DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR HADLEY'S DECEMBER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 001884

SIPDIS

NSC FOR DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR HADLEY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2014
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS PGOV KDEM IZ IR BA
SUBJECT: DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR HADLEY'S DECEMBER
4 MEETING WITH IRAQI NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR QASSEM DAOUD

Classified by A/DCM Hallie H. Hahn for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).

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Summary
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1. (C) Deputy National Security Advisor Hadley met with
Iraqi National Security Advisor Qassem Daoud December 4 on
the margins of the IISS Gulf Security Dialogue conference in
Manama. Daoud said that Iraq faced a number of crises:
obtaining weapons quickly; procuring helicopters and armored
vehicles; improving the doctrine of Iraq's armed forces; and
moving funds quickly to rebuild destroyed areas. On the
elections, the two officials agreed that Iraq should maintain
the January 30 date for holding elections. A delay could
alienate Iraq's Shia community, and Daoud said that Ayatollah
Sistani was losing patience. Daoud stated that Iraq could
"live with" Iran for the time being, but that we need a
strong joint position against Syria. Iraq is considering
raising the issue of Syrian support for the insurgency to the
UN Security Council. End Summary.

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Controlling Terrorism Top Challenge
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2. (C) Iraqi National Security Advisor Qassem Daoud told
DNSA Hadley December 4 that the number one issue facing Iraq
is how to control terrorism inside the country. Iraqi forces
need the tools to fight the insurgency, which is growing
faster than expected. There are times when three policemen
have to share one machine gun. MNF-I General Patraeus is
doing a great job, Daoud said, but "we need ten Patraeuses"
to accelerate the movement of arms to Iraqi security
services. Daoud said that the IIG is exploring the
possibility of procuring arms from Russia and Ukraine, where
the right types of weapons are readily available. Purchasing
weapons from the United States, he said, is a complicated
process. He added that Iraq also had an imminent need for
helicopters and armored cars.


3. (C) Daoud stated that Iraq needed to accelerate the
formation of effective military units. Though Iraq requires
a professional fighting force, its first priority is to focus
on the right doctrine. The military structure under former
regime was created to serve an individual (Saddam) and the
Baath Party. The new organization must serve the state and
the people. Training focusing on this philosophy will enable
to military forces to remain cohesive in the face of attacks.
In the long run, Iraq needs a sophisticated army capable of
fully defending its borders.

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Bureaucracy Slows Reconstruction Funds
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4. (C) Daoud continued that he was concerned about the way
reconstruction funds were funneled through the bureaucracy,
which slows things down. He said that Najaf was hit for ten
days in August, and the city's residents still have not
received money to rebuild their homes. In Fallujah, there is
ten times the amount of damage, and Iraq needs a procedure to
quickly compensate people in cash, which empowers citizens to
make their own decisions about spending the funds. This
would also help win their sympathy if not their loyalty. If
the authorities decide to repair someone's roof, the owner
can complain that what he really needs is new plumbing. Cash
allows the owner to do what he wants and should result in
fewer complaints.


5. (C) DNSA Hadley agreed that moving the funds
expeditiously would promote economic activity and boost
employment, and asked whether the funds should move through
ministries, provincial governments, or municipal councils.
Daoud replied that the IIG had created a ministerial
reconstruction board that would develop options. He
suggested the creation of a loan board that would disburse
funds to people rebuilding their homes. In response to DNSA
Hadley's question, Daoud said that provincial and municipal
governments were not very effective yet, and they were often
"unreasonable - some want their own treaties with Iran."
This idea would be something to explore following the
formation of a national government. In the meantime, the IIG
wants to centralize the process.

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No Right to Postpone Elections
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6. (C) DNSA Hadley noted that Daoud had spoken with
conviction in his speech at the IISS conference about
sticking to the January 30 date for the elections. DNSA
Hadley warned that pressure would build for the IIG to delay,
both in mid-December when the candidate lists are due and in
January in the run up to the elections. In our view, the
elections should take place on January 30. This is what the
Iraqi people and the election commission want. In addition,
a delay could disillusion the Shia community. Daoud said
that he regarded the coming period as a "holy timetable."
The election date must be respected in a very firm way, and
no authority has the right to postpone the election.


7. (C) DNSA Hadley noted that when people say the election
should be delayed, we reply that all sectors of Iraqi society
should participate, including the Sunnis, so they should
hurry up and get ready. We are encouraging all those with
influence to reach out to the Sunnis to urge them to
participate. Daoud responded that Ayatollah Sistani was the
most important factor in the equation. He has asked for
elections three times and did not get them. Daoud said that
he believes Sistani is losing patience, and a delay in the
election could lead to huge problems in the south. DNSA
Hadley asked what the IIG could do to encourage Sunni
participation, noting that Jordan and Bahrain had both
offered to host conferences on the elections. Daoud said the
most important thing the IIG could do to ensure full
participation is stabilize the security situation in the
population centers. He stated that he was working to
establish a national list of candidates made up of Sunni and
Shia. IIG President Yawar, PM Allawi, other ministers, and
he are all on the list. He suggested that this list would
attract a reasonable number of Sunni voters.

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Bombs Come from Syria, Not Iran
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8. (C) DNSA Hadley asked Daoud his opinion of the Sharm El
Sheikh conference. Daoud said he was happy with the results
because the participants had recognized Iraqi sovereignty.
He warned, however, that Iraq had problems with "the naughty
neighbors," Iran and Syria. Iraq could "live with" Iran for
the time being, though Iranian intelligence was working
inside Iraq. The PM had formed a committee to develop a
strategy to deal with Iran. Daoud believes that Iraq needs
close relations with both Iran and Turkey to balance these
two strong neighbors, hence a strategy was needed for Turkey
as well. "There should be equal treatment. I checked this
with the Kurds. Jalal (Talabani) was easier than Masud
(Barzani)." Iraq benefits from Iranian religious tourism,
which brings in $2.5 billion per year. With Turkey, water is
the most important issue, and Iraq wants to create deep
economic links with Turkey. Allawi plans to visit both
countries by early January.


9. (C) Regarding Syria, Daoud asserted that Iraq must stake
a strong position. Car bombs come from Syria, not Iran. The
PM and Foreign Minister Zebari are talking about raising
Syrian meddling inside Iraq to the UN Security Council. Iraq
has solid documentation showing that Syrian intelligence
officials are in direct contact with leaders of the
insurgency. Syria only understand force. When Syria faced
strong action from Turkey, it kicked Ocalan and the rest of
the PKK out of the country. Iraq needs the support of the
United States to use the same tactic now against Syria. He
said that if UNSC action does not improve Syria's behavior,
the international community should threaten Syria with
economic sanctions, under Chapter VII.


10. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.


11. (C) The NSC cleared this message.


MONROE