SADRIST MPS LEAD TIRADE AGAINST MNF-I: SPEAKING TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003515 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/20/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ SUBJECT: SADRIST MPS LEAD TIRADE AGAINST MNF-I: SPEAKING TO THE IRAQI STREET Classified By: Political Counselor Margaret Scobey for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) A Sadrist-led tirade against MNF-I dominated the September 19 session of the Council of Representatives (CoR). Quickly diverting from the legislative agenda, CoR Speaker Mahmoud Mashadani read a short press release from his office in which he "strongly denounced a raid by U.S. forces on the residence of Representative Zainab al-Jibouri." (Note: Jibouri is a Sadrist MP from Sadr City. Additionally, a raid was not conducted on her home; but a routine Iraqi Police Patrol in the city, with US Police Training Team, did enter the site and conduct a search since they found illegal armament outside her home in a vehicle. End note.) Mashadani then permitted Sadrist bloc leader Falah Hassen Shenshel to read his own statement from the podium. In his statement, which lasted about 10 minutes (Note: statements are normally limited to five minutes),Shenshel accused Coalition/American Forces of violating Iraqi sovereignty and targeting Sadrists of late because of the movement's calls for a return of "sovereignty" to Iraq. "The Americans are no different than Saddam if they can detain a mother and child in broad daylight," he ranted, referring to an alleged incident in the al-Jihad neighborhood of Baghdad. ¶2. (U) In the ensuing discussion, which lasted almost another hour, other members weighed in with a mixture of impassioned condemnation of alleged MNF-I violations and calls to regulate the coalition forces. After the Speaker finally ended the discussion to move forward on the agenda, which included second readings of four laws, the Sadrist MPs walked off the floor. The CoR finished the second reading of one law before adjourning for the day. ¶3. (C) Comment: The Sadrists, as CoR Deputy Speaker Aref Tayfour put it to PolCouns later in the afternoon, are speaking their familiar rhetoric to the Iraqi street. (Note: The session was broadcast live on local Iraqi television.) They also may be maneuvering in anticipation of a crackdown by MNF-I and Iraqi forces on Sadrist-affiliated militias in Baghdad and/or previewing their campaign platform for provincial elections. End comment. SPECKHARD