RUBAIE POSSIBLY NEXT MINISTER OF INTERIOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001398 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2011 TAGS: PGOV PINS PREL MOPS IZ SUBJECT: RUBAIE POSSIBLY NEXT MINISTER OF INTERIOR Classified By: AMBASSADOR ZALMAY KHALILZAD FOR REASONS 1.4 (A),(B),(D ) ¶1. (C//REL GBR AUS) SUMMARY: National Security Advisor Muwaffuk Rubaie has informed Ambassador Khalilzad that PM-Designate al-Maliki has offered him the post of Minister of Interior. The Ambassador promised to follow up with MNF-I CG Casey, so that the three could meet to discuss further Rubaie's potential nomination as Minister of Interior. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C//REL GBR AUS) NSA Rubaie informed the Ambassador in a private meeting on April 27 that Prime Minister-Designate al-Maliki had offered him the post of Minister of Interior. Rubaie commented that he himself had been torn between the possibility of becoming the next Minister of Finance or Minister of Interior. However, Rubaie then expressed his strong desire to take the reins of MOI, and he asked for USG support for this position. ¶3. (C//REL GBR AUS) The Ambassador stated that the Minister of Interior slot is the most important ministerial position for Iraq's new government. Rubaie opined that the future conduct of the Ministry of Interior can either help or hinder al-Maliki. The Ambassador described the Minister of Interior position as a difficult, complex, and thankless job. He emphasized that the next Minister of Interior has several major tasks: - Address the issue of militias. - Clean up corruption and abuse in the MOI. - Stop deliberate infiltration of MOI by Badr Corps and Jaysh al-Mahdi loyalists. - Eliminate death squads, secret detention centers. - Restore the people's confidence in the MOI (especially in the Sunni community). - Develop MOI as a self-reliant institution (e.g., pay salaries and deliver proper logistical support). ¶4. (C//REL GBR AUS) Ambassador asserted that militias should be the number one priority to address. Lawful police members must provide the necessary security to all segments of Iraqi society. A DDR-decommissioning, demobilization and reintegration-plan was needed to deal with the militia problem. ¶5. (C//REL GBR AUS) Along with countering the militia threat, Ambassador stressed the importance of restoring the image of MOI. The Sunni community must perceive that MOI can be trusted not feared. Properly-trained police must be introduced into regions that currently have no police. MOI must become transparent, issuing explanations of why it conducts certain operations. Those caught committing acts of corruption or unlawful violence must be held publicly accountable. ¶6. (C//REL GBR AUS) The Ambassador concluded by restating that he would confer with MNF-I CG GEN Casey regarding this issue. Ambassador, Casey and Rubaie then would meet together to follow up on this pending decision. KHALILZAD