CHALABI EMANDS MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK FROM SIBS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003694

SIPDIS

E.O. A 958: DECL: 09/08/2015
TAGS: ENRG MOPS MARR PINR PGOV PTER EPET MOPS MARR PINR PGOV PTER IZ
SUBJECT: CHALABI EMANDS MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK FROM SIBS

Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, a.i., DAVID M. SATTERFIELD FOR REASON
S 1.4 (b) AND (d).


1. (C) Summary: At the September 4 meeting of the National
Energy Council (NEC),Deputy Pri- Minister Ahmad Chalabi
castigated Iraqi Army Chief of Staff Abadi for the poor
performance of the Strategic Infrastructure BattQUions
(SIBs) in protecting vital power and pipelines. C0Jlabi
stressed the GOI's urgent need for intelligence support and
urged better screening of SIB members during Phase II SIB
training to ensure these units' loyalty. Chalabi expressed
interest in learning more about hardening pipelines against
insurgent attacks. End summary.


2. (U) Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi chaired a
September 4 session of the National Energy Council (NEC).
Present at the meeting were Minister of Oil (MO) Ibrahim
Bahr al-'Ulum, Minister of Finance (MoF) 'Ali 'Allawi,
Minister of Electricity (ME) Dr. Muhsin Shalash, Deputy JHQ
Commander LTG Abadi, ME Security Advisor MG Sa'ad Hashim,
and Infrastructure Coordination Cell Director BG Kamal.
Also attending were Deputy Commander MNF-I LTG Brims, IRMO
Deputy Director for Operations MG Robert Heine, IRMO
advisors and Embassy Econoff (notetaker).

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Chalabi on the Offensive
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3. (C) DPM Ahmad Chalabi and MO al-'Ulum castigated Deputy
JHQ Commander LTG Abadi for the poor performance to date of
the Strategic Infrastructure Battalions. Referring to the
recent blackout, which, combined with additional
interdictions on the pipelines has resulted in a loss of
oil export revenue, Chalabi claimed "the terrorists have
defeated electricity over the summer." Al-'Ulum noted that
one of most recent attacks on the 30/32" crude oil line
near al-Fatah had cut off the Bayji refinery from crude oil
supply. Chalabi predicted worse attacks to come, and said
that the goal of the insurgents is to cut off the supply of
benzene (gasoline) to Baghdad. Al-'Ulum complained that he
had repeatedly requested action from the Iraqi Army, but
"nothing has been done" and that workers are still being
killed around Bayji. Chalabi said that the GOI had "done
everything" recommended by MNF-I, spending $35 million to
create the first SIB battalions.


4. (C) Deputy Commander MNF-I LTG Brims defended the SIB
program, emphasizing that the SIBs' positive effect is
cumulative and will only increase over time. Chalabi
maintained that Abadi "had the wrong priorities,"
stationing SIBs in areas where attacks are no longer a
problem. The troops should be moved to the vital Bayji to
Baghdad corridor immediately. If the Iraqi Army (IA) is
unable to handle the problem, Chalabi said, Kurdish
brigades could be brought in to supplement their efforts.
He also requested U.S. Predator overflights to protect
infrastructure, expressing surprise that this is not
already being done.

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Urgent Need for Intelligence
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5. (C) Chalabi said that, while they appreciate MNF-I
support, what the ITG really needs is intelligence. When
Chalabi questioned the loyalty of the SIBs, Deputy
Commander MNF-I LTG Brims recognized that the initial
vetting process during SIB formation had not been as
thorough as required. Chalabi stressed that he expected
better screening in the Phase II SIB training plan; LTG
Brims said that the training and development of the SIBs is
under constant review. Chalabi said that it is more
effective to weed out undesirable SIB members than to scrap
the program.

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Deployment and Action Update
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6. (C) MNF-I liaison briefed the NEC on the current status
of Coalition, IA and SIB troop deployments. A combination
of permanent IA forces and MNF-I assets are currently
guarding all 10 nodes and structures deemed to be Tier I -
of critical importance. Among these are the Bayji-Baghdad
#1 and #2 400KV power lines, the al-Fatah river crossing,
the Bayji power plant and Bayji refinery. SIBs are
guarding the somewhat less critical Tier II (one of which
is the Bayji-Baghdad crude oil line) and Tier III sites.
Coalition forces are flying Seeker missions in the north,
providing critical intelligence on insurgent movements, as
are the CompAir flights monitoring the Bayji-Kirkuk
pipeline route. The Deputy Commander MNF-I stressed,
however, that these flights - though useful - canQt be
everywhere at once.
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2015
TAGS: ENRG MOPS MARR PINR PGOV PTER EPET MOPS MARR PINR PGOV PTER IZ
SUBJECT: CHALABI DEMANDS MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK FROM SIBS


7. (C) MNF-I liaison reported that a composite IA
battalion had been deployed to guard the Bayji-Baghdad
400KV power lines in the Samarra corridor to address the
immediate security emergency in the aftermath of the August
22 blackout. As of September 1, this battalion is being
replaced by the 3rd Battalion, 1st IA Brigade, 5th
Division, who will oversee security in this vital corridor
through the end of the year. Plans are underway to reduce
the area that individual SIBs are responsible for
patrolling, with MNC-I conducting an assessment to
determine the best way to redeploy these units.

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Electricity
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8. (C) Minister of Electricity (ME) Dr. Muhsin Shalash
agreed with MNF-I's assessment that the 80 meter electrical
towers are critical, as they are difficult to put up once
they have been knocked down in an attack. MNF-I has
identified them as "most vulnerable" and made them a
priority for protection. The speed with which ME repair
crews have repaired the 60 and 80 meter towers was
acknowledged. ME Shalash said, however, that the
electricity situation was far from stable and that they are
barely "hanging on." The transmission network has averaged
two attacks per day since July, and one of the two main
Bayji-Baghdad lines are down more than they are up. Iraq
is producing record amounts of electricity, DPM Chalabi
said, but "we can't deliver it." The IRMO Senior Advisor
for Electricity noted that PCO is considering the purchase
of 20-30 additional Lindsay towers to assist ME with making
urgent repairs (Note: The Lindsay towers are a temporary
fix. While they allow the ME to get lines up sooner,
permanent tower repair is still necessary. End Note).


9. (C) MO al-'Ulum and DPM Chalabi expressed satisfaction
with these moves and the immediacy with which they were
carried out, but MO al-'Ulum stressed that what he really
wanted to do was start pumping oil. He said he understands
that even the most aggressive deployment strategy is not
going to prevent every attack: "I am willing to tolerate
intermittent stoppage, just not permanent stoppage."

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Physical Infrastructure Protection Upgrades
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10. (C) MNF-I liaison suggested that hardening pipelines
and electrical towers could be a cost-effective way to
counter insurgent attacks. For example, surrounding each
of the 954 towers along the Bayji-Baghdad #1 and #2
electrical lines with an alarmed fence at a cost of $3500
per tower, would cost approximately $3.5 million. For oil
there are a number of options, the most expensive of which
would line both sides of the Bayji-Baghdad pipeline with
earthen berms, a ditch, and one alarmed and one electrical
fence for a cost of approximately $40 million. Less
expensive options are also available.
Satterfield