DAWA PARTY LEADER PLEASED WITH CONSTITUTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003469

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2025
TAGS: PGOV PINS IZ
SUBJECT: DAWA PARTY LEADER PLEASED WITH CONSTITUTION

Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT FORD FOR REASONS
1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) Dawa Party leader Jawad al Maliki told PolOff August
24 that he is pleased with the draft constitution. While
acknowledging that some groups, especially the Sunni Arabs,
are not completely satisfied, he is confident that the
constitution treats all groups fairly.


2. (C) Sunni Arabs, Maliki said, are strongly opposed to
federalism and de-Ba'athification. The Shia and Kurds,
however, have agreed upon these two issues. The Shia and
Kurds feel that devolving power to the provinces is the
best safeguard against a future dictatorship. Maliki said
there is no doubt Iraq will be a federal republic. He is,
however, willing to discuss the details of Iraqi federalism
with the Sunni Arabs.Q


3. (C) The issue of de-Ba'athification, Maliki said, was
settled when the TNA voted to ban the Ba'ath party. He
said that Ba'athists ruined Iraq and that many of its
members were criminals. The goal of de-Ba'athification is
not to expel or kill former Ba'athists, but to simply
prevent former high-ranking members from holding positions
of high authority where they could oppress Iraqis again.
Only 5 percent of former Ba'athists, he asserted, have been
removed from their jobs.


4. (C) Comment: Maliki is a top Da'wa party member who
has sometimes been involved in the negotiating sessions.
He is generally thought to be harder line on relations with
the Sunni Arabs. His viewpoints above are indicative of
the consensus now existing among the more conservative
elements of the Shia Coalition which makes it harder to
gain big concessions on federalism and de-Baathification
that would help us gain Sunni Arab support for the
constitution.



Khalilzad