NEPHEW OF SLAIN IRAQI SHIA CLERIC AL-KHOEI SEEKS

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 005623

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2013
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: NEPHEW OF SLAIN IRAQI SHIA CLERIC AL-KHOEI SEEKS
TO WORK WITH U.S. TO STABILIZE SOUTHERN IRAQ

REF: KUWAIT 4071

Classified By: CDA DAVID M. Hale for reasons 1.5 (B)(D)

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SHI'A JOY AT THE FALL OF SADDAM
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1. (C) Iraqi Shia cleric Sayed Jawad al-Khoei (nephew of
Sayed Abd al-Majid al-Khoei, who was assassinated in Najaf on
April 10) and Ghanim Jawad from the London-based al-Khoei
Foundation called on PolCouns September 2. Al-Khoei said
that the removal of Saddam Hussein and his regime from Iraq
had produced "great joy" among Iraqi Shi'a, who had been
oppressed by the Ba'athi regime for many years. There is,
consequently, a reservoir of good will toward the U.S. among
Shi'a. He warned, however, that increased instability and
the slow pace of assistance and reconstruction in the south
would eventually sour Iraqi Shi'a on supporting the coalition
(see also Kuwait reftel). He urged the coalition to work
more closely with and seek the advice of Shi'a clerics --
especially himself and the al-Khoei Foundation -- to make
quicker progress in the south. Jawad complained that the USG
has not consulted the al-Khoeis since the assassination of
the elder al-Khoei in April, and expressed a strong desire to
work with the USG and coalition on both political and
humanitarian projects.

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SHIA CAN BE LESS VIOLENT THAN SUNNIS IF...
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2. (C) Al-Khoei argued that the presence of a religious
clergy and hierarchy in Shi'ism has helped keep the situation
in southern Iraq relatively quiet up to this point. Shi'a,
he continued, listen to and obey their religious leaders, and
are told to consult with their local Imam before undertaking
any major life event -- he mentioned choosing an educational
course, marriage, or using violence to solve a dispute.
Sunnis, he commented, are taught that they have a direct
relationship with God, and, consequently, "any Sunni can
consult with God himself and decide to blow himself up" in a
terrorist attack. For Shi'a, however, such a decision should
be consultative. In this way, he argued, Shi'a clerics have
the influence to calm -- or incite -- their followers more
readily than Sunnis. In general, he said, he and other Shi'a
religious figures have been telling Iraqi Shi'a not to use
violence against coalition forces in Iraq. This is the main
reason, he concluded, that the south has remained relatively
calm since the end of the war.


3. (C) Al-Khoei and Jawad then accused Iran of providing
support to radical Shia elements in order to consolidate
Iranian control over Iraq's Shi'a population. He claimed to
have solid information that Iran promised Shia leader Muqtada
al-Sadr that he would be "the Hassan Nasrallah of Iraq" (a
reference to the Lebanese Hizballah leader). Empowering the
Iran-supported Sadr would be a disaster for those Shi'a --
like himself -- who want to see peace and stability prevail
in southern Iraq. "I am not telling (the coalition) to
stay," he said, "but you should not leave too soon."


4. (C) Al-Khoei and Jawad said that they would travel to
Najaf September 3, and hoped to be able to meet officials
from the CPA in Baghdad on September 6 or 7.


5. (U) CPA Baghdad minimize considered.
HALE