PRT ANBAR: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH ANBAR TRIBAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003311 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR IZ SUBJECT: PRT ANBAR: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH ANBAR TRIBAL SHEIKH AHMAD AL-RISHAWI REF: BAGHDAD 03198 BAGHDAD 00003311 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ****THIS IS A CORRECTED COPY**** -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) On October 1 the Ambassador met with Sheikh Ahmad Bezia Ftaykhan al-Rishawi, the new leader of the Anbar-based anti-insurgency movement Sahawa al-Iraq, or Awakening Council of Iraq (SAI). Ahmad urged a continued U.S. military presence in Anbar Province, saying that AQI could still make a comeback if Coalition Forces (CF) were withdrawn. He added that Iran would also gain more influence in Iraq if CF withdrew. Ahmad said his anti-insurgency tribal movement was spreading throughout Iraq, noting that Shia tribal leaders from the Karbala area planned to visit Anbar Province next week. He told the Ambassador that Anbar needed additional police forces, because of the vast expanse of Anbar and the multiple international and internal borders it shares. Ahmad said Anbar was receiving minimal assistance from Jordan and Saudi Arabia. End Summary. -------------- New Leader of Anbar Awakening -------------- ¶2. (C) On October 1, the Ambassador met with Sheikh Ahmad Bezia Ftaykhan al-Rishawi, the new leader of the Anbar-based anti-insurgency movement Sahawa al-Iraq, or Awakening Council of Iraq (SAI). The meeting came just over two weeks after Sheikh Ahmad was appointed leader of the pro-Coalition tribal movement, in the wake of his brother Abdul Sattar's September 13 assassination (reftel). Sheikh Ahmad thanked the Ambassador for continued U.S. support for Anbari tribal efforts to rid the province of Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) and other Sunni insurgents. He complained that the GOI did not provide sufficient support for SAI, and that U.S. military assistance was critical for the tribal movement's efforts. The Ambassador thanked Sheikh Ahmad for the visit. -------------- Don't Go Away, Iran May Follow -------------- ¶3. (C) Ahmad urged the Ambassador to work for continued U.S. military presence in Anbar Province, saying that AQI could still make a comeback if Coalition Forces were withdrawn. "If we achieve security in Anbar, we can make it a model for the rest of Iraq," he said. The Ambassador responded that the U.S. was committed to the people of Anbar and Iraq as a whole. The U.S. has established a partnership with the people of Anbar, and the Anbar success story should be transferred to the rest of Iraq. He added that President Bush has made it clear that the U.S. did not plan to change the direction of U.S. policy. ¶4. (C) Iran would gain more influence in Iraq if Coalition Forces withdrew, Ahmad said. He said that Iraqis should not fear normal relations with Iran, but that there is a difference between helpful relations and meddling in Iraq's internal affairs. -------------- Reconciliation -------------- ¶5. (C) Ahmad said that the anti-insurgency tribal movement SAI is spreading throughout Iraq, and that this is proving to be a positive force for sectarian reconciliation. He added that about 60 Shia tribal leaders from the Karbala area planned to visit Anbar Province next week to discuss -- among other things -- security issues and Sunni-Shia cooperation. The Ambassador pointed out that solving the problem of sectarianism is one of the major issues in Iraq. -------------- Help From Our Friends -------------- ¶6. (C) The Ambassador asked Ahmad if Anbaris had received any assistance from Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Ahmad responded that both countries were looking out after their own interests, and that support had been minimal. The Ambassador said that he expected a Saudi delegation to visit Iraq in the near future, to complete preparations for opening an embassy in Baghdad. -------------- More Police -------------- BAGHDAD 00003311 002.2 OF 002 **** THIS IS A CORRECTED COPY **** ¶7. (C) Ahmad said Anbar was in need of additional police forces, because of the vast expanse of Anbar and due to its lengthy international and internal borders. He said that the Provincial Police force currently stood at about 21,000, but that they needed to increase that amount to about 30,000. Ahmad added that he would like to see a CF-Anbar Joint Operations Center established in the province to fight AQI and the insurgency. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶8. (C) Following the meeting, Ahmad shared with PRT Deputy Team Leader his pleasure with the encounter, noting his interest in maintaining a relationship with the Ambassador. This was Ahmad's first trip to Baghdad since Sheikh Sattar's murder, and his first as SAI leader. He was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Maliki and General Petraeus during his stay. After obtaining a U.S. visa, he is scheduled to participate in a late-October, early-November USG-sponsored International Visitor program to the States. CROCKER