Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06HILLAH42
2006-03-12 17:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
REO Hillah
Cable title:
WASIT PROVINCIAL COUNCIL CONDEMNS U.S. ROLE IN GOVERNMENT
how-toVZCZCXRO6093 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHMOS DE RUEHIHL #0042 0711701 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 121701Z MAR 06 FM REO HILLAH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0572 INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0558 RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE RUEHIHL/REO HILLAH 0621
C O N F I D E N T I A L HILLAH 000042
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/12/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KISL PHUM PTER IZ
SUBJECT: WASIT PROVINCIAL COUNCIL CONDEMNS U.S. ROLE IN GOVERNMENT
FORMATION NEGOTIATIONS
CLASSIFIED BY: ALFRED FONTENEAU, REGIONAL COORDINATOR, REO,
AL-HILLAH, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L HILLAH 000042
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/12/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KISL PHUM PTER IZ
SUBJECT: WASIT PROVINCIAL COUNCIL CONDEMNS U.S. ROLE IN GOVERNMENT
FORMATION NEGOTIATIONS
CLASSIFIED BY: ALFRED FONTENEAU, REGIONAL COORDINATOR, REO,
AL-HILLAH, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) SUMMARY. In a contentious meeting with Regional Embassy
Office Al-Hillah staff in Al-Kut, the Wasit Provincial Council
(PC) Chairman and members of Supreme Council for the Islamic
Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) harshly criticized the United States'
role in the ongoing government formation negotiations. According
to PC members, the U.S. bias against Shi'a political figures is
hampering the ability of the Iraqi Government to fight terrorism
throughout the country. PC members also accused the USG of
tacitly supporting the February 22 Samarra Mosque bombing. END
SUMMARY
--------------
WASIT PC TO U.S.: MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS
--------------
2. (C) Jassim Mohammed Rudha, Wasit Provincial Council Chairman
(PCC),speaking on behalf of the entire council, strongly
criticized the perceived role of Embassy officials in the
coalition negotiations in Baghdad. Rudha related an informal
meeting held in Najaf on or about March 1 with other PCCs from
the South Central and Southern provinces. In this meeting, the
attendees agreed that decisions regarding the leadership of the
new government should be left in the hands of the United Iraqi
Alliance, not negotiated with the other major blocs or the
United States.
3. (C) PC member Nasser Mahmud Al-Haddad (SCIRI) followed
Rudha's critique with a long diatribe about the perceived U.S.
involvement in the government formation negotiations. Al-Haddad
said the UIA was perfectly capable of forming a government and
remarked, "the U.S. will not be a coalition partner in the new
Iraqi Government." The results of the December 15 election gave
a clear mandate to the UIA to form a government and choose a
prime minister, according to Al-Haddad, therefore advice from
the U.S. and others is "undemocratic." The other eight PC
members in the meeting, including independent PC members, as
well as Dawa (Iraq) and Badr Organization representatives,
echoed Haddad's comments.
-------------- --------------
SCIRI REP: JABR, JAFARI KEY TO FIGHTING TERRORISM
-------------- --------------
4.(C) Al-Haddad described terrorism in Iraq as solely a Sunni
phenomenon, and pointed to the relative lack of insurgent
activity in Wasit compared to the Western provinces of Iraq as
proof of this assertion. Minister of Interior Jabr and PM Jafari
were doing everything in their power to combat Sunni terrorism,
Al-Haddad opined. Therefore, U.S. efforts to prevent Jafari and
Jabr from assuming ministerial level positions in a new
government are evidence of U.S. bias toward all Shi'a, alleged
Al-Haddad. REO Hillah staff, in response, noted reports of
Ministry of Interior human rights abuses, and emphasized the
importance of credible, non-militia affiliated leadership in the
security ministries as the key to a government of national unity.
-------------- --------------
PC MEMBERS AGREE: U.S. INDIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR SAMARRA
BOMBING
-------------- --------------
5. (C) Al-Haddad, supported by the other PC members in
attendance, also assigned blame for the Samarra bombing to
Coalition Forces. He stated that while it was "likely" that
Coalition Forces were not directly involved in the incident, the
bombing is evidence that Coalition Forces do not take their
responsibility for securing Shi'a religious sites seriously.
Security responsibilities across the country should be turned
over to Iraqi Security Forces as soon as possible, as only ISF
would take seriously the obligation to protect Shi'a shrines.
6. (C) COMMENT. For SCIRI Provincial Council members, the
opportunity to posture before Provincial Council colleagues was
too good to pass up. Nevertheless, the shrill and angry tone
towards the U.S. over the Samarra bombing and coalition
negotiations is new. There is intense interest and speculation
at all levels of the Wasit provincial government in perceived
U.S. involvement in government formation negotiations. For the
Shi'a Islamists of Wasit, lip service to "national unity" is
acceptable, but in the end, anything less than complete
domination of the national government will be perceived as an
affront to the results of the December 15 elections. END COMMENT.
FONTENEAU
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/12/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KISL PHUM PTER IZ
SUBJECT: WASIT PROVINCIAL COUNCIL CONDEMNS U.S. ROLE IN GOVERNMENT
FORMATION NEGOTIATIONS
CLASSIFIED BY: ALFRED FONTENEAU, REGIONAL COORDINATOR, REO,
AL-HILLAH, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) SUMMARY. In a contentious meeting with Regional Embassy
Office Al-Hillah staff in Al-Kut, the Wasit Provincial Council
(PC) Chairman and members of Supreme Council for the Islamic
Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) harshly criticized the United States'
role in the ongoing government formation negotiations. According
to PC members, the U.S. bias against Shi'a political figures is
hampering the ability of the Iraqi Government to fight terrorism
throughout the country. PC members also accused the USG of
tacitly supporting the February 22 Samarra Mosque bombing. END
SUMMARY
--------------
WASIT PC TO U.S.: MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS
--------------
2. (C) Jassim Mohammed Rudha, Wasit Provincial Council Chairman
(PCC),speaking on behalf of the entire council, strongly
criticized the perceived role of Embassy officials in the
coalition negotiations in Baghdad. Rudha related an informal
meeting held in Najaf on or about March 1 with other PCCs from
the South Central and Southern provinces. In this meeting, the
attendees agreed that decisions regarding the leadership of the
new government should be left in the hands of the United Iraqi
Alliance, not negotiated with the other major blocs or the
United States.
3. (C) PC member Nasser Mahmud Al-Haddad (SCIRI) followed
Rudha's critique with a long diatribe about the perceived U.S.
involvement in the government formation negotiations. Al-Haddad
said the UIA was perfectly capable of forming a government and
remarked, "the U.S. will not be a coalition partner in the new
Iraqi Government." The results of the December 15 election gave
a clear mandate to the UIA to form a government and choose a
prime minister, according to Al-Haddad, therefore advice from
the U.S. and others is "undemocratic." The other eight PC
members in the meeting, including independent PC members, as
well as Dawa (Iraq) and Badr Organization representatives,
echoed Haddad's comments.
-------------- --------------
SCIRI REP: JABR, JAFARI KEY TO FIGHTING TERRORISM
-------------- --------------
4.(C) Al-Haddad described terrorism in Iraq as solely a Sunni
phenomenon, and pointed to the relative lack of insurgent
activity in Wasit compared to the Western provinces of Iraq as
proof of this assertion. Minister of Interior Jabr and PM Jafari
were doing everything in their power to combat Sunni terrorism,
Al-Haddad opined. Therefore, U.S. efforts to prevent Jafari and
Jabr from assuming ministerial level positions in a new
government are evidence of U.S. bias toward all Shi'a, alleged
Al-Haddad. REO Hillah staff, in response, noted reports of
Ministry of Interior human rights abuses, and emphasized the
importance of credible, non-militia affiliated leadership in the
security ministries as the key to a government of national unity.
-------------- --------------
PC MEMBERS AGREE: U.S. INDIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR SAMARRA
BOMBING
-------------- --------------
5. (C) Al-Haddad, supported by the other PC members in
attendance, also assigned blame for the Samarra bombing to
Coalition Forces. He stated that while it was "likely" that
Coalition Forces were not directly involved in the incident, the
bombing is evidence that Coalition Forces do not take their
responsibility for securing Shi'a religious sites seriously.
Security responsibilities across the country should be turned
over to Iraqi Security Forces as soon as possible, as only ISF
would take seriously the obligation to protect Shi'a shrines.
6. (C) COMMENT. For SCIRI Provincial Council members, the
opportunity to posture before Provincial Council colleagues was
too good to pass up. Nevertheless, the shrill and angry tone
towards the U.S. over the Samarra bombing and coalition
negotiations is new. There is intense interest and speculation
at all levels of the Wasit provincial government in perceived
U.S. involvement in government formation negotiations. For the
Shi'a Islamists of Wasit, lip service to "national unity" is
acceptable, but in the end, anything less than complete
domination of the national government will be perceived as an
affront to the results of the December 15 elections. END COMMENT.
FONTENEAU