MCNS: MILITIAS AND IRAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001495 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2016 TAGS: IR IZ MOPS NATO PGOV PINS PNAT PREL TU SUBJECT: MCNS: MILITIAS AND IRAN REF: BAGHDAD 1141 Classified By: AMBASSADOR ZALMAY KHALILZAD FOR REASONS 1.4 (A),(B),(D ) ¶1. (C//REL GBR AUS) SUMMARY: A MCNS was convened May 2 to propose further actions on militias. GEN Casey pressed for immediate implementation of new directives to control militia activities. MOI Jabr sought agreement on a proposal to integrate directly and immediately 5000 Badr Corps members into the ISF. GEN Casey batted down that proposal, but both agreed to meet again the following day to study these matters further. The Iraqis also raised Iranian and Turkish military activity, protests by new Iraqi Army (IA) recruits over assignments, and a possible reduction of the Baghdad curfew. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C//REL GBR AUS) A Ministerial Committee on National Security (MCNS) was convened on May 2. Present were PM Ja'afari, Minister of Interior Jabr, Minister of Defense Dulime, NSA Rubaie, MNF-I CG Casey, Pol-Mil Counselor Litt and UK Pol Counselor Robertson. The MCNS was convened at Casey's request as he has specific proposals he wants the security ministries to implement to address the militia threat. Other topics were Iranian and Turkish military activity along the border, Iran supplying deadly Explosive Force Projectiles (EFPs),recent protests by new IA soldiers on assignments, and reduction of the Baghdad curfew. -------------- MILITIAS -------------- ¶3. (C//REL GBR AUS) GEN Casey presented five specific security measures, derived from the PM's plan (reftel) to reduce militia influence in Baghdad. He urged that the security ministries immediately direct their forces to: - Enforce weapons control laws - Counter militia propaganda - Disband extra-judicial courts - Eliminate armed checkpoints - Eliminate armed patrols ¶4. (C//REL GBR AUS) Without responding directly, Jabr came back with a request to move ahead immediately with a proposal previously discussed with MNF-I personnel -- to integrate 5000 members of Badr Corps directly into the ISF. He noted that this move could be implemented over a six-month period. Casey responded forcefully that this is a bad idea for the outgoing government to implement. Noting the already existing lack of trust of the citizenry in their security forces' loyalties, he felt it would further undermine their confidence to see such a huge block of militia members suddenly inducted into the ISF on the eve of the administration's departure. Casey also noted that putting such a large number of Iraqis on the government payroll - military or civilian -- would be a huge budgetary burden for the government. US and UK Polmil Counselors noted the provisions of CPA 91 calling for vocational training and reintegration of some militia cadres into the private sector. ¶5. (C//REL GBR AUS) Jabr responded that perhaps an alternate solution would be to draw militiamen for integration into the ISF from across the spectrum of the nine eligible groups and implement that over a period of time. In the end, Casey and Jabr agreed to meet the following day to discuss these proposals further before making any decisions. Casey underscored, however, the importance of moving ahead immediately with the five directives to the ISF. Rubaie said that he also would invite to this discussion those GOI officials, namely DPM Chalabi and DPM al-Jaburi, tasked with engaging Sadr's militias and the militias of various other political parties (respectively). -------------- NORTHERN BORDERS -------------- ¶6. (C//REL GBR AUS) Ja'afari expressed concern regarding Iranian and Turkish military activity on Iraq's borders. Asked what information MNF-I had on these developments, Casey BAGHDAD 00001495 002 OF 002 confirmed that Iran had conducted two indirect fire attacks into Iraqi Kurdistan on April 21 and 24 and that there were unconfirmed reports of Iranian overflights. He said he could not confirm Ja'afari's reports of brief Iranian ground incursions. Casey added that an Iranian naval asset had picked up four Iraqi agricultural officials making a survey in the Shatt al Arab. He stated that we do not know for certain whether the officials had been in Iraqi waters but that that is the claim we had heard. As far as we know, Iran is still holding the detainees. Casey also mentioned pointedly to Rubaie that we are unaware of any protests by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry regarding Iran's behavior. Regarding Turkey, Casey said reports of massive Turkish troop concentrations on the border are exaggerated. Turkey is conducting normal deployments for this time of year, given PKK past history, near the Iraqi border. -------------- EFPS -------------- ¶7. (C//REL GBR AUS) During the discussion about Iran, Casey told the PM that there has been an increase in EFPs, all targeted against Coalition troops. He confirmed to the group that these deadly weapons are being produced and supplied by Iran. Ja'afari recalled with some apparent consternation that he personally had complained to the Iranian leadership last year about the EFPs, but the Iranians, including Khamenei, had denied that such weapons came from Iran or would ever be used by Iran. Casey rejoined that we are certain that Iran is involved in both the manufacture and trafficking of these weapons. -------------- IA RECRUITS -------------- ¶8. (C//REL GBR AUS) Ja'afari inquired about the incident at the Habbaniya academy televised locally a few days ago, in which brand-new IA recruits from Al Anbar protested their assignment outside of Fallujah. Casey explained that during the April 30 ceremony in Fallujah to mark the completion of their training, 50 of the 1000 IA recruits nominated by sheikhs from al-Anbar began protesting and walked out of the ceremony when it was announced that not all of them would be deployed to Fallujah, but rather throughout Iraq. After some discussion on the issue, Casey acknowledged that there might have been some misunderstanding about their expected assignments, depending on what the sheikhs told the recruits. All agreed that the recruits should be given a second chance to appear for duty, in order to show good faith and to prevent them from going to the insurgency. However, PM Ja'afari noted that it is perfectly reasonable for a soldier to be expected to serve anywhere in the nation. -------------- CURFEW REDUCTION -------------- ¶9. (C//REL GBR AUS) Jabr proposed reducing the Baghdad curfew start time from 2300 to 2400, as the security situation has improved. Casey agreed to check with the Multi National Division-Baghdad commander and get back to Jabr the following day. SATTERFIELD