BABIL GOVERNOR DISCUSSES RECONSTRUCTION, SADR MEETING,

S E C R E T HILLAH 000101

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 7/10/2017
TAGS: PGOV PTER ECON IZ IR
SUBJECT: BABIL GOVERNOR DISCUSSES RECONSTRUCTION, SADR MEETING,
SECURITY

REF: HILLAH 85

CLASSIFIED BY: Eleftherios E. Netos, Political/Economic Officer,
PRT Babil, REO Al-Hillah, U.S. Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




1. (C) Summary: On July 5, Babil Governor Salem Saleh Mahdi
Al-Muslimawi discussed his security and reconstruction with
Third Infantry Division Deputy Commanding General (DCG),MNF-I
Strategic Effects Deputy Commander Brigadier General and PRT
representatives at the Regional Embassy Office in Babil.
Al-Muslimawi sounded a positive tone when comparing Babil's
economic progress in 2007 with that of previous years, noting
that Iraqis were gaining the experience necessary to execute
budgets and complete projects. On the security front, the
governor discussed the May 29 meeting of regional governors with
Moqtada Al-Sadr in Najaf. Al-Muslimawi said that he and his
fellow governors countered Al-Sadr's calls for opposition to the
Coalition. When pressed by the DCG to provide a more public and
robust stance against militia -- specifically JAM -- activity,
the governor adopted a defensive posture. End summary.

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GOVERNOR: '07 RECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS ON TRACK
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2. (C) On July 5, Babil Governor Salem Saleh Mahdi Al-Muslimawi
met with Third Infantry Division Deputy Commanding General (DCG)
Ed Cardon, MNF-I Strategic Effects Deputy Commander Brigadier
General Kevin Bergner and PRT representatives at the Regional
Embassy Office in Al-Hillah. The meeting opened with
Al-Muslimawi noting progress on the reconstruction front, citing
the province's execution of an alleged 25.1 percent of its
reconstruction budget (to be reported septel) just ahead of the
June 30 Ministry of Finance deadline. The governor contrasted
favorably this year's progress to last year's stagnation, in
which a scant 40 percent of the budget was disbursed, and
attributed the improvement to increased experience on the part
of Iraqis. That said, Al-Muslimawi acknowledged the continuing
obstacles toward greater progress due to continuing instability
in North Babil. The governor also opined that Coalition forces
need to spend more money in the "right" places in Iraq (NFI) and
asked if it would be possible to have an American supervise all
reconstruction projects in his province. (Note: The Local
Governance Project (LGP) is providing such support. End note.)

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REGIONAL GOVERNORS' MEETING WITH SADR IN NAJAF
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3. (S) The rest of the discussion centered on security,
particularly efforts against JAM elements targeting Coalition
forces. DCG presented the governor with photographs of
Iranian-made mortars seized recently from a Babil Office of the
Martyr Sadr (OMS) and called on the governor to offer a more
public and robust stance against the militias. Al-Muslimawi
claimed that he and his fellow governors traveled to Najaf on
May 29 to "explain the situation in Iraq to Moqtada."
Al-Muslimawi further alleged that while Al-Sadr called for a
release to all prisoners who had not killed Iraqis and opposed
the "occupation" forces, he and his fellow governors contended
that Coalition forces were in Iraq to help. The governor added
that he considered this meeting with Al-Sadr to be only an
"initial meeting." When DCG stressed the need to emphatically
call for an end to militia activity and attacks on Coalition
forces in the next meeting, Al-Muslimawi countered that he had
already told Al-Sadr that the governors could not follow his
program. The governor concluded his remarks with an off-hand
request that a new Iraqi Army (IA) unit (NFI) be sent to
Al-Hillah to train security forces. (Note: A new IA unit has
already been sent. It is unclear if the governor is referring
to an additional unit. End note.)


4. (C) Comment: Both military and PRT elements have urged the
governor and several other provincial leaders to denounce the
militias and their activities (reftel). However, these leaders
have not followed through with promises of public denunciation
and continue to demonstrate a lack of support for the Babil
security forces who battle these militant factions daily in the
province. Looming elections also play a factor in officials'
reluctance to speak out against militias. While officially
non-partisan, Al-Muslimawi has close ties to the Islamic Supreme
Council of Iraq (ISCI),the dominant but extremely unpopular
ruling party of the province. For months, the governor's
maneuverings have been guided by the goal of consolidating
ISCI's grip on power prior to provincial elections, elections in
which the Sadrists have the inside edge due to their support in
providing social services. Any actions or statements by the
governor will be taken with an eye toward how it affects his
chances of staying in office. End Comment.

NETOS