IRAQI PARTY LEADER OFFERS PROGRAM SUPPORT TO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004439

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR NEA/PPD AND NEA/I, INFO ECA AND IIP

E.0. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC OEXC PGOV KPAO IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQI PARTY LEADER OFFERS PROGRAM SUPPORT TO
EMBASSY'S PUBLIC OUTREACH



1. (SBU) Summary. On October 22, PA Counselor and PA
Section staff met with Mithal Al-Alusi, Secretary General of
a liberal Sunni party, to discuss cooperation in the area of
public outreach, specifically the establishment of a joint
mechanism to promote Iraqi-American cultural linkages and to
disseminate liberal values within Iraq. Post will be
exploring options for cooperating with Alusi in such areas
as speaker programs, dissemination of Arabic language
materials, and a local youth magazine. End Summary.


2. (SBU) On October 22, PA Counselor and PA/Information
Office staff met with Alusi, Secretary General of the Sunni
Hizb al-Umma al-Iraqiyya (Iraqi Nation Party),to discuss
Alusi's interest in establishing a permanent mechanism for
supporting the Embassy's public outreach effort. In
particular, Alusi is proposing a joint mechanism to plan and
execute public programming to promote improved institutional
and individual Iraqi-American linkages and to disseminate
progressive, liberal values within Iraqi society as a
counterweight to perceived wide-spread anti-American
sentiment. In response, PA counselor encouraged Alusi's
interest and agreed to work with him to explore options for
cooperating in such areas as arranging speakers for public
fora, disseminating IIP Arabic language materials, and
subsidizing children's literature. Alusi has enjoyed good
ties to the Embassy since returning to Iraq in 2003. Alusi
first raised his cooperation ideas in a letter to Ambassador
Khalilzad following a September 3 meeting.


3. (SBU) At the outset of the October 22 meeting with PA
staff, Alusi expressed his gratitude for U.S. engagement in
Iraq saying, "We appreciate your help and the risks,
sacrifice and high price your sons have paid to liberate our
people." He went on to decry "a tremendous vacuum that
currently exists in Iraqi society" - as a result of Saddam's
misrule. Alusi argued that the present moment offers a
window of opportunity to influence the future development of
Iraqi society, the first such window since the aftermath of
the first Gulf War. With conviction Alusi argued for the
U.S. to reach out more effectively to average Iraqis with
clear and focused messages, to counter the "circus-like
language of politicians intent on deceiving people." He
characterized the communication gap between politicians and
their constituents as "dangerous" and stressed the need for
a more candid and inclusive dialogue.


4. (SBU) Alusi recalled with evident nostalgia his visits
to the pre-1967 USIS American Cultural Center in Baghdad,
where he encountered American life and values directly for
the first time, especially via a magazine he recalled as
"Life in America" (al-Hayaat fi Amrika). PA Counselor
reviewed possible areas of cooperation and briefly explained
current PA programs such as American Corners, U.S. Speakers,
and Hi magazine and offered broad suggestions for co-
sponsoring projects with Alusi - but not in his political
party leader role - such as evening discussion roundtables
and similar fora. Alusi suggested working through an NGO
that he also heads and predicted "huge turnouts" for such
events.


5. (SBU) Commenting on the renascent media scene in Iraq,
Alusi bemoaned what he called a lack of true autonomy and
independence. He referred to the popular Al-Iraqiyya TV
channel, e.g., as having fallen under the sway of clerics,
noting that "it is dangerous to have our people held hostage
by religious authorities." More broadly, he expressed
concern that popular culture and media in Iraq have become
mere instruments of politics, skillfully manipulated by
religious groups with far greater resources than those
available to secular, liberal, intellectuals (such as
himself). "Where we have hundreds of supporters, they
(religious and political heavyweights) have thousands."


6. (SBU) It is clear that Alusi envisions engaging the
media as part of this effort. Another priority for Alusi is
the establishment of a magazine for young Iraqis, 15-22,
that would reach this critical group effectively with
positive messages. "We're stealing their childhood-they must
have something to make them feel they're alive." PA
Counselor provided recent copies of IIP's Hi Magazine, but
noted that Alusi was more interested in something with
predominantly Iraqi content. PA Counselor suggested there
might be opportunities to work together on better nation-
wide distribution of Hi, along with support to a wholly
Iraqi publication. He asked Alusi to come back with
specific proposals for a follow-on planning meeting in two
weeks.


7. (SBU) BIO NOTE: Alusi is a leading Sunni
intellectual, considered by Western observers to be a voice
of reason and moderation. He formerly served as a spokesman
for the Iraqi National Congress (INC),but broke with Ahmed
Chalabi, reportedly after being castigated publicly by him
for attending a conference in Israel. Alusi and his party
supported the just approved constitution. He accuses the
(Sunni, anti-coalition) Muslim Scholars' Association of
masterminding the February 8, 2005 assassination attempt
against him, which killed his two sons and bodyguard. Alusi
spent 26 years in exile, mainly in Germany, and returned to
Iraq on November 5, 2003.

SATTERFIELD