PRT TIKRIT: PERCEPTIONS AND ELECTION PROSPECTS OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004401

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINR KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: PRT TIKRIT: PERCEPTIONS AND ELECTION PROSPECTS OF
THE PROVINCIAL LEADERSHIP IN SALAH AD DIN


Classified By: PRT Leader Stephanie Miley, for reasons 1.4 b/d.


1. (U) This is a PRT Tikrit, Salah ad Din cable.


2. (C) SUMMARY. Recent Coalition Forces (CF) polling in
Salah ad Din's (SAD) major cities revealed that the SaD
Governor is seen as incapable and indecisive; the Deputy
Governor, effective but dictatorial; and Provincial Council
(PC) members, corrupt and self-serving. The Governor and
Deputy Governor positions are indirectly elected through the
PC, so the top provincial positions will go to those who are
able to build the greatest consensus among the PC members.
In the next elections, the PC will likely see a large
turnover, with Sunni plans to participate, and many of the
new members may come from Qada and Nahia councils. If the
Governor and Deputy Governor are able to hang on to their PC
seats, they will have many new challengers for their current
positions. END SUMMARY.

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Incapable and Indecisive Governor
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3. (C) Polling comments from across the province indicated
that Governor Hamad Hamoud al Shakti is seen as "incapable of
fulfilling his job responsibilities" and "too disorganized to
deliver services, like fuel, electricity, and water." While
some individuals see Governor Hamad as a good interlocutor
with the Coalition Forces (CF) and passable at resolving
small problems, most see him as "powerless and without
influence" and second in command to the Deputy Governor.
Formerly a school teacher, the Governor is considered corrupt
for his recent gains in wealth and property, especially for
the rumored construction of a new hospital in Jordan in honor
of his second wife. (NOTE: His second wife, Dr. Amira, the
head surgeon of the maternity ward at the Tikrit Teaching
Hospital, was assassinated in July 2006. END NOTE.)

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Governor: Comment and Re-election Prospects
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4. (C) Since the July 2006 assassination of the Governor's
second wife, he has made more efforts to reach out to the
province. He has visited many of the cities in the province,
and traveled to Balad in an effort to settle the community
after the October clash in sectarian violence.


5. (C) Although the Governor is growing into his role as the
head of the provincial government, he is still largely seen
as incapable and ineffective with administrative affairs. He
may be able to re-gain a seat in the Provincial Council (PC),
but it is unlikely that he will be able to garner enough
support in the PC to be re-elected as Governor.

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Effective, but Dictatorial Deputy Governor
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6. (C) According to the polling, Deputy Governor (General)
Abdullah Ejbarah is very well respected, educated, and
decisive. He is seen as a good administrator and believed to
have control of the provincial government, rather than the
Governor, through his tribal and former military connections.
He is seen to make all the real decisions and "runs the
provincial government." Most SaD residents also perceive him
as working closely with the CF. Many believe he has become
rich in his current position through kickbacks from
contractors who implement reconstruction projects. He is
also seen to favor his tribe, al Jabouri, whose members he
helps with employment and CF detainment issues.

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Deputy Governor: Comment and Re-Election Prospects
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7. (C) A former Brigadier General in the Iraqi Army, well
connected throughout the province, and a decent English
speaker, he is the CF's primary interlocutor in the
provincial government. He was reportedly a level four Baath
Party member, and is therefore only able to hold his position
under the current debaathification regulations because he
obtained a waiver. Many SaD residents believe his
relationship with the CF enabled him to receive it. He
recently told us that he had received a letter from the
central government stating that he was to be removed from
office due to his Baath connections, but we have no other
information on that.


8. (C) General Abdullah clearly has designs on becoming SaD's

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next governor. While likely to be elected to the PC, his
dictatorial style and perceived involvement in corruption may
prevent him from obtaining the province's top seat. In
addition, he may still have to overcome issues with
debaathification regulations.

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Corrupt and Self-Serving Provincial Council
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9. (C) Most SaD residents see the members of the Provincial
Council (PC) as "unwanted, self-serving, and unconcerned with
the citizens needs," according to polling results. PC
members are generally seen as thieves who have become wealthy
through short-changing reconstruction projects and making
inside deals. Some residents have also questioned the role
of the PC in the provincial government.

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PC: Comment and Re-election Prospects
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10. (C) The PC, as a result of the Sunni boycott of the
previous elections, is not representative or respected in the
province. It is likely that most of the PC's current members
will not be re-elected because of the change in voter
demographics (as we believe the Sunnis will participate in
the next elections) and because of the general poor
perception of the PC members and their ability to run local
government. Current Qada and Nahia council members will like
successfully contend for PC seats.

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Comment
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11. (C) Far from scientific, these polling opinions are
gathered by CF-trained Iraqis who give their perceptions of
opinions in their communities. Their opinions, however,
match those we routinely hear from other contacts. Possibly
because of the prospect of elections looming, both the
Governor and PC have recently become more functional in their
roles. Although the Governor is making great efforts to
visit communities throughout the province and the PC has
recently passed internal rules and procedures that will make
its operations more democratic, it may be too little too late
to salvage their reputations and re-election prospects. The
Deputy Governor, with his good administrator reputation and
well-established connections, is best poised to find a place
in the provincial government leadership after the next
elections. END COMMENT.


12. (U) For additional reporting from PRT Tikrit, Salah ad
Din, please see our SIPRNET Reporting Blog:
http://blogs.csp.sgov.gov/blojsom/blog/ salahaddin/.

SCOBEY