BAGHDAD GOVERNOR HOPES TO HEAD MOI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 005069 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2015 TAGS: KDEM PHUM PGOV PINR IZ SUBJECT: BAGHDAD GOVERNOR HOPES TO HEAD MOI Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT S. FORD FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: At a December 18 meeting Hussein Mohammad Al-Tahan, Governor of Baghdad, told PolOff that he expects to be the next Minister of the Interior. Hussein, a member of the Shia Islamist SCIRI party, said MOI requires a complete overhaul and needs to be less aggressive with terrorists. The governor believes gas prices should be raised and that Coalition Forces (CF) openly favored Alawi in the elections. He said Iran has a more appropriate foreign policy toward Iraq than the United States. He added that if the Coalition Forces (CF) want peace, they need to withdraw from the cities. Hussein also stated a CF withdrawal from Salah Ad Din, Babil, and Al Qadisiyah Provinces would speedup the peace process. The governor said democracy has reached its peak in Iraq with the election results and can only go down from here. END SUMMARY. -------------- EXPECTS TO BE NEXT MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR -------------- ¶2. (C) Governor Hussein is a senior member of the local Shia Islamist SCIRI party and a leader within the Badr Corps. He was chosen to be Governor of Baghdad following the democratic elections of January 2005. Though a recognized leader within the SCIRI party in local Baghdad politics, he is a less well known national figure. Regardless, Hussein said if the SCIRI Party wins substantial seats there is a good chance he will be next Interior Minister. If appointed, he said, he would follow an agenda of reconciliation. (The governor mentioned he had a high personal opinion of the current minister but a low opinion of his capabilities.) Hussein outlined a program he would implement if selected. He would make a more definitive distinction between the missions of the MOD and MOI. He indicated current missions are blurred with MOD doing police work and MOI acting like soldiers. ¶3. (C) The governor pointed out conflict is caused by misunderstanding and exclusion of parties and individuals from government. Hussein declared he would seek representatives from all parties to participate in the MOI mission (read Sunni Arabs). This action he feels would diminish separatist and terrorist activities; by including them in the government Baghdad could remove their motive of exclusion. The governor also said he would freeze hiring on all new employees into MOI. Hussein stated the ministry needs a complete review of its mission, objectives, training procedures and manpower requirements before hiring new recruits. -------------- COALITION SHOWS FAVORITISM -------------- ¶4. (C) The governor was very positive about the election results. He feels SCIRI candidates did very well and could have a majority in the new National Assembly. He did express some negative comments regarding Coalition Forces (CF). Hussein criticized the CF for showing favoritism to Alawi's Party. He declared the CF had provided support to Alawi during the January Elections and continued that support into the December 15 Elections. He offered no specific examples but asserted it was "clear and evident" to everyone on the street. Hussein credited the success of the elections to the coordination efforts between the Iraqi Army and Police; he did not mention CF contributions. -------------- IRANIAN DIPLOMACY BETTER THAN U.S. -------------- ¶5. (C) The governor was eager to present his plan for peace in Iraq. He said the Iranian example of government is how peace can be achieved in Iraq. Hussein offered that in Iran the government embraces opposing viewpoints. This leads to political opponents working within the system and establishing a relationship with the government and people. Hussein stated that if an opponent is allowed to express his opinions and be listened to he is less likely to attack the system. He presented an analogy between the foreign policies of Iran and the United States. He gave an analogy of Iran being a breeze through the forest and the United States being an elephant. Hussein stated the United States needed to make a greater effort working with political opposition rather than trying to destroy it. (COMMENT. It should be noted that Hussein Al Tahan spent a considerable amount of time in Iran during the former regime. End Comment) -------------- ROADMAP TO PEACE -------------- ¶6. (C) Though critical of CF policies, the governor is not in favor of an immediate, total withdrawal. He stated a gradual withdrawal of forces will suffice. Hussein insisted the withdrawal should only take place as Iraqi forces become operational. However, he did insist the CF could take some immediate steps. The governor emphasized that that calm would spread if the CF moves out of the cities. He believes our military is too visible and our tactics disruptive in the municipalities. He suggests the CF withdraw from Diwaniyah, Samarra and Hillah immediately. Hussein said these three cities are relatively peaceful, minimal threat, and do not have provincial borders with neighboring countries. The governor suggested withdrawing from these cities would undermine terrorist propaganda; withdrawal would be based on operational objectives not terrorist actions. When PolOff suggested insurgents could possibly move into the vacated cities, the governor disagreed and moved on to another topic. -------------- PEAK OF DEMOCRACY -------------- ¶7. (C) Hussein opined that everything operates in cycles of peaks and valleys. He considers Iraqi democracy at its peak, but it will start a gradual descent as partisan disputes begin to fracture coalitions. Hussein was pleased that more people voted than before, the elections were relatively peaceful, and the SCIRI Party achieved unprecedented success. The governor stated that the CF, having achieved success in the elections, should begin a measured withdrawal. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶8. (C) The governor's skills as a politician are difficult to assess. He derives his power more from his standing in the local SCIRI Party and Badr Corps then from personal charisma or political acumen. He is the governor of the most populous province in Iraq, but he is little known outside of Baghdad. Hussein is making attempts to reach out to the Embassy and Coalition Forces -- but more as a forum for his views than as a vehicle for reconciliation or active cooperation. Some of his political thinking, obviously, is greatly at variance with our own. KHALILZAD