Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAGHDAD3205
2006-08-31 11:36:00
SECRET
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

MCNS - AUGUST 27

Tags:  PGOV PINS PNAT PREL PTER MOPS IZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0175
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #3205/01 2431136
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 311136Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6590
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003205 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINS PNAT PREL PTER MOPS IZ
SUBJECT: MCNS - AUGUST 27

REF: A. BAGHDAD 3157

B. BAGHDAD 2991

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Daniel V. Speckhard for Reasons 1.4 (b
) and (d).

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003205

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINS PNAT PREL PTER MOPS IZ
SUBJECT: MCNS - AUGUST 27

REF: A. BAGHDAD 3157

B. BAGHDAD 2991

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Daniel V. Speckhard for Reasons 1.4 (b
) and (d).


1. (S//REL GBR AUS) SUMMARY: At the Ministerial Council for
National Security (MCNS) on August 27, Prime Minister Maliki
suggested that the looting of a former British base in Maysan
province created a "public perception of defeat" that must be
analyzed. The Baghdad Security Plan is progressing, with
casualties down. The PM strongly supported a new element,
where a variety of barriers will be constructed around
Baghdad to hinder entry and exit of terrorists. A new policy
for security operations at mosques was adopted that clarifies
the authority of the Ministers of Defense and Interior to
order their forces to enter mosques. If people are killed in
or from mosques, the PM supports Iraqi Security Forces
promptly going into the mosque to seize the killers. A new
intelligence organization called the "Office of Information
to Combat Terrorism" now has 17 offices in Iraq, but MCNS
members do not know who supports this group and asked for an
investigation. Deputy Prime Minister Saleh announced his
support for BSP's economic aspects, and instructed the
Finance Minister to increase Baghdad's city budget. Prime
Minister Maliki seemed very confident and in charge, and
appeared to take ownership of both the BSP and the "Baghdad
Berm" aspect of BSP Phase II. END SUMMARY


2. (S//REL GBR AUS) Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki chaired the
MCNS on Sunday, August 27 to hear an update on Phase II of
the Baghdad Security Plan and discuss other issues. Present
for the Iraqis were Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh,
Minister of Defense (MOD) Abdul Qader al-Mufraji, Foreign
Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Minister of Finance (MOF) Baqir Jabr
al-Zubaydi (aka Bayan Jabr),Justice Minister Hashim
al-Shibli, Minister of Interior (MOI) Jawad al-Bolani,
National Security Advisor (NSA) Dr. Mowaffak Rubaie, Minister
of State for National Security Shirwan Wa'ili, and Iraqi

National Intelligence Service (INIS) Director General
Muhammad al-Shawani. The Coalition was represented by Charge
d'Affaires Daniel Speckhard, MNF-I Commanding General George
Casey, newly-arrived UK Ambassador Dominic Asquith, MNF-I
Deputy Commanding General LTG Robert Fry (UK) and Pol-Mil
Counselor (notetaker).

PIC for Thi Qar Province and the Maysan "Looting" Incident
-------------- --------------


3. (S//REL GBR AUS) The PM, referred to an incident at Camp
Abu Naji ("CAN") near Amarah, Maysan Province where armed
local nationals rushed past an Iraqi Army battalion and
looted CAN. MCNS debated blame for the looting incident.
The NSA asserted that a letter from the UK Embassy stated
that CAN would be turned over on September 15, but no one
else was aware of this letter. The MCNS agreed that the
Iraqi public saw this incident as a defeat for the Coalition
Forces, and was a bad precedent. General Casey pointed out
that the British redeployment to another location within
Maysan Province had been coordinated with the Iraqi Army. He
urged the GOI to hold responsible those Maysan people who
mortared and looted CAN. The PM closed by suggesting an
investigation of the CAN looting incident to avoid repeat
incidents.

Baghdad Security Plan Phase II; Thinking About Next Steps
-------------- --------------


4. (S//REL GBR AUS) The Prime Minister was pleased at the
BSP's progress and the prospect that the Baghdad berm would
funnel terrorists through check points , increase potential
for movement surveillance, and hinder their operations (ref
B). The goal is to finish by the beginning of Ramadan,
around September 24. Noting charges that the Iraqi Police
(IP) staffing check points have cooperated with terrorists,
the Prime Minister proposed that both the Iraqi Army (IA),
which is better regarded by the public, and the IP jointly
staff the check points, perhaps with Coalition Force
representation by military police. The MCNS also supported
the emergency purchase of more explosives detection machines
to expedite the passage of motorists through the check
points. The MOD said that once Phase II of clearing inner
Baghdad had finished, MOD would start planning the next steps
to secure Baghdad's outer suburbs where terrorists have VBIED
factories and have launched mortars and rockets into the
city. The MCNS welcomed statistics showing a decline in
deaths in Baghdad, and urged continued aggressive action to
keep the terrorists on the defensive.


BAGHDAD 00003205 002 OF 002


New Policy Toward Mosques
--------------


5. (S//REL GBR AUS) The NSA proposed a new policy to govern
Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) entry into mosques when
terrorists were using them for illegal activities. (Note:
PowerPoint slides describing the policy forwarded to NEA/Iraq
- Pol-Mil Unit.) The policy established two standard
operating procedures - planned operations raiding specific
mosques, and emergency responses by ISF to threats from a
mosque. A media campaign will stress Iraqi religious
leaders' joint condemnation of violence including use of holy
places in order to counteract terrorist propaganda used to
incite sectarian violence. Foreign Minister Zebari urged the
GOI to give guidance to preachers on acceptable topics for
Friday sermons with the threat of withholding their monthly
stipend from the Waqf (Islamic Endowment) to persuade them to
cease sermons favoring the anti-Iraqi Government terrorists.
The PM said that mosques should be respected as holy place as
much as possible, and the ISF should not raid unless the
mosque authorities are notified. That said, he declared the
GOI policy clear that if people are being killed or
terrorists are firing from inside the mosque, then the ISF
can immediately go into a mosque after the killers. Both MOI
and MOD endorsed this policy for their respective Iraqi
Police and Iraqi Army charges.

What is the "Office of Information to Combat Terrorism"?
-------------- --------------


6. (S//REL GBR AUS) MSNS Shirwan noted that 17 offices of the
Office of Information to Combat Terrorism (OICT) had been
identified recently, including one in Baghdad's Mansour
District, and another in Diwaniyah in Qadisiyah Province.
Shirwan said the OICT offices are staffed by "volunteers",
but the offices are in office buildings, and police keep
other cars from parking in lots designated for OICT cars,
suggesting some official affiliation. No one knows who is
behind the OICT. Some MCNS members speculated that Deputy
Prime Minister Zubai (who was not present) is behind this
apparently "parallel intelligence organization," while others
believed former Minister of State for National Security,
Abdul Karim Ali Al-Anzi is pulling the strings. The NSA
suggested that Shirwan be asked to investigate and report
back.

Supporting the BSP with GOI Expenditures
--------------


7. (S//REL GBR AUS) Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh said
that he and the Minister of Finance, Bayan Jabr, had
discussed increasing the central government's budget
allocation to the City of Baghdad by USDOLS 250 million, and
that a meeting would be held the following day with the
Minister of Planning on how best to support the economic
aspects of the BSP. The PM welcomed this news, saying,
"Bring me an approved project supporting the BSP, and I'll
give you the budget allocation for it." He urged greater
focus of economic support projects on those areas of Baghdad
that have been cleared by the IA and CF.

COMMENT
--------------


8. (S//REL GBR AUS) During this meeting, the PM seemed much
more in charge and willing to assert his authority. He was
more adept at summarizing discussion, confirming a consensus
on decisions, and then moving the focus to the next agenda
item. Particularly interesting is that he appeared to have
taken ownership of the BSP, and spoke of the Baghdad Berm
project almost as if he had conceived of the idea himself.
He appeared to have much greater confidence in his ability to
use his forces, both army and police, to achieve the goal of
tamping down terrorism.
SPECKHARD