USCENTCOM COMMANDER TELLS MOI THAT SECURITY MUST

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001159

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL MOPS IZ
SUBJECT: USCENTCOM COMMANDER TELLS MOI THAT SECURITY MUST
IMPROVE RAPIDLY


Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Daniel Speckhard for 1.4 (b/d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: In his first meeting with Minister of
Interior Jawad al-Bolani, Admiral William J. Fallon, the
Commander of USCENTCOM, stressed that Iraq's security must
improve rapidly for continued U.S. political support.
Minister Bolani responded that the initial results of
Operation Fardh al-Qanoon (the Baghdad Security Plan) were
promising and that he was confident of success. Bolani
provided an upbeat assessment of other reforms and claimed he
had successfully "cleansed" the Ministry of Interior of
corruption. He said one of his biggest challenges is to hire
qualified, non-sectarian leaders for the ministry. END
SUMMARY.

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Iraqi Security Improving
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2. (C) At a March 25 meeting with Minister of Interior Jawad
al-Bolani, new CENTCOM Commander Admiral William J. Fallon
stressed that security in Iraq must improve quickly if Iraq
wants U.S. domestic political support to be maintained.
Bolani agreed, stating that the early results of Fardh
al-Qanoon (the revised Baghdad Security Plan) were promising.
He highlighted a sharp reduction in sectarian murders in
Baghdad, asserting they had fallen by seventy percent since
the operation's start. He acknowledged, however, that more
work remains to be done, especially in reducing the level of
car bombings.

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Police Bravery and Improvement
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3. (C) Bolani emphasized the sacrifices of MOI policemen,
citing the deaths of over twelve thousand officers since the
removal of Saddam from power. He added that the police were
continually improving their skills in preventing and
responding to vehicle and roadside bomb attacks. He noted
the quick police action in identifying and attacking a March
24 suicide truck bomber as an example of how police are
reducing the effect of mass casualty attacks by stopping
suicide bombers before they reach their targets.

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Ministry of Interior "Cleansed"
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4. (C) Bolani was upbeat in his assessment of the progress
being made against MOI corruption, asserting that he had
successfully "cleansed" the ministry. He said he had
established a climate where Iraqi police know that they are
not "above the law" and that they exist to serve all Iraqis.
He said that the MOI would now be able to develop
"synchronously" with the rule of law. Besides ending
corruption, Bolani said his other main management challenge
was to improve the level of professionalism within the
National Police. He praised the efforts of Multinational
Security Transition Command - Iraq (MNSTC-I) in developing a
"solid foundation" for a high quality, professional security
force for Iraq.

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Working with Sunni Sheiks
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5. (C) Bolani said that despite the violence, Iraq is still
much better than during Saddam's regime because the people
now have hope in the future. He added that the Iraqi people
know that freedom requires patience and sacrifice and they
are dealing with the current challenges with strength.
Bolani emphasized that most of Iraq is relatively calm and
that even the situation in al-Anbar province is improving.
He added that the MOI is reaching out to Iraq's Sunni
population, highlighting recent efforts to recruit police
from Sunni provinces. This has resulted in almost eight
thousand new Sunni recruits. Bolani said that he had just
met with a group of Sunni tribal sheiks from the western
Baghdad suburb of Radwaniyah who had asked for help in
dealing with AQI in its area. Bolani praised the sheiks'
"courageous initiative" and said it was indicative of the
improving relationship between the MOI and the Sunni
population. Bolani said such efforts were critical to
defeating the insurgency and terrorists.


6. (U) This cable was cleared by Admiral Fallon.
CROCKER