CODEL INHOFE MEETS WITH NEW MINISTER OF DEFENSE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001995 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/2016 TAGS: PGOV PINS PTER REL LE SY JO IZ SUBJECT: CODEL INHOFE MEETS WITH NEW MINISTER OF DEFENSE AND NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR Classified By: Counselor for Political Military Affairs David C. Litt f or reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Senators James Inhofe, Oklahoma, and Daniel K. Akaka, Hawaii, visited Iraq June 10-11 with their staffs to congratulate senior security officials on their recent cabinet appointments and for their contributions to operations resulting in the death of Abu Musab Zarqawi. ¶2. (C) CODEL Inhofe,s first meeting was with recently-named Minister of Defense Abdul Qadir Mohammed Jasim. Senators Inhofe and Akaka began the meeting congratulating Minister Jasim on Iraqi Security Forces contributions to the death of Abu Musab Zarqawi. The Senators and Minister also extensively discussed the future of the Ministry of Defense, specifically the changes required for Iraqi forces to take control of battle space from American troops. Minister Jasim opined that the biggest challenge facing the Ministry if the lack of logistics capabilities, though he offered no solutions to this problem. ¶3. (C) Next CODEL Inhofe met with National Security Advisor Dr. Mowaffak Rubaie. This meeting focused nearly exclusively on the challenges posed by the insurgency to the new government of Iraq, beginning with the disposition of the body of Abu Musab Zarqawi. Dr. Rubaie informed the Senators that Jordan did not want the body of Zarqawi, though he specifically stated that the Iraqi government would provide an Islamic burial. ¶4. (C) Dr. Rubaie opined that Zarqawi,s death would motivate insurgents to join the political process, informing the CODEL that he had received two phone calls from insurgents in Beirut and Damascus exploring options for joining the Iraqi political process. Dr. Rubaie opined that the Iraqi government will be happy to have them return and looks forward to further integrating Iraqis into a government of reconciliation and unity. ¶5. (C) In addition to the formal bi-lateral meetings, CODEL Inhofe had the opportunity to interact with Iraqi soldiers at the Monument to the Unknowns. Soldiers who chose to speak with members of the CODEL emphasized they identified themselves not as Shia or Sunni, but as Iraqis for Iraq. Several soldiers made a point they had Shia and Sunni family members under one roof. ¶6. (C) NOTE: CODEL Inhofe was scheduled to meet with new Minister of Interior Jawad Al Bolani and tentatively with Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki, but those meetings were cancelled because of an unscheduled Council of Minister,s meeting on the morning of June 11. END NOTE. ¶7. (C) COMMENT: Minister of Defense was refreshingly forthcoming about the strengths and weaknesses of the Iraq Armed Services, something that his predecessor failed to do with CODELs. He was candid in his assessment about the immediate need to address the problems with logistics and payroll distribution. The Senators, impromptu discussions with Iraqi soldiers revealed a different attitude about their sense of identity than many Americans hear on television. END COMMENT KHALILZAD