PRT TIKRIT: PRT-BCT RELATIONS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000134

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPART FOR NEA/I/KATIE NUTT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV MOPS ECON IZ
SUBJECT: PRT TIKRIT: PRT-BCT RELATIONS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL
IN SALAH AD DIN

REF: A. 06 BAGHDAD 4501

B. 06 BAGHDAD 4408


1. (U) This is a PRT Tikrit, Salah ad Din cable. It has been
cleared by the 3rd Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division
(3/82) Brigade Combat Team (BCT),which is the Coalition
Forces (CF) task force with responsibility for the province
of Salah ad Din (SaD).


2. (SBU) SUMMARY. PRT Tikrit and 3/82 BCT have a mutually
beneficial relationship from which the SaD provincial
government profits. 3/82 has the lead on security-related
issues in the province, and the PRT spearheads reconstruction
and development initiatives. Through daily contact at both
the leadership and operational levels, we coordinate policy,
engagements, and implementation of these goals. While the
PRT and BCT have different objectives, which merit separate
chains of command, close coordination has made them
complementary in Salah ad Din. Through this close,
cooperative relationship, both the PRT and BCT have been able
to achieve more than they would have individually, as each
acts as a force multiplier for the other. All of this is
further enhanced by the tremendous policy and logistics
support we receive for PRT objectives from the 25th Infantry
Division responsible for MND-N. END SUMMARY.

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Reconstruction, Non-Kinetic Engagements
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3. (SBU) The PRT spearheads reconstruction and development
initiatives through its functional teams focused in
Governance, Rule of Law, Economic Development, Infrastructure
Reconstruction, and Focused Stabilization in Samarra. In an
effort to streamline reconstruction efforts, the 3/82 BCT
re-arranged its non-kinetic operations targeting to parallel
these functional teams. Planning for all reconstruction and
non-kinetic operations is completely coordinated, with PRT
elements from each of the functional groups as well as our
two Iraq Provincial Action Officers (IPAOs - Foreign Service
officers assigned to do political and economic reporting)
participating in BCT planning and BCT elements engaging in
PRT planning. As a result of the joint planning platforms,
the PRT and BCT also coordinate on usage of reconstruction
funds, such as CERP, IRF, and ESF.


4. (SBU) Through conferences and visits, the PRT provides
expertise to the Civil Affairs (CA) Teams in the BCT's Area
of Operation to enable them to replicate initiatives the PRT
has made at the provincial government level at the city,
qada, and nahia (or subordinate district) levels. For
example, working with the PRT, the Provincial Council
recently approved rules to govern its internal operations,
thus enhancing transparency and accountability in governance.
In January, the PRT is hosting a conference to present those
rules and related information to the civil affairs (CA) Teams
so that they can work to have their respective local councils
adopt similar rules, an effort supported by the Provincial
Council.


5. (SBU) To demonstrate a unified front and synched policy
messages, PRT and BCT representatives regularly hold joint
engagements. In December 2006, the BCT hosted a Dialogue and
Communication Conference (DACC) where PRT and BCT
representatives led community leaders in discussions on
governance, economic development, rule of law, education, and
medical issues (reftel A). All participants were
enthusiastic about the event and requested a continuation of
them; a follow-on DACC is planned for February. In November
2006, the PRT hosted a provincial sheikhs' council meeting
and luncheon where PRT and BCT representatives engaged tribal
sheikhs from throughout the province on their role in
security (reftel B). We will be participating in another
sheikhs, council meeting the week of 14 January to discuss
the way forward and reconciliation in a post-Saddam,
democratic Iraq.

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Security and Kinetic Operations
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6. (SBU) 3/82 BCT has the lead for all security,
anti-terrorism, and kinetic operations. The BCT regularly
meets with the provincial government leadership, including
political and ISF representatives, to coordinate initiatives
and garner political support. The PRT encourages support for
security and the ISF in meetings with contacts as well. The

BAGHDAD 00000134 002 OF 002


IPAO Political and Economic Officers provide situational
awareness about the political and economic context in the
province that informs the planning process for some
operations.

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Synching and Presenting
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7. (SBU) Both the leadership and operational levels of the
PRT and BCT meet regularly and communicate daily for
coordination. A 3/82 BCT Liaison Officer (LNO) attends daily
PRT staff meetings and works as the PRT "Desk Officer" in the
BCT to promote PRT-related issues in the BCT. The 3/82 BCT
S9 ) Civil Military Operations Officer encourages PRT
participation in BCT planning and serves as the BCT "Desk
Officer" in the PRT to promote BCT-related issues at the PRT.
(NOTE: Physically, both the LNO and S9 sit at the brigade,
though both are at the PRT Building on a daily basis. END
NOTE.) Conversely, members of the PRT spend time at the BCT
headquarters and in the field at the component battalions,
working on both policy and practical issues (e.g. How is
corruption at the oil refinery affecting the security
situation and the legitimacy of the provincial government?
How can we measure the corruption?). A PRT-maintained
SIPRNET site allows BCT access to PRT political and economic
reporting as well as weekly situation reports and monthly
assessments. In addition, the PRT and BCT mutually include
each other in briefs to VIPs visiting both institutions.
Through joint presentations, we are able to communicate
better both the security and reconstruction dimensions of the
situation in the province, giving a more holistic picture of
the current state of play.

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Challenges
--------------


8. (SBU) Most coordination challenges stem from the
interaction of the two organizations' parent bureaucracies,
which is minimized to the extent possible on the ground.
However, differences in Areas of Operations (AOs) and in
other similar functional divisions, at times, provide
challenges. For example, the PRT has responsibility for the
political footprint of the province of Salah ad Din; whereas,
the BCT's AO does not include the province's eastern district
of Tuz Khurmatu, whose Provincial Council members are
currently boycotting PC meetings, inhibiting forward movement
on a number of governance issues. This requires additional
planning when, for example, using CERP money for the entire
province. The BCT has worked diligently to smooth any
challenges.

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Comment
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9. (SBU) The PRT and BCT have different, though mutually
supporting, objectives in Salah ad Din, and achieving those
objectives requires separate chains of command. Through
close coordination, the PRT and BCT have created a
multiplying effect and a complementary relationship. The
strong leadership of the BCT has been instrumental in
fostering this productive relationship. The Salah ad Din
provincial government is benefiting from this relationship
through consistent USG policy and coordinated reconstruction
and security initiatives. We are seeing progress in
governance, economic development, rule of law and other areas
that is faster and more sustainable than if we were acting
independently.


10. (U) For additional reporting from PRT Tikrit, Salah ad
Din, please see our SIPRNET Reporting Blog:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Tikrit.
KHALILZAD