DCM DISCUSSES ECON SURGE AND ESCAPED CON WITH PM'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 004628

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON KJUS IZ
SUBJECT: DCM DISCUSSES ECON SURGE AND ESCAPED CON WITH PM'S
CHIEF OF STAFF

REF: BAGHDAD 4592


1. (C) SUMMARY: Deputy Chief of Mission Speckhard met with
Dr. Tariq Abdullah, Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Maliki
on December 19 to discuss plans for an economic surge and to
share information on the case of escaped ex-electricity
minister Aiham Sammarae. The COS was receptive to the DCM's
idea for planning a joint economic surge to match the
security effort and welcomed the intention to work with
Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih. He also seized the
opportunity to press for U.S. help to move the PM's December
16th speech initiatives through the Iraqi Council of
Representatives (reftel). On Sammarae, the COS agreed with
the DCM that there were political and legal issues for both
Iraq and the US in the aftermath of the escape. He said that
the US bore responsibility for securing the International
Zone and as such was at least partly responsible for allowing
Sammarae's escape. Furthermore, the Iraqi people would never
believe that the escape was orchestrated without U.S.
complicity. END SUMMARY.

ECONOMIC SURGE PROPOSAL
--------------


2. (C) The DCM previewed for the COS the idea of planning a
joint economic surge to match the security program. The COS
said he welcomed this proposal and agreed with the DCM's
suggestion that the US should work with DPM Barham Salih to
flesh out these ideas.


3. (C) The COS also took this opportunity to discuss efforts
underway as a result of the PM's December 16th speech. He
said that within the next 2-3 days, the PM would have
committees formed to look at his other initiatives, including
Debaathification reform and military pensions for Saddam-era
Iraqi military personnel. He said there would be a period of
time allotted for militias to give up their weapons, but that
they would face an ultimatum: either disarm, or face the
consequences. Dr. Tariq said that the CoR blocs would have
one week to name ministerial candidates; if they fail to do
so, the PM will make his decisions without their influence.
He said that the CoR never holds to its timelines, that it
makes promises but lacks implementation. The PM has begun to
believe that the blocs stall on issues simply to derail the
GOI, and he is adjusting his tactics to counter this. He must
be strong to maintain favorable public opinion. In the mean
time, the COS said, the PM hopes that the embassy will help
keep pressure on the blocs not to stall.

AIHAM SAMMARAE ESCAPE
--------------


4. (SBU) The DCM raised our concerns over the escape from
Iraqi custody of dual Iraqi-American citizen Aiham Sammarae.
The DCM noted for the COS that EmbOffs as recently as
December 12 raised concerns with the Iraqi Police guarding
Sammarae that certain obvious detention measures were not in
place. For instance, he was not locked in his room, appeared
to have free reign of the facility and the adjacent
buildings, and most alarmingly, that there was a handgun in
Sammarae's possession. The gun was only removed after EmbOffs
and IPLOs asked the Iraqi Police about it; the response from
the Iraqi Police was that one of officers had mistakenly left
it in Sammarae's room. The DCM informed the COS that Sammarae
has spoken to the New York Times and has indicated that his
escape was an "Iraqi job" and that he had help from within
the Ministry of the Interior.


5. (SBU) The DCM tried to dispel the rumor that an American
convoy had absconded with Sammarae. In fact a convoy of four
International Zone Police vehicles did arrive at the facility
at 1330 in order to pick up two Iraqi Police officers and the
lead IPLO to investigate a tip elsewhere in the International
Zone. Sammarae was last seen by the Iraqi Police at the
station well after the convoy departed. The COS explained
that Iraqis would find it hard to believe that the US did not
facilitate his escape, and that the timing of the convoy was
still close enough to the time of his disappearance to raise
suspicions. Also, since the IZ is under U.S. control, the US
bears at least part of the responsibility for his escape. The
DCM responded that Sammarae has claimed to the New York Times
that he left from BIAP, which is under Iraqi control. Dr.
Tariq said that the GOI has arrested the lieutenant colonel
in charge of the station and is investigating others. The DCM
concluded by expressing his concerns over potential
extradition complications should Sammarae find his way to the
US.
KHALILZAD