SUNNIS ARE AMERICA'S FRIENDS, SAYS HARD-LINER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002613

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/05/2017
TAGS: IZ KDEM PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: SUNNIS ARE AMERICA'S FRIENDS, SAYS HARD-LINER

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


1. (C) SUMMARY: Sunni hard-liners Khalaf Allyan and Adan
Dulaymi told Ambassador Crocker that it was up to the U.S. to
fix Iraq's problems by forcing the Shi'a and Kurds to accept
their reconciliation demands, some of which were based on an
unsubstantiated view of Iraqi reality (e.g., Sunnis outnumber
Shi'a, 6.6 million displaced, 1.5 million killed, etc.).
Allyan and Dulaymi want Sunnis returned to their homes and
compensated before provincial elections, an Arab Foreign
Minister, a third of all government positions, and a release
of all detainees in the Coalition's custody. Yet many of
their concerns, which led to the Tawafuq walkout from
government on August 1, reflect mainstream Sunni sentiments
(i.e., the belief that Iraqi Security Forces are sectarian
and routinely violate human rights, that many of the
detainees held by the Coalition should be released, that
Sunnis are marginalized in the Maliki government, and that
the Baghdad Security plan unfairly targets Sunni areas.
Ambassador Crocker told Allyan and Dulaymi that solving
Iraq's problems is an Iraqi responsibility and urged the
Sunnis to remain engaged in the political process.
Displaying his mistrust of moderate Tawafuq leader Tarik
al-Hashimi, Allyan stated that he (Allyan) would not be bound
by any political agreement to which he was not a party. Post
will work to prevent Allyan and Dulaymi from being spoilers
during the upcoming leadership meeting. END SUMMARY.

Khalaf Allyan's Views At Odds with Reality
--------------


2. (C) Shaykh Khalaf Allyan and Adnan Dulaymi, two of the
three leaders of the Sunni Tawafuq Coalition, met with
Ambassador Crocker on August 2 and gave their view of Iraq's
problems and solutions. Allyan declared brashly that he did
not want the U.S. to leave Iraq defeated as that would
strengthen Iran. Sunnis were allies, not enemies of the
U.S., he asserted. Allyan said the Sunnis outnumber the
Shi'a in Iraq by a 6 to 4 ratio. Even excluding the Kurds,
Sunni Arabs amount to 42% of Iraqis with the Shi'a at 37%, he
declared. According to Allyan, Turkomen, Christians, and
other minority groups make up the difference. (Note: Though
a census has yet to be conducted, most objective observers
put the Shi'a at 60% with Kurds and Sunnis at about 20% each
in the Iraqi population. End note.) Khalaf told the
Ambassador that there were 6.6 million displaced Iraqis, 95%
of whom were Sunnis. According to Khalaf, 4.6 million were
abroad, and 2 million were internally displaced. (Note: The
UN estimates the total number of Iraqis displaced at 2.2
million internally and 2 million abroad. End note.) Allyan
said that there were 40,000 Sunnis detained by the Ministries
of Interior and Defense and that 99% of them were innocent -
they were framed by the government. (Note: The Iraqi
Ministry of Human Rights estimates that there are fewer than
20,000 total detainees in GOI custody. End note.) Finally,
Allyan's statement that 1.5 million Iraqis were killed since
March 2003 is wildly at odds with even the most extreme
casualty estimates.

Remedies Equally Excessive
--------------


3. (C) Saying that the U.S. was responsible for what happens
in Iraq, Allyan told the Ambassador that the U.S. must take
control of Iraq and force the Kurds and Shi'a, who "now
controlled everything," to adhere to reconciliation
agreements. If the U.S. does not force the Kurds and Shi'a,
leadership meetings will be useless, said Allyan. Turning to
specifics, Allyan said local elections cannot be held until
all 6.6 million displaced Iraqis return to their homes, have
their security ensured, and are compensated. Moreover,
Allyan said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must be headed by
an Arab and, irrespective of the composition of the Council
of Representatives, all the ministries must have an equal
balance of Sunnis, Shi'a and Kurds. All detainees in
Coalition custody must be released, stated Allyan.

But Some Concerns and Remedies are Mainstream Sunni
-------------- --------------


4. (C) "We have lost the respect of our electorate," said
Allyan, in explaining why Tawafuq withdrew from government on
August 1. It was not just the Maliki government, which has
marginalized and attacked Sunnis, said Allyan, but also the
U.S. government which was at fault. Allyan charged that U.S.
promises on reform, unity, balance, and stability were not
kept. Adnan Dulaymi, complaining about the exclusion of
Sunnis in the government from important decisions, claimed
that there were no Sunni Deputy Ministers, Directors General
nor important commanders in the government. Serious human
rights violations by the Iraqi Security Forces continued

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unabated, with torture and secret prisons. Even when abuses
were uncovered, as in Jedriya Bunker and Site 4, no one was
held accountable, and the perpetrators were not punished.
The Baghdad Security plan primarily targeted Sunnis with
entire neighborhoods under siege. In contrast, actions
planned for Sadr City were announced days in advance so the
Shi'a militia could escape. "We need protection from the ISF
in Sunni areas of Baghdad," said Allyan, proposing that
Peshmerga or Coalition troops replace ISF until local police
units could be formed. Allyan insisted that Iraqi Army units
commanded by Col. Ali continued to terrorize the Yarmouk area
of Mansour in Baghdad. He stated that Iraqi Army units
backed by Coalition troops raided his party headquarters on
August 2, destroying furniture and arresting one of his
guards for no reason. As the meeting was breaking up, Allyan
informed the Ambassador that the Iraqi Islamic Headquarters
in Yarmouk was being mortared. These actions were a direct
result of the Tawafuq walkout, he charged. (Note: Post is
checking on the veracity of these last claims. End note.)


5. (C) The Ambassador strongly rejected suggestions that U.S.
troops took part in a political action against the INDC
offices. He also stressed that all Iraqis share
responsibility for the future of Iraq. Taking the view that
all of the fault lies with the other side is not conducive to
progress, he added. The Sunnis were an essential element in
Iraq's present, past, and future and must remain part of the
political process. The U.S., while not surprised, was
disappointed with the Tawafuq decision to withdraw.


6. (C) Comment: Sunni Tawafuq hard-liners like Khalaf Allyan,
with their outrageous views of reality in Iraq, highlight the
challenges faced by moderate Tawafuq leaders like Vice
President Tarik al-Hashimi. When confronted with a political
setback, Allyan's response is not to temper his demands, but
to exaggerate his claims irrationally and escalate his
demands. Such tactics make it even more difficult to reach a
political accommodation or compromise with the Shi'a and
Kurdish camps. Claiming that most Sunnis back him, Khalaf
went out of his way to state that he would reject any
compromise decisions to which he was not a party - stating
explicitly that Tarik al-Hashimi represents only the IIP, not
the entire Tawafuq. Post will work to prevent Allyan and
Dulaymi from being spoilers during the upcoming leadership
meeting. End comment.

CROCKER