STRATEGIC SECURITY DIALOGUE LAUNCHED WITH ISCI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001742

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/24/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER MOPS PHUM MARR PINS PNAT IZ
SUBJECT: STRATEGIC SECURITY DIALOGUE LAUNCHED WITH ISCI


Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Daniel V. Speckhard for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C/REL MNF-I) SUMMARY: On May 20, Vice President Adel
Abdel Mehdi told Deputy Chief of Mission Speckhard that the
Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (ISCI) looked forward to
developing a "special" security partnership with the United
States. Abdel Mehdi recommended advancing the relationship
by focusing on four key issues of mutual concern: detention
holding and operations; militia demobilization;
reconciliation; and countering malign Iranian influence. The
DCM said the USG saw such a partnership as critical to its
success in Iraq and agreed to the topics for upcoming
discussions, but added that security institution reform
should be added as a near term topic. The DCM used the
opportunity of the meeting to garner Abdel Mehdi's support
for the latest draft of the Hydrocarbon law. END SUMMARY.


2. (C/REL MNF-I) Vice President and ISCI member Adel Abdel
Mehdi hosted the first in what is to be a series of meetings
on advancing the USG-ISCI strategic security partnership. In
addition to Abdel Mehdi, other ISCI participants included
BADR Organization leaders Hade al-Amri and Tahseen al-Azawi.
The DCM was accompanied by MNF-I Major General Scott.

All ISCI Detainees are Innocent
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3. (C/REL MNF-I) Abdel Mehdi told the DCM and MG Scott that
ISCI would like MNF-I detention problems to be addressed
through the bilateral security dialogue. Abdel Mehdi said
MNF-I is unjustly detaining "dozens" of innocent ISCI
members. These victims, he claims, have been presented with
no evidence against them and have been denied adequate
judicial review. He said that ISCI had asked for evidence
and family visits, but MNF-I had ignored the requests. Abdel
Mehdi said MNF-I interpreters were also to blame for the
unfair detentions, saying they insert their own bias during
investigations and provide invalid information. The DCM
countered that MNF-I upholds internationally accepted
detention standards, that they ensure all detainees receive
regular legal review, and that they are currently reviewing
their detention policy. The DCM recommended detention be the
topic of the next meeting and that MNF-I Commanding General
for Detention Operations Major General Stone provide a
comprehensive briefing on current MNF-I detention practices
and proposals under review such as expedited reviews and a
parole program.

ISCI Wants Pre-Consultative Raids
--------------


4. (C/REL MNF-I) Abdel Mehdi also called for changes to
MNF-I's execution of military operations against ISCI
members. Abdel Mehdi said MNF-I's wide ranging raids had
resulted in destruction of ISCI offices, unjust seizure of
its weaponry, and the illegal detention of its members.
Abdel Mehdi said he had discussed this concern with former
Ambassador Khalilzad who, he said, committed to working with
ISCI leadership and MNF-I to develop new raid procedures.
Khalilzad had agreed to review with MNF-I possible
modifications, including pre-consultations with ISCI leaders
before MNF-I led raids and provisions for ISCI to "quietly"
turn over members identified as wanted by MNF-I. The DCM
agreed to such a discussion, but reminded Abdel Mehdi that
MNF-I is conducting hundreds of raids as part of ongoing
security plan and that ISCI/BADR was not being singled out or
given particular focus. The DCM also stressed the importance
of ISCI working in good faith with MNF-I to ensure that Badr
and ISCI are self-policing and identifying and turning in
"bad eggs".

ISCI Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration
-------------- --------------


5. (C/REL MNF-I) Al Amri said Disarmament, Demobilization,
and Reintegration should also be a priority topic for the
security dialogue. He lamented that four years after Paul
Bremer signed CPA 91, there has been no action by the USG or
the Iraqi Government to effectively deal with the high level
of unsecured weapons "all over Iraq" and the intensification
of militia activity. Meanwhile, ISCI has taken the step of
transforming its military wing, the BADR Corps, into a
political entity called the BADR Organization. Al Amri said
the USG and ISCI needed to work together to get DDR on track
and ensure former BADR military members were integrated into
the Iraqi security forces and civilian jobs or retired and
provided a decent pension.


BAGHDAD 00001742 002 OF 002


ISCI on Reconciliation
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6. (C/REL MNF-I) Al Amri said ISCI is interested in
discussing a way forward on reconciliation and believes it is
critical to stabilizing Iraq. ISCI, however, is frustrated
with the current approach to reconciliation. Al Amri opined
that the USG is so focused on bringing Ba'athists into the
political process, that it has neglected the victims of Iraq,
the Shia. Al Amri said the USG spends day and night trying
to empower the former enemy while the Shia see no
improvements in their lives. He said the Shia are left
without basic services and security and in fear of unfair
detention. Al Amri said it is time the USG worked with ISCI
to develop a more balanced approach, warning that if the USG
continues along its current path, the Ba'athists will resume
power in Iraq.


7. (C/REL MNF-I) The DCM agreed to work with ISCI on
reconciliation. He stressed that the USG expected ISCI to
improve regulation and transparency of the BADR Organization,
noting that even Al Amri has admitted in the past that BADR
had some bad elements. The DCM also stressed the importance
of "opening the door" to the reconcilable elements and
highlighted the U.S. support for Shias noting that they
dominate the federal and provincial governments as a result
of the liberation and democratic institutions that we helped
Iraqis put in place.

ISCI's Honest Friends, the Iranians
--------------


8. (C/REL MNF-I) As part of this security dialogue, Abdel
Mehdi said he would continue to be open about his alliance
with Iran and speak frankly with the USG about Tehran. Abdel
Mehdi said ISCI only deals with honest Iranian interlocutors
and had made clear to them that ISCI will not tolerate any
Iranian action that targets Iraqi Security Forces or
Coalition troops. Abdel Mehdi said he was a bit surprised
that the USG is always complaining about the ISCI/BADR-Iran
relationship while not saying anything about the strong
KRG/Peshmerga-Iranian connection. According to Abdel Mehdi,
the latter partnership is much stronger and has been for
decades. The DCM said the USG will continue to respect a
healthy Iraq-Iran relationship and welcome economic,
cultural, and religious ties, but would not tolerate malign
Iranian actions or ISCI/BADR cooperation that adversely
affected Iraq's stability.
CROCKER