IRAQI GOVERNMENT COMPLETE - FINAL VOTES ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001940 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2016 TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM IZ SUBJECT: IRAQI GOVERNMENT COMPLETE - FINAL VOTES ON SECURITY MINISTRIES REF: BAGHDAD 1843 Classified By: Political Counselor Margaret Scobey for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Prime Minister Nuri Maliki presented to the CoR the final three ministerial candidates to complete his government. After some debate, Jawad Bolani was approved as Minister of Interior by a vote of 182 to 16, and Abdel Qader Jassim al-Mufraji was approved for Minister of Defense by a vote of 142 (just 4 over the statutory minimum). Prime Minister Maliki caused some uncertainty when he proposed Sherwan al-Waeli, a Dawa Tanzim activist, for the position of Minister of State for National Security without previous consultation. The final vote in favor of al-Waeli was 160. ¶2. (C) After the three candidates were named, the biography of each was read and the session was opened up for questions. Tawafuq member Hasan Degan asked Bolani and al-Waeli if they had any party affiliation. Bolani said he did not while al-Waeli said he worked for the Dawa party in the past. Izzat al-Shabander of the Iraqiyya List asked Bolani if he was sectarian. Bolani replied that he will work with all sects. A female UIC member asked al-Mufraji whether he fought in the Iran/Iraq or the Kuwaiti wars. Al-Mufraji replied that he was a battalion commander during the Iran/Iraq war but opposed the Kuwaiti operation, for which he was jailed by Saddam. At that point some members demanded a vote on the candidates. Khalik al-Shihwi, a Tawafuq member from Anbar angrily complained that al-Mufraji was military commander of Faluja after it was attacked in 2003 and should be sent to court because he killed innocents. Speaker Mashadani broke in and with some levity, asked the members to "imitate our American uncles" and let everyone have their say. He then proceeded to a vote on al-Mufraji and Bolani. ¶3. (C) The surprise naming of al-Waeli for the Minister of State position caused apprehension and confusion among some of the delegates. Tawafuq leader Adnan Dulaymi asked that all the votes be postponed because the al- Waeli candidacy was not discussed among the political leaders. "We expected PM Maliki to tell us what he will do," continued Dulaymi. Tawafuq member Alla Makki agreed saying that Tawaffuq had only agreed on the MOI and MOD candidacies and suggested that the al-Waeli vote be put off. PM Maliki replied that the Ministry of State for National Security was an Etilaf ministry and since it was not a real ministry, the Shia can choose whomever they want for the job. UIC member Baha al-Araji said that the UIC was 100% behind al-Waeli. "We didn't know your ministers either," he countered. Former PM Ibrahim Ja'fari spoke up saying that it was the Sunnis right to know but also the Prime Ministers right to choose the Minister. After some calls for a delay in the session for Tawafuq to consult, Adnan Dulaymi spoke up again and withdrew his opposition to the vote saying "let us support the Maliki government." KHALILZAD