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a comeback if Coalition Forces (CF) were withdrawn.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still make a comeback if Coalition Forces were withdrawn.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