BAGHDAD RESIDENTS DISAPPOINTED IN SECURITY PLAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 001601

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2017
TAGS: PGOV PINS PINR IZ
SUBJECT: BAGHDAD RESIDENTS DISAPPOINTED IN SECURITY PLAN

REF: A. BAGHDAD 546


B. BAGHDAD 781

C. BAGHDAD 1178

Classified by Political Counselor Margaret Scobey for reasons
1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (C) Summary: Over the past week, both Shia and Sunni
Baghdad residents from all parts of the city have expressed
to PRT Baghdad frustration with what they called the
disappointing progress of the Baghdad Security Plan (BSP).
On the security front, most said dire security conditions
still preclude normal life in most parts of the city,
although a few said marginal improvements have decreased
militia and insurgent activity in their areas. Residents
continue to express distrust and fear of Iraqi Security
Forces (ISF),especially the police. All of those interviewed
said there has been no improvement in the provision of
electricity and little improvement in other services such as
trash collection. These perceptions do not match recent
polling data and may reflect overly optimistic expectations
that the early gains of the BSP would continue at a steady
pace of improving conditions. End summary.

Baghdad Residents Complain of Slow Progress on Security
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2. (C) One Shia contact whose brother and uncle were tortured
and executed under the former regime said security conditions
in Baghdad have become so intolerable that she longs for the
days of Saddam Hussein, because at least his regime provided
security. The woman, a resident of Kadhamiya (in north
Baghdad),said that militia activity has picked up in her
area in the past two weeks and is spilling over into
neighboring Adhamiya. She said that she has heard increasing
reports of intra-Shia violence, particularly between Jaysh
Al-Mehdi (JAM) and the Badr Brigade. She said that she would
never call the police to report a crime because they are
often tied to militias and criminal gangs. She added that
several of her friends and relatives have reported
kidnappings to the police, only to have the police inform the
kidnappers that her friends had filed complaints against them.


3. (C) A Sunni resident of Yarmouk (west Baghdad) said
sectarian cleansing has driven nearly all Shia families out
of his neighborhood. He said that shootings and clashes
occur so frequently in his area that he often sleeps in his
office in a neighboring district because he is afraid to
drive home. He said Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) have a
limited presence in the area and that he never sees U.S.
troops.


4. (C) A Shia resident of Al-Qahira (northeast Baghdad, near
Sadr City) said security conditions have deteriorated
slightly in her neighborhood in recent weeks, mostly due to a
spike in mortar attacks and shootings. She said that she
routinely sees dead bodies in the street on her way to work
in spite of increased ISF presence in the area. She said
that she does not feel safe walking alone in the street at
any hour, and that even men will not walk in the street in
groups after dark. When asked if she has confidence in ISF,
she said police &don,t do anything or are criminals.8 She
said the army is more trustworthy but that she would still
rather report problems to U.S. forces.


5. (C) A Shia resident of Al-Salhiya (central Baghdad) said
security conditions have improved slightly in his area since
the start of BSP. He said the increased presence of ISF in
the neighborhood appears to have scared away JAM and Sunni
extremist elements and that he feels fairly safe until he
leaves his neighborhood. He said he would feel safer if
there were more U.S. troops in the area. When asked if he
has confidence in ISF, he said police are often linked to
militias and that he might consider reporting problems to the
Iraqi Army, but only by phone because &terrorists monitor
who visits army installations.8


6. (C) A Shia resident of the predominantly Sunni Ghazalia
neighborhood (west Baghdad) said she fled her house about
three weeks ago after Sunni extremists murdered her husband
and son. She said the family had been thinking of leaving
the area even before the attack due to dire security
conditions.


7. (C) A Shia resident of Jamila (northeast Baghdad) said
security conditions are fairly stable in her area, and that
there has been little sectarian tension in spite of the
presence of Sunni and Shia families. She said she feels
somewhat safer due to increased ISF presence in the area, but
added security conditions in the nearby areas of Sadr City,
Baladiyat, Shaab and New Baghdad are deteriorating due to
increasing tension between JAM and other Shia elements such
as the Badr Brigades. She said that JAM lost some influence

BAGHDAD 00001601 002 OF 003


when many of its leaders left Baghdad ahead of the security
plan, and that the ensuing power struggles for areas JAM once
controlled are causing instability. When asked if she has
confidence in ISF, she said she would feel comfortable
reporting crimes to the police but wouldn,t expect them to
do anything because they are &poorly trained and equipped.8


8. (C) A Sunni resident of Bayaa (in the Rashid district,
southeast Baghdad) said the area has experienced violent
clashes between Sunni extremists, JAM and Kurdish Peshmerga
Army units over the past two weeks. He said JAM is driving
Sunnis out of predominantly Shia areas and that the Peshmerga
have sided with the Sunnis in clashes with JAM. He added that
he has never seen American troops in his neighborhood. He
also said that Iraqi police are complicit in JAM activities
and that ISF have repeatedly failed to act on tips that JAM
uses the Zahra Husseiniya (Shia mosque) as a weapons depot
and operations center.


9. (C) A Shia resident of Bayaa said JAM has destroyed at
least three Sunni mosques in the area in the past two weeks
(the Fatah Bash, Kautha and Rahman mosques). He said that
security conditions are so terrible in the area that he stays
home as much as possible. (MNC-I comment: Neither Corps nor
MND-Baghdad can confirm that JAM has destroyed the Fatah
Bash, Kautha and Rahman mosques End comment.)


10. (C) A Shia resident of New Baghdad (east Baghdad) said
security conditions in her area are even worse than they were
before BSP and that she lives in constant fear. She said JAM
is active in the area and has been killing and expelling
Sunnis. She said JAM also targets Shia thought to be working
with the U.S. When asked if she has confidence in ISF, she
said she would never call the police due to the presence of
militia supporters and criminals within police ranks.


11. (C) Two Shia residents of Karrada (east Baghdad) said
security conditions are fairly good in their area and that
their only pressing security concern is car bombs. They said
the presence of ISF and the security teams of the many Iraqi
officials who live in the area contribute to stability.

Residents Complain about Electricity, Trash Collection
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12. (C) All of the above contacts said they have either the
same amount of electricity as before the beginning of BSP or
less. An Al-Salhiya resident said he has an hour or less of
electricity daily and that he is forced to buy fuel for his
generator on the black market due to chronic state shortages
and his fear of being targeted for a car bombing while
standing in line at a state-supplied fuel station. He said
that trash collectors remove garbage about once every three
days, forcing residents to resort to burning trash rather
than inviting insects and rats.


13. (C) Two Karrada residents said they have two hours of
electricity per day or less and that they often cannot supply
their generators with fuel because lines are too long in the
morning and most fuel stations run out of supplies before
they finish work. They said trash collectors come about every
other day.


14. (C) Residents of New Baghdad and Kadhimiya said they have
about two hours of electricity per day, which they said is
less than before the beginning of BSP.


15. (C) Residents of Yarmouk and Ghazaliya said they have
less than two hours of electricity per day and that trash
collection is erratic.

MNF-I Polling Data
--------------


16. (C) Opinion polling concerning the Baghdad Security Plan
indicates progress regarding security and services since
January. For example, 50.3 % of Baghdad residents feel the
Iraqi police enforce the law in an equitable manner (this is
5.1% better than January 07). Regarding security in April,
35% of Baghdad residents rated their neighborhoods as secure
(2.3% better than January 07). Although most Baghdad
residents are frustrated with basic services, improvement is
occurring in satisfaction rates. For example, although
only 26% of residents are satisfied with trash, this is a
4.6% improvement over January. Against this backdrop of
gradual improvement since January, we clearly have more
ground to cover before most Baghdad residents are truly happy
with conditions. Baghdad residents continue to express their
concerns, as outlined by the individual interview comments
above.

Comment
--------------

BAGHDAD 00001601 003 OF 003




17. (C) Neither comments from Baghdad residents nor polling
data are meant to be a definitive judgment on the Baghdad
Security Plan; both reflect perceptions that are difficult to
measure and constantly changing. These particular comments
are typical of what Baghdad residents have expressed to
PRToffs recently: disappointment with slow improvements in
security conditions and frustration with failed efforts to
improve services. This also tracks with local press
treatment of the BSP. Pessimistic views may result from
having had unrealistic expectations that early gains in the
Baghdad Security Plan would continue on a steady trajectory.
Some residents have mentioned marginal security improvements
in their areas but say they expected more progress nearly
three months into the plan. Baghdad residents, lack of
confidence in ISF, particularly the police, is unmistakable
and underscores at least the perception (if not the reality)
that police are heavily penetrated by militia and criminal
elements.
CROCKER