Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BAGHDAD1646
2007-05-20 16:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

ADMIRAL FALLON URGES SIIC LEADER TO FOCUS ON

Tags:  PREL PGOV PINS IZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0717
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #1646 1401657
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 201657Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1248
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001646 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS IZ
SUBJECT: ADMIRAL FALLON URGES SIIC LEADER TO FOCUS ON
POLITICAL PROGRESS


Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 001646

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS IZ
SUBJECT: ADMIRAL FALLON URGES SIIC LEADER TO FOCUS ON
POLITICAL PROGRESS


Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: In a May 12 meeting with Abdelaziz al-Hakim,
leader of the newly renamed Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council
(SIIC),CENTCOM Commander Admiral William J. Fallon urged
al-Hakim to use his leadership position to work toward
reconciliation. Al-Hakim promised to do so, but noted that
Iraq's problems sprang from Al-Qaeda terrorists, takfiris,
and Saddamists, who would never be reconciled. Al-Hakim
offered several observations on the Baghdad Security Plan and
shared his concern with the security situation even in his
own neighborhood. End summary.


2. (C) Al-Hakim told Admiral Fallon that the Baghdad Security
Plan had achieved some progress, "but if current conditions
persist the plan will not achieve all its goals." He
repeated familiar calls for building a ring around Baghdad
with better checks at entrance points and for accelerating
the training and equipping of Iraqi forces. Admiral Fallon
noted that building a ring around Baghdad might be premature
before neighborhoods inside Baghdad were cleared and asked
al-Hakim whether he thought security had improved in at least
some neighborhoods. Al-Hakim said that there had been some
improvements but then turned to his neighborhood of Karada,
an area geographically protected with additional security
forces protecting the compounds of SIIC and President
Talabani. Despite these additional forces, al-Hakim
continued, "until now it is not safe - sometimes you see six
car bombs in a day."


3. (C) Admiral Fallon observed that the real solution to
Iraq's problems must be political. The central question, he
said, is whether Iraq's people believe Iraqis can live
together. Al-Hakim replied that Iraqis had lived together
without social conflict for hundreds of years. The basic
problem of Iraq today, he continued, is the presence of
Al-Qaeda, takfiris, and Saddamists. These elements, he said,
will always oppose the new Iraq regardless of progress on the
hydrocarbon law or deBaathification. Al-Hakim said that
political efforts toward reconciliation would continue, with
representatives of the three major communities in Iraq
discussing what each community hoped to achieve. He argued
that the Sunnis were at the root of the problem, claiming
that the Shi'a had given up a great deal to convince the
Sunnis to participate in the political process, but with only
mixed results to date.


4. (C) Admiral Fallon urged al-Hakim to be a leader in the
process of reconciliation, noting that Shi'a leaders, as
representatives of the majority, had to lead this process.
He agreed with al-Hakim that Al-Qaeda and the Saddamists
would not accept the new Iraq, but noted that only a small
number of people belonged to these groups. With many Sunnis
who had insisted on resistance now rethinking their position,
Admiral Fallon continued, the time was ripe to renew the push
to reconciliation. He noted that while some countries in the
region, such as Oman, Kuwait, and Egypt, were supportive of
the Maliki government, others, such as Saudi Arabia, were
quite skeptical. He asked al-Hakim to use his leadership
position to take the first steps toward Iraq's skeptics and
convince them to reciprocate with steps toward supporting the
Government of Iraq.


5. (U) This message was reviewed by Admiral William J.
Fallon.
CROCKER