SUNNI VP HASHIMI NOT BRIEFED ON BAGHDAD SECURITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 000296

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: SUNNI VP HASHIMI NOT BRIEFED ON BAGHDAD SECURITY
PLAN, HESITANT TO APPROVE SOE


Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, for reasons 1.4 b and d.


1. (C) During a January 25 meeting, VP Hashimi told the
Ambassador he preferred to appoint a Tawafuq representative
to head the Baghdad Security Mobilization Committee to
working with Ahmed Chalabi. Hashimi observed that he was not
in a position to "mobilize anyone", because no one had
briefed him yet on the plan's details, and he had received
nothing in writing. Hashimi expressed reservations on
signing the State of Emergency, noting that his previous
approval had been contingent upon on a request that the PM
"respect the principles of human rights." While he was not
trying to put any obstacles in Maliki's way, Hashimi said,
the numerous human rights violations over the past months
gave him pause in renewing his approval of the SOE. Hashimi
told the Ambassador that he would sign it, but noted this was
the "last time" he would approve an SOE without evidence of
an improvement in the respect for human rights. Hashimi said
that Colonel Fawzi, newly appointed head of ISF in the IZ,
was a known JAM supporter and would "cause problems." The
Ambassador noted that General Casey was looking into these
allegations.


2. (C) The Ambassador told Hashimi that IIP should continue
its efforts to lobby the Kurdish Alliance and the Shia
Coalition for support on its draft of the De-Baath law. In
the wake of the complex attack against the NDI convoy headed
to the IIP headquarters, the Ambassador said MNF-I assessed
the IIP headquarters and its environs for security threats
and had recently approved an 80K USD plan to enhance security
in the area. The Ambassador noted that an FBI investigation
had begun into the attacks; VP Hashimi said IIP would assist
in any way it could.
KHALILZAD