READ OUT FROM JUNE 3 MCNS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 001887 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2017 TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR PINS PNAT PINR IZ SUBJECT: READ OUT FROM JUNE 3 MCNS REF: BAGHDAD 1851 Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C/MNF-I) SUMMARY: Prime Minister Maliki presided over the June 3 meeting of the Ministerial Committee for National Security, during which: -- Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said that, similar to previous years, in advance of the June UNSCR review, he would prepare a letter for the United Security Council on MNF-I presence in Iraq (reftel). -- Minister of Defense summarized the status of the physical security assessment of Iraqi's dams, focusing on reducing the vulnerability to attack of the Mosul, Samarra, Tharthar, and Hamrin dams. -- Maliki raised his concern over the shortage of officers in the Iraqi police and armed services. Ministers of Defense Abdul Qader and Interior Jawad Bulani described their efforts to address the deficiency with MNSTC-I. General Petraeus cautioned against only relying upon recruiting recent Iraqi college graduates to bridge the gap and added the GOI needs to be innovative in developing a strong non-commissioned and commissioned officer programs. Maliki directed both security ministers to provide him with concrete numbers of leaders needed and their plans to fill them. -- Advisor to the PM for Airports and Ports, Ahmed Al-Saadawi briefed on the poor security of the Baghdad International Airport. He seemed to conclude that there was an urgent need for the appointment of one centralized airport authority to rein in the multitude of organizations working within the airport zone, in addition to the contracting of one overall security company. -- Abdul Qader briefed a proposed plan to secure test sites for students throughout Iraq during the exam period from June 12-27. Maliki opposed vehicular curfews during test hours but agreed to cancel all ISF vacation during the test period to ensure adequate security coverage. -- The PM discussed the ongoing trouble in Basra. He said to address the grave security situation he had appointed MOD's Major General Khaluf Shwayid Jalil to oversee security of the province and that he may establish a new Basra emergency security committee. -- The PM raised his concern with the "reconciliation" trend of arming and financially supporting tribes and other groups to fight with the GOI and the Coalition against Al Qaeda. He warned that many of these individuals are actually Al Qaeda supporters or might ultimately turn against the GOI. Zebari Rready to Draft Letter on UNSCR Review -------------- ¶2. (C/MNF-I) Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said he planned to draft a letter to the United Nations Security Council in advance of the June UNSCR 1723 review. He said he had written such letters in 2005 and 2006. Maliki said the letter should discuss GOI political and security progress in the past six months. Maliki further asked that the discussion be continued in a smaller forum rather than the MCNS. Zebari assured Maliki that any letter he drafted would be coordinated with the relevant security ministries and the Council of Representatives. (NOTE: Zebari presented the US Ambassador with a draft letter within 24 hrs of this meeting. MFA has subsequently accepted USG suggested changes, and Post expects the GOI-approved letter to be sent to the Iraqi Mission at the UN shortly.) Dam Security Discussion - Take IV -------------- ¶3. (C/MNF-I) Dam security was discussed for the fourth consecutive week. This week, Minister of Defense Abdul Qader took the lead and outlined the dam security assessment. All MCNS participants agreed that urgent measures should be taken to reduce the vulnerability against attack at the Mosul, Samarra, Tharthar and Hamrin dams. Abdul Qader said ISF had increased security in around area dams. He said traffic was still going over the Mosul Dam and there was an urgent need to build a bridge to divert this traffic. The JHQ Commander Babaqir then described threats to the Mosul Dam and the ongoing grouting operations intended to make it more structurally sound. Abdul Qader assured the PM that a GOI BAGHDAD 00001887 002 OF 003 committee was continuing its assessment and efforts to improve dam security. (NOTE: MNF-I later reported that no traffic is allowed to cross the Mosul Dam.) Maliki Wants More MOD and MOI Officers -------------- ¶4. (C/MNF-I) Maliki raised his concern with the shortage of officers in the Iraqi police and armed services. He mentioned that most officers from the old Army are not culturally capable of serving in the new Iraqi Army. Abdul Qader and Bulani described their efforts to address the deficiency. Abdul Qader said one of the ways MOD plans to bridge the gap is by recruiting college graduates to join the officer rank through an accelerated training program. Bulani said he was working on a similar plan. Maliki agreed this was a good idea and said they would need approximately 10,000 in total. Maliki then stressed he was against the concept of recruiting officers from the former regime noting many were too old and that others would not be able to adapt to the new democratic MOD institution. Commanding General Petraeus cautioned against relying solely upon recruiting recent Iraqi college graduates to make up the deficiency and added the GOI also needs to develop a strong non-commissioned officer program and look at other innovative commissioning programs. Ministers Bulani and Abdul Qader both agreed to continue their officer and NCO growth plans in close coordination with MNSTC-I. Maliki directed both ministers to present him with concrete plans to fill the needed leader positions. BIAP: An Organizational and Security Hazard -------------- ¶5. (C/MNF-I) Advisor to the PM for Airports and Ports, Ahmed Al-Saadawi briefed the poor security of the Baghdad International Airport and how it has hindered the GOI's ability to achieve International Civil Aviation Organization approval. Saadawi concluded that several factors contribute to the security problem but the major one seemed to be the lack of central authority over the multitude of entities working within the airport zone. Saadawi recommended that Maliki: appoint one person to oversee the airport, regularize badging procedures and policy, review renewal of Global Security contract, streamline checkpoint procedures, prohibit Ministers and Parliamentarians from establishing offices in the airport, and dismiss a large number of unnecessary airport employees. (NOTE: GoI is ready to contract with Global Security as the single security entity at BIAP, but the CG and Saadawi argued for the appointment or contracting of one single overall airport manager or management firm to set the policies for all aspects of the airport.) Security Plan for Student Exam Period Under Development -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C/MNF-I) Abdul Qader briefed a plan he is developing with the MOI and Ministry of Education to secure test sites for students throughout Iraq during the exam period between 9am-12pm daily from June 12-27. Abdul Qader said the plan included securing test facilities, roadways leading to the sites, and the convoys/aircrafts that deliver the test materials to the facilities. Abdul Qader said not all provinces would require the same level of security. He then requested Maliki's endorsement of vehicular ban during the hours of the exam in the most at risk provinces and of a no-vacation policy for ISF for the duration of the test timeframe. Maliki agreed to the latter but opposed the former on the grounds that it would be too difficult to implement and enforce a vehicle ban. Basrah Situation is "Very Bad" -------------- ¶7. (C/MNF-I) Maliki said that despite a decrease in attacks last week, Basrah was still suffering from a disturbing number of "political and criminal assassinations" against citizens and high level indirect fire against Coalition forces. He said that based on a recent study prepared by MOD's Major General Jalil Khaluf Shwayid, he was making some changes. Maliki said he has directed MG Jalil to immediately replace the current chief of police and oversee all security in the province. Maliki said he is also thinking of establishing a new Basrah support committee to replace the current one and he would like to engage the tribes to gain their support to stabilize the political situation. (NOTE: Major General Jalil was formerly the notoriously abusive 1st Brigade Commander of the 6th Iraqi Army Division who has been linked to kidnappings, extortion, provision of arms and BAGHDAD 00001887 003 OF 003 equipment to illegal armed militias, criminal dereliction, and gross abuse of military rank and office in disciplining subordinates for arresting Jaysh Al Mahdi (JAM) members or releasing kidnap victims.) PM Concerns: "Reconciliation" Through Armament and Pay -------------- -------------- ¶8. (C/MNF-I) Maliki raised his concern with the "reconciliation" trend of arming and paying tribes and other groups to fight against Al Qaeda. He warned many of these individuals were actually Baath'ists and Al Qaeda supporters while others were only temporary friends who will ultimately turn against the GOI. DPM Salaam al Zubaie, NSA Rubaie, and Abdul Qader chimed in to support Maliki's concerns. Zubaie recommended all such people that want arms and/or financial support to join the fight should be vetted by either he or Vice President Hashimi. Abdul Qader said that ever since the Coalition established Emergency Response Units in Al Anbar he receives tribal leaders every day who want arms and money to fight for the GOI. Maliki said that the Governor was in the best position to vet these groups and he directed a committee be formed to establish standards and procedures for tribal engagement. CROCKER