CODEL SHAYS MEETS WITH IRAQI INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 000399 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2016 TAGS: IZ PGOV PINS PREL PTER SUBJECT: CODEL SHAYS MEETS WITH IRAQI INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS Classified By: Acting Counselor for Political-Military Affairs Evan G. Reade for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) On February 4, Iraqi National Security Adviser (NSA) Muwafuq al-Rubaie, accompanied by representatives of Iraq's security services, briefed the CODEL Shays delegation on the overall structure of the intelligence and national security community in Iraq. The briefing began with a slideshow set to stirring music that depicted Iraqis voting in the December 15 National Election. ¶2. (C) Rubaie described how the various Ministries interacted, highlighting the roles played in the interagency process by the Ministerial Council on National Security (MCNS),the Deputy,s level MCNS and the two intelligence committees, namely the National Intelligence Coordination Committee (NICC) and the National Joint Intelligence Analysis Center (NJIAC). ¶3. (C) According to Rubaie and his colleagues, the most significant challenge they face is building institutions that will withstand sectarian divisions. Rubaie opined that a lack of vision about how to build these institutions is holding back their bureaucratic development, depriving the country of effective, permanent institutions capable of serving all Iraqis. ¶4. (C) Rubaie stressed to the CODEL that the political process is diminishing the ranks of the insurgency as many of those in the middle are being convinced to play a role in the process, rather than fighting it with violence. Nevertheless, the terrorists and foreign fighters on the extreme fringes of the insurgency are still responsible for spectacular attacks that cause significant casualties and attract media coverage. The CODEL heard from each of the Iraqi intelligence officials present, each of whom stressed that American troops are still needed in Iraq to ensure stability. Congressman Shays stated that America owes it to Iraq to stay the course, and the other members of the CODEL agreed. ¶5. (U) Congressman Shays (R-CT) was accompanied by Rep. Virginia Brown-Waite (R-FL),Rep. Katherine Harris (R-FL), and Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA). They did not have the opportunity to clear this cable before departing Iraq. KHALILZAD