SECDEF MEETS WITH IRAQI NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004698

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/23/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS PTER IZ
SUBJECT: SECDEF MEETS WITH IRAQI NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM

Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (S) SUMMARY: During Secretary of Defense Gates' December
21 meeting with Minister of Defense Abdul Qader Mufraji,
Minister of Interior Jawad Bolani and National Security
Advisor Mowaffuk al-Rubaie, Iraq's key security officials
focused on institutional challenges and capacity building.
They all described the similar challenges they face in
building Iraq's immature security institutions and processes
while trying to combat terrorism and insurgency. END SUMMARY.


2. (S) Minister of Interior Bolani welcomed the new Secretary
of Defense to Baghdad, describing it as a good opportunity to
take stock of what had been accomplished in six months of
democratic government. The situation varied by region, he
said, with three Iraqi provinces having made the transition
from coalition to provincial responsibility for security. He
felt this demonstrated some progress in security and force
development. The National Police were being retrained and
re-qualified; two brigades had already completed the program,
with a third about to start.


3. (S) Bolani acknowledged the importance of regaining the
people's trust. It was important to understand the social
and political context of the security situation, he said, and
to build a police force suited to a democratic system. The
force needed to uphold democratic values and be loyal.
Bolani acknowledged the difficulty of doing so while adhering
to democratic values. Nobody could be above the law. The
other challenge was to develop the force while engaged in
combat. There had been progress in this area, he asserted,
listing the development of forensic capabilities,
establishment of 13 police academies, construction of 258
border fortresses and 13 ports of entry.


4. (S) Reinforcing his belief in core values - loyalty and
accountability - and effective performance, Bolani said that
he was rehabilitating the Ministry of Interior. This would
require patience and time. Procedures had been initiated for
dealing with militia influence. Both corruption and
sectarian extremists must be weeded out and practices that
promote unity established. A key element in doing this was
finding the right leader, Bolani asserted, and he had
succeeded in finding these commanders. He concluded by
remembering the 12,000 police who have so far been killed in
the conflict and expressing his confidence that good will
triumph.


5. (S) Iraqi Minister of Defense Abdul Qader, who had briefly
outlined a more decentralized approach to security operations
in Baghdad in an introductory meeting with the Secretary the
previous evening, devoted his attention to describing the
development of Iraq's armed forces. Abdul Qader said that he
was satisfied with the force's training system but the
logistics system needs additional work. Plans to resolve
this were now being prepared in cooperation with the
Multi-National Security Transition Command.


6. (S) Abdul Qader said that new units were being raised and
existing units manned at higher level. The challenge now was
on increasing the force's mobility. Ten helicopters had been
procured and were now being fitted with the protection
equipment they lack. Sixteen Huey helicopters were also
being acquired. The Iraqi Army 9th Division was a mobile
unit with armored personnel carriers, T-72 tanks and wheeled
armored vehicles such as BTRs.


7. (S) Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance were
also focuses of procurement, with the goal being to acquire
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for each brigade. The Iraqi Air
Force had three C-130 transport aircraft and would acquire
additional medium range planes. The Iraqi Navy would also
expand with the procurement of light boats from Malaysia, he
concluded.


8. (S) Responding to a question from Secretary Gates, Abdul
Qader acknowledged that infiltration of the Iraqi armed
forces by militia groups "could not be denied." This was not
a major problem, he said, due the effective system of
screening of new recruits.


9. (S) Iraq's National Security Advisor described the
functioning of Iraq's "national security architecture."
Important security discussions are held and decisions taken
in the Ministerial Committee on National Security, presided
over by the Prime Minister and including the Ministers of
Defense, Interior, Justice, and the Minister of State for
National Security, Commander of the Joint Forces and the
Director of the National Intelligence Service. The Deputy

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Prime Minister and other ministers, such as the Finance
Ministers also sometimes participate. Rubaie said that the
Deputy Committee for National Security and subordinate
committees are charged with preparing the work of this
committee and situation centers support its functioning.


10. (S) Turning to the intelligence side, he said that the
National Intelligence Coordination Committee was chaired by
the National Security Advisor and included heads of all the
intelligence agencies. This committee had recently agreed on
a draft Intelligence and National Security Law which could
now be sent to parliament for approval. Rubaie said it is
now time for Iraqis to develop a timeline to "take ownership"
of these structures and to improve their functioning. (Note:
much of the staff and administrative work for the committees
and situation rooms continues to be done by MNFI).

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