21 PERCENT. 
(COMMENT;  INL CONSIDERS THIS PARTICULAR SURVEY TO HAVE 
STARTED WITH A VERY HIGH BASE FIGURE THE PREVIOUS YEAR. 
THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF HECTARES UNDER CULTIVATION CITED IN 
BOTH SURVEYS DID NOT VARY GREATLY.  END COMMENT)  HE SAID 
THE PROVINCE OF GHAZNI HAD EARNED MORE FROM POTATOES THAT 
FROM OPIUM THIS YEAR AND THAT IN 2005 50,000 FAMILIES HAD 
REFRAINED FROM PLANTING POPPY.  THE PRESIDENT MADE A PLEA 
FOR SUSTAINED INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE, WITHOUT WHICH THE 
CN EFFORT WOULD NOT BE SUCCESSFUL. IN RESPONSE TO A 
QUESTION FROM GOVERNOR PERDUE ABOUT THE ADEQUACY OF WATER, 
KARZAI DISCUSSED THE EFFECTS OF THE SEVEN-YEAR DROUGHT AND 
DESTRUCTION OF THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM, AND MENTIONED THAT HE 
WOULD RAISE THE SUBJECT OF DAMS AT THE LONDON CONFERENCE. 
 
5.  (SBU)  KARZAI REFERRED WITH PRIDE TO THE SUCCESSFUL 
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, NOTING THAT, IN SPITE OF ALL THE 
LOSERS (5,800 CANDIDATES FOR ONLY 600-PLUS SEATS) WHO MIGHT 
HAVE BEEN TEMPTED TO CREATE PROBLEMS, THERE WAS LITTLE 
DISRUPTION. TWENTY-EIGHT PERCENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARIANS 
WERE WOMEN, SOME ELECTED ON THEIR MERITS   "THE AFGHAN 
PEOPLE ARE OUR STRONGEST PARTNER; WHETHER THE AFGHAN 
GOVERNMENT WILL BE IS A GOOD QUESTION," HE MUSED, NOTING 
THAT HE WAS NOT A FAN OF BIG GOVERNMENT, WHICH HE 
CONSIDERED TO BE THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SOLUTION.  "ALL YOU 
NEED IS A FOREIGN MINISTER AND A FINANCE MINISTER," HE 
JOKED. 
NEUMANN