Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAGHDAD4094
2006-11-01 14:55:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

AL-BATHA MAYOR SEEKS DONOR SUPPORT

Tags:  PGOV PINS ECON EZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6418
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #4094 3051455
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011455Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7801
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC//NSC// PRIORITY
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS BAGHDAD 004094 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINS ECON EZ
SUBJECT: AL-BATHA MAYOR SEEKS DONOR SUPPORT


UNCLAS BAGHDAD 004094

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINS ECON EZ
SUBJECT: AL-BATHA MAYOR SEEKS DONOR SUPPORT



1. (U) This is a PRT Dhi Qar cable.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Dhi Qar PRT and U.S. Army Civil Affairs
(CA) personnel met with the Mayor of Al-Batha, a small town
located approximately 15 KM from provincial capital,
Al-Nasiriyah, on September 12 at the Mayor's office. The
mayor, Mr. Ali Faad Al Shershab, discussed his view of
ongoing US reconstruction projects, the security situation,
and the local population's perception of Coalition Forces in
Dhi Qar. While admitting that the province is "restive," the
mayor stated that Dhi Qar citizens remain thankful that
Coalition Forces overthrew the previous regime and are
looking forward to further cooperation with the PRT and
Coalition Forces as reconstruction proceeds. END SUMMARY.


3. (SBU) The agenda of the meeting included discussions
about ongoing CA projects in Al-Batha, including a road
paving project and an agricultural irrigation project. The
CA lead commander confided privately to the PRT's IPAO prior
to the meeting that the Mayor and the City Council have done
a good job of overseeing the contracting process for these
projects, conscientiously finding quality bidders and
ensuring the contracts were executed correctly.


4. (SBU) During the meeting, the CA commander emphasized to
the Mayor the Coalition Forces' and international donors'
commitment to rebuild Dhi Qar, but indicated it was difficult
to attract donors in the current security environment. He
used as an example the fact that the Tallil U.S. Air Force
Base came under rocket attack last week at the very moment he
was escorting a UN delegation around the base and trying to
communicate to them the relative safety of the province.


5. (SBU) The Mayor and other Iraqi officials present
responded by downplaying the rocket attack on Tallil and
other recent insurgent violence, suggesting that the
insurgency, though a threat to CF, is not popular among
citizens of the province. The Mayor said the local people
consider the American forces as friendly forces because they
are here to rebuild the country and we deposed Saddam
Hussein. Moreover, he emphasized that the people are willing
to cooperate fully with the CF and international donors. He
said the general feeling on the street is that American
forces are not "occupiers," but rather the people who got rid
of Saddam Hussein. The mayor opined that Dhi Qar could be
the stepping stone for the rest of the south: when the rest
of the south sees how well things are going here, people in
the other southern provinces will cooperate more fully with
Coalition Forces.


6. (SBU) COMMENT: The Iraqis are trying hard to communicate
that Dhi Qar is a safe area for PRT, CF, and international
donors and that citizens of the province are serious about
cooperating with us to the extent we can help them rebuild.
Their principal concern is inducing the U.S. side to provide
money and projects. To this end, they take pains to
emphasize that the security situation in Dhi Qar is
relatively stable when compared to other areas of Iraq. They
understand that violence will divert money away from the
province and they thus have a vested interest in cracking
down on militants. The mayor and other Iraqi attendees at
this meeting had definite ideas on how to spend the donors'
money, and were genuinely concerned that donor money not be
wasted on projects based on patronage and that quality
control be assured for every project. END COMMENT.
KHALILZAD