WASIT UIA LEADER LINES UP BEHIND JA'AFARI

C O N F I D E N T I A L HILLAH 000027

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/23/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KISL MOPS IZ
SUBJECT: WASIT UIA LEADER LINES UP BEHIND JA'AFARI

REF: HILLAH 24

CLASSIFIED BY: AFRED FONTENEAU, REGIONAL COORDINATOR, REO,
AL-HILLAH, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




1. (C) SUMMARY. Mohammed Al-Khateeb, outgoing Wasit Deputy
governor and future United Iraqi Alliance (UIA) representative
in the Council of Representatives (CoR),predicted Prime
Minister-designate Ja'afari would survive protracted coalition
negotiations between the UIA and the Kurdish bloc. Al-Khateeb
said that though he supported the idea of a national unity
government, the Shia Islamist bloc must remain the dominant
power in the government. Emboldened by his success in the
December 15 elections, in which he was the number one candidate
on the UIA list in Al-Khateeb has asserted himself as the
leading Shi'a Islamist independent in Wasit. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Deputy Governor Al-Khateeb, in a February 21 meeting at
his office in Al-Kut with REO Al-Hillah staf, said the United
Iraqi Alliance remained stable despite the controversy over the
selection of Ibrahim Al-Ja'afari as the UIA candidate for Prime
Minister. Al-Khateeb conceded that Adil Ad-Mehdi was widely
seen as the better candidate for the post, but he insisted that
Ja'afari would remain Prime Minister, though protracted
negotiations both within the UIA and with coalition partners
needed for a majority in CoR will be necessary. He described
Sadrist support for Ja'afari as unreliable, but said
independents within the UIA would stand firm. (NOTE. Al-Khateeb,
an independent, received the top slot on the Wasit UIA list
against the wishes of Wasit SCIRI leadership. Ja'afari has
reportedly offered him a ministerial level position in the new
government. See reftel. END NOTE.)


3. (C) Al-Khateeb, who after the meeting traveled to Baghdad
with Wasit Fadilha CoR member Basim Sharif to take part in
coalition negotiations, said he supported the idea of a national
unity government in principle. However, he pointedly condemned
Kurdish attempts to outmaneuver the Shi'a Islamist bloc by
forming a coalition of Kurds, Sunnis, and secular CoR
representatives. Al-Khateeb insisted that as the holder of the
largest bloc of seats in the CoR, the right to form a government
lies solely with the UIA. When pressed, Al-Khateeb conceded that
the UIA might be required to show some flexibility, including in
its choice for the PM slot and named TNA Deputy Speaker Hussein
Shahristani as a possible alternative.


4. (C) The continued American and Coalition Forces' (CF)
presence in Iraq will be a prominent issue in the CoR after a
new government is formed, Al-Khateeb offered. He repeatedly
asked about withdrawal plans for American and other CF in the
course of 2006 and insisted that Iraqi Security Forces were
increasingly ready to take over security duties in all parts of
the country. While he expressed some understanding for the
desire to have the Ministries of Interior and Defense headed by
personnel without sectarian and militia connections, he also
described Minister of Interior Jabr as "misunderstood" and
criticized U.S. interference in the process of forming an Iraqi
government.


5. (C) COMMENT. Al-Khateeb, in his last days as Deputy Governor
before moving to Baghdad, continues to live up to his
unpredictable reputation. While always a nominal--though closely
affiliated with SCIRI--independent, his success at the ballot
box on December 15 has allowed him to accentuate his independent
streak further by supporting Ja'afari. Even if the alleged
promise of a ministerial level position does not pan out,
Al-Khateeb will continue as a strong independent voice among the
Shi'a Islamists in Wasit. END COMMENT

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