CODEL POMEROY MEETING WITH AMAR AL-HAKIM

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 004039

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/05/2017
TAGS: PGOV PTER IZ
SUBJECT: CODEL POMEROY MEETING WITH AMAR AL-HAKIM

Classified By: PolCouns Matt Tueller for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: In a December 3 meeting with Syed Amar
al-Hakim, son of ISCI head Abdulaziz al-Hakim, Codel Pomeroy
heard that there are signs of security, economic, and even
political improvement in Iraq. Syed Amar said the Strategic
Partnership Declaration (SPD) proved that a large portion of
the Iraqi people "know what is good for Iraq." In response
to Codel queries, Hakim said Iraqis understand the impatience
of the American people with the slow pace of political
progress. Iraqis also want to see reliance on Coalition
Forces for security to end, but he cautioned, "finish the
mission, and even then stay engaged with us on economic and
political issues." End Summary.


2. (U) Codel Pomeroy (Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-ND; Rep. Ron Kind,
D-WI; Rep. Christopher Shays, R-CT; Rep. Earl Perlmutter,
D-CO; and Rep. Brian Baird, D-WA) met on December 3 with Amar
al-Hakim, leader-in-waiting of the Islamic Supreme Council of
Iraq (ISCI). Hakim was joined by four members of the
ISCI/Badr bloc in the Council of Representatives: Dr. Jenan
al-Obeidi of the Health Committee, Layla al-Khafaji of the
Citizens Complaint Committee, Mona Zalzala of the Finance
Committee, and Hadi al-Amri, Chairman of the Security and
Defense Committee.


3. (C) After welcoming the Codel, Amar al-Hakim, stated that
he did not want to exaggerate the positive, but the security,
economic, and even political situation was improving. As
examples of Iraqis' desire for reconciliation across
sectarian divides, he discussed his successful visit to the
Sunni stronghold of Ramadi, and a visit of Sunni religious
scholars to Najaf. The Sunnis were initially nervous about
the welcome they would receive, but their trepidation was
quickly overcome by the warm welcome they received from
merchants and ordinary people in Najaf. At the political
leadership level, Syed Amar stated, "things get complicated",
but he felt certain that as the security situation improved,
the leaders would begin to move the political process forward
more quickly.


4. (C) Congressman Pomeroy asked for an assessment of the
strength of Iraqi identity over sectarian identity and
observed that Iran seemed intent on promoting sectarianism at
Iraq's expense. Syed Amar, without mentioning Iran (or Saudi
Arabia) by name, agreed that the actions of Iraq's neighbors
had affected the internal situation. "Some neighbors are
fearful of the concentration of U.S. forces...others are
concerned by the introduction of democracy." He said that
the situation with the neighbors was showing some
improvement. The GOI was telling its neighbors that it is
unacceptable to promote conflict on Iraqi soil and that
dialogue must be used to resolve political differences.


5. (C) Congressman Baird asked about evidence that Sunnis and
Shi'ites were reconciling. Syed Amar said there was less
progress than one could hope for, but nonetheless, some
things were happening. ISCI was in dialogue with the Sunni
Arab Tawafuq Front to encourage their return to government,
The Accountability and Justice law (i.e the de-Ba'ath law)
had received a second reading in the CoR. A provincial
powers law agreeable to all parties was close to completion.
Finally, he praised signature of the Strategic Partnership
Declaration and said that this proved that there was a large
sector of the Iraqi people supportive of the relationship
with the U.S. and committed to the larger interests of Iraq.


6. (C) The three female members of the CoR present
introduced themselves and spoke positively about recent
travel to the U.S. and opportunities to observe the U.S.
Congress in session. Each described her priority interests
within the CoR. Finance committee member Mona Zalzala said
her committee had recently marked a significant achievement
with passage of a reformed pension law that restored pension
rights to former Ba'ath party members.


7. (C) Congressman Perlmutter stressed U.S. desire to help
Iraq and then to go home. Congressman Kind cautioned that
the patience of the American people was getting short and
that Iraqi leaders needed to make progress quickly. Syed
Amar closed the meeting by stating that the Iraqi people were
also impatient for political progress from their leaders.
His request to the U.S. was to finish the mission, but stay
engaged afterwards as an economic and political partner.
BUTENIS