ECA A/S AMERI FROM AMBASSADOR ERELI

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002045 SIPDIS STATE FOR R ECA NEA/FO NEA/I E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2018 TAGS: KPAO PGOV IZ SUBJECT: ECA A/S AMERI FROM AMBASSADOR ERELI Classified By: Classified by PAO Counselor Ereli for reasons 1.4(d),(e ) ¶1. (C) Assistant Secretary Ameri: As the new Public Affairs Counselor at Embassy Baghdad, I have been on the ground now for about a month. In that time, it has become clear to me that U.S.-Iraqi relations are at an important crossroads and that the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs can have a decisive impact on this relationship for years to come. The purpose of this message is to solicit your support for an ambitious plan that uses ECA programs to secure America,s interests in this most strategically vital of regions. Context: Political Background And Attitudes ¶2. (C) The next 6-12 months will witness a fundamental transformation in U.S.-Iraqi relations. The conclusion of a Strategic Framework Agreement and the expiration of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1790 on December 31 will mean that Iraq is no longer subject to the terms of a Chapter VII resolution and its relations with the United States will be governed by a bilateral agreement between two fully sovereign and equal states. The psychological impact of this transition on all Iraqis, both government officials and the public at large, cannot be overstated. Five years of internationally mandated protection and the stigma of being branded a threat to international peace and security will come to an end. To Iraqis, this means that they are getting their country back and joining the community of nations as a full and respected equal. Public Diplomacy Op-portunities ¶3. (C) This transition from a relationship dominated by security concerns to one that reflects a more balanced approach to the full range of issues offers unprecedented public diplomacy opportunities. Iraq,s senior leadership is impatient. They want to put the conflicts of the past behind them and return Iraq to normalcy as quickly as possible. While the end of Chapter VII protections and the signing of a Strategic Framework Agreement are important steps toward this goal, they are also pressing for sustained, broad-based engagement that will produce tangible benefits for the Iraqi people and demonstrate the benefits of a close relationship with the U.S. One of the Prime Minister,s inner circle said to me recently, &We want to be like any other country. Instead of American soldiers and checkpoints, we want to see American doctors and professors and students.8 ¶4. (C) ECA programs are the peace dividend that Iraqis for so long have been waiting. While conditions here remain volatile and anything but normal, I believe the time is now for America to demonstrate, visibly and emphatically, its commitment to Iraq,s educational and cultural renaissance. We cannot and should not miss what is an historic opportunity to positively shape the future of this country and our long-term relationship. Education: Fulbright, Fulbright And More Fulbright ¶5. (C) Educational exchanges are our most sought-after and influential public diplomacy program. Iraqis pride themselves on their commitment to and success in higher education. Baghdad University,s law school was the first in the Arab world and will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding this year. Until the 1980,s, Iraq led the Arab world in the number and quality of students studying overseas. As evidence of Iraq,s commitment to the best higher education possible for its citizens, Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki has announced plans to send more than 10,000 Iraqi students abroad for university study each year. ¶6. (C) The Fulbright program is our flagship offering in this area. We currently fund 35 Iraqi scholars for masters programs in the United States. Given the needs and resource potential in Iraq, this number is miniscule. With commitment and creativity, we should be able to increase it ten-fold. The Office of the Prime Minister is keen to establish a bi-national Fulbright Commission, which would bring significant national resources to support the program and signal a true partnership. Similar bi-national commissions in Pakistan, Jordan and Egypt have greatly expanded the size and impact of the Fulbright Program; Iraq deserves no less. This project has the Ambassador,s strong support and we will be moving resolutely to make it a reality. ¶7. (C) What makes the prospect of a bi-national commission all the more exciting is its potential for linking up with the Prime Minister,s foreign scholarship program. In this regard, we will begin immediately to assist the Government of Iraq develop its institutional capacity for managing this program. We will request a visit by the regional student advising officer to Baghdad and Erbil before October 1, 2008, to conduct a needs assessment covering all aspects of international scholarships -- selection of students, identification of and application to schools, visa processes, and administrative support during the years of study and placement activities when students return to Iraq. ¶8. (C) We also seek to make the Fulbright program a true, two-way exchange by bringing American scholars to Iraq on research and teaching grants. We will obviously have to proceed prudently, given the unique challenges of the program environment in Iraq, but it is simply not acceptable to write off the entire country because of discrete problem areas. There are American scholars eager to come here and Iraqi institutions hungry to host them. We should ) responsibly and carefully ) facilitate such exchanges. For example, one of our highest priorities is to place a senior Fulbright scholar at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimaniyah. For the pilot program we envision a 3-4 week visit by an academic specialist to deliver seminars and workshops at AUSI that would be open to faculty and students from AUSI and other institutions. Other educational exchange priorities include: Maintaining the Foreign Student Program at its current level pending a review of the rate of return and of the evolving bilateral partnerships on academic exchanges. We will be requesting a review of the current &no-dependents8 policy. Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FTLA) Program: places young English teachers from overseas in U.S. institutions to assist in teaching Arabic and to enhance their knowledge of the U.S.; Fulbright Visiting Specialists Programs: Direct Access to the Muslim World: brings academicians to the U.S. for 3-6 week periods to lecture and participate in community programs. English Language Teaching: A Strategic Imperative ¶9. (C) The demand throughout Iraq for English language instruction and training is insatiable. Iraqis from all walks of life have been pressing us for assistance in developing a nation-wide network of English-teaching centers and programs. Providing American expertise and assistance in this field should be a strategic imperative for us. There is simply no more effective or direct way to shape the thinking and influence the attitudes of the successor generation. In the battle for hearts and minds, English language teaching is one of our best weapons, and we come to the fight armed with little more than a pea-shooter. We have a single Regional English Language Officer (RELO) in Amman, who covers not only Iraq but the Levant as well. We get visits every 4-6 months, and then only for 2-3 days. ¶10. (C) For a country of 25 million that was closed off to us for more than 20 years and has important centers of learning in at least half-a-dozen major cities, this is grossly insufficient. Our most immediate need is for a visit by the Regional English Language Officer to evaluate needs and recommend a national plan for developing English language teaching capacities. The visit should take place before October 1, 2008. ¶11. (C) We need at least one, full-time English Language Officer focused exclusively on Iraq and based in Baghdad. A second ELO, dedicated to teaching and training support for our 26 provincial reconstruction teams would reap huge dividends as well. We should also strive to recruit English Language Fellows (ELF) to work on provincial reconstruction teams (PRT) and embedded PRTs. In coordination with our PD colleagues in the PRTs, they could provide valuable English language support to institutions throughout the country. Citizen Exchanges: Sustaining The Momentum 12.(C) One of our most important tools to strengthen local governance and teach Iraqis how to be responsible citizens in a democracy is the International Visitor Program. Thanks in large measure to the great work of the dedicated folks in ECA, we have significantly increased the number of grantees for this outstanding program. At 170 for FY 08, Iraq is the largest country program in the world. Keeping it at this level is critical. ¶13. (C) The Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program (IYLEP) is another tremendously successful program. Nearly 125 high school student and 140 university students will travel this summer on the program to various locations in the U.S. I encourage you to meet some of these outstanding young Iraqis when they travel to Washington; they are truly inspirational. I hope that ECA can sustain IYLEP funding at its current level for FY 09. It is one of the most effective ways to reach Iraqi youth. The Arts And Cultural Heritage ¶14. (C) Iraq,s archaeological treasures and rich artistic traditions are world-renowned. Their needs in these areas are great, as are the opportunities for partnership. We have already funded two $50,000 projects from the Ambassador,s fund for cultural heritage. We are developing a proposal for $15 million from the Embassy,s targeted development fund to provide assistance in museum development, site protection and site management, and professional training. We also seek to develop direct internships with archeological institutes and universities such as Chicago, Pennsylvania, SUNY and Yale that will bring America expertise and resources to Iraqi institutions. We look forward to the July visit of ECA,s Rick Ruth and John Russell to develop further our planning in this area. Distance And On-Line Education ¶15. (C) Iraqi educators believe that distance and on-line education can help alleviate the pressures on their education system. Iraqis recognize U.S. leadership in distance and on-line education but Canadian and U.K. institutions are offering more support. We need ECA support in identifying experts and institutions to collaborate with the GOI and develop distance and on-line education capacities. Conclusion ¶16. (C) A/S Ameri, I realize our requests may seem ambitious and will strain limited Bureau resources, but this is no ordinary time or place. President Bush and Secretary Rice have said there is no more important or critical a challenge to U.S. interests than getting it right in Iraq. As the surge winds down and we transition beyond the military phase of this campaign, it falls to us, Public Diplomacy, to step up and do our part in this great and historic endeavor. The government and people of Iraq are watching us closely, looking for signs that we understand their needs and respect their sovereignty. How we respond at this critical juncture in Iraq,s history will have a decisive impact on the future of our bilateral relationship. ¶17. (C) We need not merely ECA resources, but more importantly, the personal commitment of its senior leadership to making Iraq a Bureau priority. I ask you for that support. By acting decisively, we can ensure a powerful and positive legacy for future generations of millions of Iraqis. CROCKER