DR. AL-KASIR BLAMES IRAQI ARMY FOR HAIFA TERROR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000235 SIPDIS SIPDIS CONFIDENTIAL/REL MNF-I SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2017 TAGS: MOPS MARR PINS PNAT PINR PREL IZ SUBJECT: DR. AL-KASIR BLAMES IRAQI ARMY FOR HAIFA TERROR Classified By: Ambassador Khalilzad, reasons 1.4 (a),(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On January 16, Dr. Quraish Fajir al-Kasir told the Ambassador that the militia-infiltrated Iraqi Army was to blame for the recent eight-day siege of his Sunni-dominated neighborhood. He attributed the ongoing ethno-sectarian violence in Baghdad to 'politicians' such as Jalal al-Saghir, a Shia cleric and Council of Representatives member from the SCIRI party. Dr. Kasir alleged that Saghir is conducting illicit activities from his Baratha mosque in Rayahmania, including launching mortars into Kasir's neighborhood. Despite the violence in Iraq, Kasir remains optimistic that the country will stabilize. Unlike many of his medical colleagues, he said he would not leave Iraq to become "a beggar in another country." He said his plan was to work as a consultant to his good friend, Deputy Prime Minister Zawba'i and to the Acting Minister of Health Dr. Rafi'a al-Essawi. The Ambassador thanked Kasir for his courage and perseverance and encouraged him to pursue his plan to work with the new Acting Minister of Health, to restore integrity to the ministry. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) In a January 16 meeting with the Ambassador, Dr. Kasir discussed the U.S. military operation that rescued Dr. Kasir and his family from their home in the northern end of Haifa Street in central Baghdad. This evacuation occurred after the Embassy received several reports, including from a CBS journalist, that a major Iraqi-led operation on the street had placed Dr. Kasir's house under a virtual siege for more than eight days, endangering his family. Following the rescue, he and his family were taken to the International Zone, where they remain. -------------- BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE ON DR. KASIR -------------- ¶3. (C) Dr. Quraish Fajir al-Kasir is a well known Iraqi surgeon, whose career in medicine spans thirty-two years. He worked and studied overseas, including at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and is the President of the Iraqi Surgical Society. Until recently, he taught courses at Mustansiria University in Baghdad. He is a friend of former Senator Frist (R-TN) and was a guest of President Bush in 2004. -------------- IRAQI ARMY TO BLAME FOR THE TERROR ON HAIFA -------------- ¶4. (C) After thanking the Ambassador for the U.S. rescue mission, Dr. Kasir said the Iraqi Army was responsible for the siege on his street. He added that the IA's actions were directed against the larger Sunni-dominated neighborhood, not just the area immediately around his home. ¶5. (C) Dr. Kasir said the Iraqi Army and U.S. forces arrived in his neighborhood on January 6 in response to an armed uprising. When the U.S. forces left later that day, the IA remained and the 'terror' began. The soldiers began house-to-house searches stealing valuables and breaking household items. Dr. Kasir said he watched soldiers in the street pulling men from their homes. He said that the IA lined 10 of these men up and began shooting them. After the fourth shooting death, the soldiers noticed an approaching U.S. military force patrol. All action stopped and the six remaining men were released. As night fell, the forces withdrew, offering a temporary respite. ¶6. (C) According to Dr. Kasir, the IA forces returned on the morning of January 7 and spent the next week occupying and attacking the neighborhood during the daylight hours. Dr. Kasir said the IA would stop their attacks whenever a U.S. convoy would patrol the area. After about three days, Dr. Kasir began to suspect the he and his family were specific targets. His family huddled in their windowless bathroom as 'snipers' took out most their windows. ¶7. (C) As the situation worsened, Dr. Kasir called his friend, Deputy Prime Minister Zubai, who promised to calling the Prime Minister Maliki and Minister of the Defense Abdul Qader for assistance. When Dr. Kasir reported no assistance, Zubai provided a number of a Colonel Hussein. COL Hussein promised support but after six hours and no sign of support, he called again only to be told by COL Hussein that his forces were 'too busy fighting terrorists to save you.' BAGHDAD 00000235 002 OF 002 ¶8. (C) Dr. Kasir said that at that point, he lost all faith in the GOI and its security forces. Fearing his end was near, he called his few U.S. contacts, including a U.S. network correspondent. He said that within hours U.S. military soldiers arrived and rescued his family from their 'prison home.' They were taken to a secure location within the International Zone, where he and his family remain. -------------- -------------- POLITICIANS TO BLAME FOR THE ETHNO-SECTARIAN VIOLENCE -------------- -------------- ¶9. (C) Dr. Kasir expressed frustration with the increasing levels of ethno-sectarian violence in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq. He said prior to 2003 this was not a problem; Sunnis and Shia lived and worked together for centuries. When asked who is to blame, Dr. Kasir said the 'politicians,' citing Council of Representatives SCIRI member, Jalal al-Saghir as among the most culpable. He said Jalil is using his Baratha Mosque in Rahmaniya as a safe haven for 'his militia' and a headquarters for carrying out attacks against innocent civilians. Dr. Kasir urged military action be taken against the Mosque, as well as the larger neighborhood of Rahmaniya. -------------- DR. KASIR TO 'STAY THE COURSE' -------------- ¶10. (C) Dr. Kasir said that while he would not return to Haifa Street, he would remain in Baghdad. While many doctors he knows have fled Iraq, he still remains hopeful that Iraq will stabilize. Dr. Kasir said he is a consultant to his friend, Deputy Prime Minister Zubai, and said he had developed a strategy to revamp the Iraqi health care system. The Ambassador urged him to contact Acting Minister of Health Dr. Rafi'a al-Essawi about his plan, stressing the former 'Sadrist nest' needed to be cleaned out, overhauled, and restaffed. Dr. Kasir agreed. KHALILZAD