MEETING WITH SPEAKER OF IRAQI COUNCIL OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002571

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH SPEAKER OF IRAQI COUNCIL OF
REPRESENTATIVES

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission David M. Satterfield for Reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Iraqi Council of Representatives (CoR)
Speaker, Mahmoud Mashadani, described to Charge Satterfield
and CG Casey his efforts to support the Prime Minister, his
recent discussions in Tehran, and the "Baathist trap" he fell
into when he remarked on the presence of Israeli troops in
the Coalition base in Babil. The Charge pressed Mashadani to
prevent further CoR consideration of CPA 17. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Charge and General Casey called on CoR Speaker Mahmoud
Mashadani on July 16. Charge began by noting the Prime
Minister's recent launching of both a National Reconciliation
Program and an Economic Reform Plan and that the U.S. is
urging him to put in place the needed steps to realize these
programs. For example, the Debaathification review falls to
the CoR, but the Prime Minister and Cabinet should also
express their views on this issue. The Charge asked
Mashadani for his views.

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Council of Representative Developments
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3. (C) In response, Mashadani said that the CoR was strong
and that the various parties were "coming together" under his
neutrality and efforts to bridge differences. He meets
regularly with both bloc leaders and regular members of the
CoR. One area of progress involved the Sadrists who
gradually were distancing themselves from criminal activities
(presumably associated with JAM) and those who followed
Moqtada ideologically. The CoR members were in agreement
that criminals should be punished. He described a recent
meeting that reported on Northern Ireland's experience in
reconciliation. Dawa leader Haider Abadi asked the speaker
how they (the Irish) had dealt with those who committed
crimes against the people. The answer was that Ireland
pardoned them all. Mashadani believed Iraqis should learn
from others' experiences, including the value of forgiving
those who may have harmed you. He then observed recent
regional developments showing foolish actions: Hezbollah has
kidnapped two soldiers and will destroy Lebanon by doing so.
One Israeli soldier is kidnapped in Gaza to trade for 8,000
Palestinian detainees: Palestinian casualties only increase.
None of these moves would break Israel. Finally, Mashadani
turned to Debaathification. He said he would approach it
"wisely, calmly, and in the spirit of consensus." He added,
"The Iraqi people as a whole were more valuable than a few
Baathists."


4. (C) Mashadani said he had an "understanding" with the
Prime Minister. The CoR would be his shield and would
protect him. He called attention to his effort to get the
emergency law extended quickly, which he did despite
parliamentary complaints that he ram-rodded it through. He
said he did this to protect the government; whatever the
government asked of the Parliament, it would give them. In
response to the Charge's questions about a law for provincial
elections and investment; Mashadani said the CoR would finish
the elections law (the new law on the Independent High
Electoral Commission) before the session ended at the end of
the month.


5. (C) Mashadani criticized his fellow Tawafuq members for
boycotting the CoR in reaction to the kidnapping of Tawafuq
representative Taysir Mashadani. He said it was not a smart
move, and their decision to return to the CoR reflected the
strongly negative public reaction to their decision. He said
the boycott reflected Khalaf Al Alayan's influence. He also
said that the government ministers did not understand the
real situation in Iraq, since they all lived in the Green
Zone and travel with massive PSDs - how can the Minister of
Defense protect us, he hears, when they cannot even protect
themselves?

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Israeli Army in Babylon
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6. (C) General Casey and Charge brought up Mashadani's recent
remarks about an Israeli brigade occupying one of the
Coalition sites in Babil province and pointed out that such
remarks endanger his soldiers. Mashadani did not deny what
he had said, but claimed he had "fallen in a Baathist trap."
He said he was discussing culture and antiquities with a
group in Bahrain. Someone mentioned that there is a closed
military area in the area of the Babylon ruins that belonged
to the Polish contingent. Some in the group questioned why
the area was closed and no one allowed in. Mashadani said he
threw out the idea that maybe it was the Israelis, since Iraq
was the ancient home of the Israelites - Abraham came from Ur

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(modern-day Nasiriyah) - maybe they were looking for Jewish
antiquities. Mashadani indicated that he had not been
serious in his remarks.

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Mashadani in Tehran
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7. (C) Mashadani volunteered a read-out of his recent
discussions in Tehran. He said he had offered to bring back
any messages from the Iranians to the Americans, but the
Iranians did not give him one. He told the Iranians that
they should welcome the Americans in Iraq, since they had
toppled the Saddam regime and put a Shia government in its
place. He commented to the Iranians that unless they had a
"Taliban or Baathist agenda" they should not worry about what
the Americans were doing in Iraq. He warned them that if
they were not careful, the U.S.-Iraqi alliance would become
strong, much stronger than anything the West ever had with
Saddam and Iran would be the loser. He insisted that the
U.S. military could not leave Iraq now; if they did, chaos
would result. He also said he told them to stop supporting
the Mahdi Army.

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Stay Away from CPA 17
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8. (C) The Charge asked Mashadani to stop any further
consideration of annulling CPA 17 (that grants immunity to
Coalition Forces and contractors). It was a dangerous issue
for public debate and had best be left alone. Mashadani told
him not to worry, "we won't let you leave; you are our
protectors."
KHALILZAD