Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAGHDAD1370
2006-04-26 20:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

FADHILA MEMBER ON PARTY'S ASPIRATIONS, CONCERN

Tags:  PGOV PINR PNAT ENRG ECON KDEM KISL IZ 
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VZCZCXRO5749
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHGB #1370 1162026
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 262026Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4117
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001370 

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINR PNAT ENRG ECON KDEM KISL IZ
SUBJECT: FADHILA MEMBER ON PARTY'S ASPIRATIONS, CONCERN
OVER SECTARIANISM.


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

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001370

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINR PNAT ENRG ECON KDEM KISL IZ
SUBJECT: FADHILA MEMBER ON PARTY'S ASPIRATIONS, CONCERN
OVER SECTARIANISM.


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


1. (C) Summary: Fadhila Party parliamentarian Basim
Sherif Nsaif al-Hechaimi told PolOff in an April 24
meeting that Abd al-Raheem al-Hasuna will be the next
Fadhila Party Secretary General. Al-Hechaimi predicted
that al-Hasuna's appointment, along with the addition of
former UIA 169 independent Ali al-Dabbagh and Jawad
Bolani, will strengthen the Fadhila Party. Al-Hechaimi
said that Fadhila hopes to retain control of the Ministry
of Oil, and is interested in the Ministry of Tourism and
Antiquities and the Ministry of State for Youth and Sport.
Al-Hechaimi expressed his concern that sectarianism will
divide the next Iraqi government and prevent the various
communities from cooperating. End Summary


2. (C) Fadhila Party CoR member Basim Sherif Nsaif
al-Hechaimi told PolOff on April 24 that the Fadhila
Party has decided to name Abd al-Raheem al-Hasuna to be
the next Secretary General of the Fadhila Party.
According to al-Hechaimi, Fadhila's spiritual leader
Mohammad al-Yaqubi made the decision to appoint al-Hasuna
Secretary General because he believed al-Hasuna will

SIPDIS
provide energetic leadership for the next four years.
Al-Hechaimi said that al-Hasuna is perhaps 45 years old
and is finishing his doctorate in History.


3. (C) Al-Hechaimi said that to further strengthen the
Fadhila Party, Shia Islamist politicians Ali al-Dabbagh
and Jawad Bolani had been invited to join. Al-Hechaimi
said that al-Dabbagh and Bolani enjoy warm relations with
Yaqubi and the larger Shia community. Al-Hechaimi said
Fadhila hopes al-Dabbagh and Bolani will use their
personal connections to Fadhila's advantage,
strengthening the party's ties with other political
groups. He said the Fadhila leadership thought this
would help as the party tries to maintain control of the
Ministry of Oil. Al-Hechaimi said Fadhila is also
interested in the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities,
and the Ministry of State of Youth and Sport. He added that,

if called upon, Fadhila would be prepared to take the
Ministry of Interior.


4. (C) Al-Hechaimi professed that Fadhila is a Shia
Islamist party that nonetheless seeks a cross-sectarian
government. He lamented that the next Iraqi government
is likely to be just as driven by sectarian tensions as
the previous one. "This will not be a national unity
government," he said, "but simply a power-sharing
arrangement among the political parties." Al-Hechaimi
said that replacing Ibrahim al-Ja'fari with Nuri Kamal
al-Maliki as Prime Minister will not change the political
situation as much as many people hope, because both men
are from the Dawa Party and subscribe to the same
ideology.


5. (C) Comment: The Fadhila leadership has been
ambivalent about their place within the Shia Coalition.
They tried to pull out of List 555 shortly after the
coalition registration deadline for the December
election. We will seek an early opportunity to meet with
Al-Hasuna to gauge the direction he plans to go and to
channel Fadhila's reported concerns about "sectarianism"
towards support for a government of national unity with
ministers selected based on their competence. Al-
Hechaimi's reference to strengthening ties with other
political groups seems to point in a positive direction.
His assertion, however, that the party will seek to hold
on to the Oil Ministry does not. End Comment.


6. (C) Bio Note: Al-Hechaimi studied medicine at Mosul
University and graduated with a master's degree in
microbiology in 1986. He was a professor at Baghdad
University. He began his political career in the Kut
city government during the CPA era. He serves in the
Fadhila Party politburo. Al-Hechaimi speaks some
English. End Bio Note
KHALILZAD