SUBJECT: PRT TIKRIT: DEPUTY GOVERNOR PUTS FORTH

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000540 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM PINR IZ SUBJECT: SUBJECT: PRT TIKRIT: DEPUTY GOVERNOR PUTS FORTH NEW PLAN FOR SUNNI ENGAGEMENT REF: BAGHDAD 507 ¶1. (U) This is a PRT Tikrit, Salah ad Din cable. ¶2. (SBU) Salah ad Din Deputy Governor Abdullah Ajbarah has been engaged on reconciliation and is keen to see greater Sunni involvement in the political process. In that vein, he passed the following letter to a number of individuals, including MNC-I Commanding General Odierno, PRT officials, and a Western media reporter. He says that many resistance groups in the area have expressed their support for the ideas put forth in the following letter (NFI). ¶3. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT: NOTES ABOUT THE NEW WAY FORWARD IN IRAQ Dear ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to tell you about our idea for reconciliation in Iraq and also about the new American plan in Iraq. ¶1. The plan should concentrate on using political means more than military action, but military action should be taken to complete and close the gaps in the capabilities of the Iraqi Army (IA) and Iraqi Police (IP). We first need to ensure the IPs, especially in Baghdad, are stripped of any militias. ¶2. The constitution should be suspended now and at the same time, we should form a new Iraqi governorate, to include all Iraqi ethnic groups with technocratic ministers. ¶3. We should reinstate certain Ba'ath Party members, along with the former IA members, and security system members also. We must allow for the Ba'ath Party to work again, alongside the other political parties. ¶4. We need to change the election rules from electing a party to electing a candidate, depending on the percentage of persons from each area who vote for that candidate. ¶5. The new constitution should be rewritten to improve it and have all ethnic groups approve it. ¶6. We should start to collect weapons and ordnance from the streets, using a cash-for-weapons program at first, by the law. ¶7. After collecting their weapons, the militias must be dissolved immediately. ¶8. We have to improve the capabilities of the IA and IP. We have to provide them with more and better equipment, like helicopters, intelligence gathering systems, and better communications systems. ¶9. We need to organize present and former Iraqi leaders to discuss and develop our own plan for the future of Iraq, as it concerns the coalition military presence. If we develop our own plan with timeline for withdrawal, the Iraqi people will be more approving and accepting of the current situation. ¶10. We have to minimize the influences of the Iranians and Syrians in our country, and find a way to stop their support for the terrorists in Iraq. ¶11. We need to start major economic development projects in Iraq, especially in the areas of electricity and fuel, so Iraqis can see the progress and feel we are making significant improvements. ¶12. We need to ensure the Coalition Forces (CF) never side with one ethnic group over the other, especially on the issue of dividing power or territory in Iraq. The CF must remain impartial at all times and on all levels. ¶13. We need to ensure the Central Criminal Court of Iraq in Baghdad consists of a representative mix of all ethnic groups to ensure fair trials. These ideas above are the feelings of some of the resistance groups in Iraq and also the Sunni Triangle, with whom I maintain communications, due to my former status. I hope that you pass this to the leaders in the US to get the success in Iraq. With my best regards, BAGHDAD 00000540 002 OF 002 BG Abdullah Hussin Jebarh Deputy Governor Salah ad Din Province, Iraq END TEXT. ¶4. (U) For additional reporting from PRT Tikrit, Salah ad Din, please see our SIPRNET Reporting Blog: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Tikrit. SPECKHARD