INFORMAL COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES PETITION SEEKS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001604

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: INFORMAL COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES PETITION SEEKS
TIMELINE FOR U.S. WITHDRAWAL


Classified by PolCouns Margaret Scobey, reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).


1. (C) Summary: Post obtained a copy of a petition signed
by a majority of Iraq's Council of Representative (CoR)
members calling for a timeline for the withdrawal of MNF
troops, which has been the object of much speculation
(translation in para 7). The Sadr Bloc took the lead on
rounding up 144 signatures, many of which are tempered with
"caveats" noted next to the signature -- over 50 citing
stronger Iraqi security forces as a prerequisite to MNF
withdrawal. The petition is non-binding and is not a draft
law, although the Sadrists would like to see a law defining a
timeline for troop withdrawal to answer "the desire of a
majority of CoR members" (while insisting that the GoI
consult the CoR on decisions related to the MNF presence).
Para 8 notes the diversity of individuals putting their names
on the petition. End summary.


2. (C) A petition signed by 144 CoR members calls for a
timeline for the withdrawal of multinational forces. The
measure was spearheaded by the CoR's Sadrist Bloc, which
garnered signatures of its close allies and conditional
endorsement from a broader cross-section of CoR members. We
continue to hear some members (Kurdish and SCIRI, for
example) adamantly deny that they or their parties signed the
document, which nonetheless has names from a number of key
political blocs collected in late April and early May.


3. (C) While it is not a draft law, was not put to a vote,
and is opposed by many CoR members, the petition does have
signatures from over half of the 275 members and was
transmitted to the CoR Speaker on May 8 with a Sadrist call
for the drafting of legislation setting out a withdrawal
timeline. (See para 6 for translation of cover letter, para
7 for translation of petition.) Speaker Mashadani told
PolCouns May 13 that he could not simply disregard a
statement signed by a majority of members, although he was
skeptical that the petition would lead to anything more than
a non-binding resolution which he said should tie MNF
withdrawal to the readiness of Iraqi forces to assume the
security mission -- a linkage clearly on the minds of many of
the signatories to the petition.


4. (C) When the petition came up during the second meeting
of the political committee of the SCIRI strategic dialogue
(septel),SCIRI CoR member Jalal al-Din al-Saghir adamantly
denied that any SCIRI or Badr members signed the petition.
Yet he noted that there was a growing feeling in the CoR that
it should become involved in the question of the presence of
coalition forces, and he claimed that "the provocations" of
coalition forces were causing heightened sensitivity. "We
need your help in reducing the feeling on the street that
many detentions are not justified," al-Saghir continued.
Vice President Abdel Mehdi noted SCIRI's position, as
expressed in its recent platform (BAGHDAD 1587),that the
presence of the coalition forces was temporary and that the
training of Iraqi security forces needed to be accelerated.
He said it would take further work with other groups in the
CoR to develop the correct perspective on the issues raised
by the petition.


5. (C) Comment: We do not sense a danger of the petition
evolving into draft legislation in the near term, although
pressure for the establishment of a withdrawal timeline will
not subside among Sadr supporters in particular, who have
crafted the petition in such a way that it gained at least
the tacit endorsement of a broad cross-section of CoR
parties. The Sadrists have flexed their creative muscle and
again exhibited their penchant for grabbing press headlines
-- keeping the withdrawal issue under the lights. End
comment.


6. (SBU) Informal translation of cover letter to CoR
Speaker. Begin text:

(letterhead of Sadr Bloc, Council of Representatives,
Republic of Iraq)

To the Honorable CoR Speaker
Re: Law on Timeline for Withdrawal of Occupation Forces

Greetings

The respected Speakers Council previously decided to form a
committee comprised of the committees (Legal, Foreign
Relations, and Security / Defense) to present a draft law on
a timeline for the withdrawal of occupation forces
(multinational) from Iraq, to correspond with the approach of
reconsideration by the Security Council according to UNSCR
1723 of the continued presence (or not) of the above-named
forces and it is the desire of the majority of CoR members to

BAGHDAD 00001604 002 OF 002


resolve this situation according to the attached signed
request. We therefore request to:

a -- set a timeline to submit a draft law prior to
reconsideration by the UNSC;
b -- advise the GoI not to extend (the forces' presence)
without reference to the CoR.

With appreciation.

Attachment: Request with signatures of majority of CoR
members

Nasser al-Rubaie
Head of Sadr Bloc in CoR
May 8, 2007


7. (SBU) Informal translation of petition. Begin text:

To: Iraqi CoR Speakers Council / GoI / UN SecGen / Members
of UNSC / Arab League SecGen / OIC President / EU Presidency
-- with appreciation.

Re: Timeline for Withdrawal of Occupation (multinational)
Forces from Iraq

Due to the approaching UNSC review of the presence of
occupation (multinational) forces in Iraq on 15 June 2007 and
due to the isolation of the GoI on all previous occasions
when the presence of occupation forces was extended and due
to constitutional violations (inherent) in the GoI request to
the UNSC to extend the presence of occupation (multinational)
forces without consultation with the CoR and due to the fact
that the CoR represents the Iraqi people and has the right to
ratify international treaties -- including UNSCRs -- and
respecting the desire of the Iraqi people who demonstrate in
request of the departure of occupation forces or a timeline
for their withdrawal, we, the undersigned members of the
Iraqi CoR of the current term, request (at a minimum) to set
a timeline for the withdrawal of occupation (multinational)
forces from our beloved Iraq.


8. (C) The statement is followed by a list of 144 members
with name (handwritten),signature, and comments (many of
which condition support on the building of capable Iraqi
security forces). While difficult to read, following are a
few observations from the 144 signatures:

--- about 75 are UIA (Shia coalition which totals 113 seats);
--- at least 27 of the above 75 are Sadr Movement (total 28
seats);
--- at least 11 are Fadhila Party (previously allied with
UIA, total 15 seats);
--- over 20 appear to be Tawafuq (Sunni alliance with 44
seats),many of these from IIP;
--- Kurdish group is underrepresented, with five (of well
over 50 seats);
--- about 12 appear to be from Ayad Allawi's Iraqi National
List (of 25 seats);
--- over 50 of the comments caveat support on "building Iraqi
forces" to provide security and a few others state that MNF
withdrawal should depend on the security situation;
--- about a dozen call for withdrawal immediately (mostly
Sadr Movement); and
--- a handful call for the GoI to consult with the CoR on
related decisions.
CROCKER