Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BAGHDAD1887
2007-06-07 09:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

READ OUT FROM JUNE 3 MCNS

Tags:  PREL MOPS MARR PINS PNAT PINR IZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8185
RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #1887/01 1580918
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 070918Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1579
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
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).

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