WASIT ISF OFFICERS WARN BORDER IS COMPLETELY OPEN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002441

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2018
TAGS: PGOV IR IZ
SUBJECT: WASIT ISF OFFICERS WARN BORDER IS COMPLETELY OPEN

Classified By: Senior Advisor Gordon Gray for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

Summary
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1. (C) In a July 29 meeting with Senior Advisor Gordon Gray,
41st Fires Brigade Commanding Officer Colonel Richard
Francey, and PRT members, Wasit's chief security officials
complained about political and judicial resistance to Iraqi
Security Forces (ISF) operations and warned that the border
with Iran was "completely open." Iraqi Provincial Director
of Police General Hanin and Iraqi ARMY 32nd Brigade General
Abed predicted that Sadrist candidates would win by "a large
percentage" in the elections, despite the poor reputation of
Jaysh al-Mahdi, but said that Badr, ISCI, Da'wa and other
religious parties were "worse." They warned that a wave of
political assassinations would likely occur in the run-up to
elections. End summary.

Political and judicial resistance
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2. (C) The officials said that security within Kut had
improved substantially since March, crediting their success
to cooperation from local residents, but complained of
political and judicial resistance to their operations. "The
politicians don't like us because we are not with the
religious parties, and many of the judges are afraid," said
Hanin. "The judges want tangible evidence to issue a
warrant, but Iranian intelligence is too skilled to leave
evidence behind," he added. They both expressed a low
opinion of Wasit Governor Abdel Latif Turfa.

Border 'completely open'
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3. (C) The officials stressed the importance of securing
Iraq's Eastern border against what they sarcastically called
"our good friend and neighbor." According to Hanin, the
border from Basrah to Diyalah is "completely open" and
weapons and militants are able to cross freely. "The border
police need to take responsibility, but until now the GOI
doesn't take action against them because portions of the
government are loyal to Iran," claimed Hanin. As a concrete
example, he said that 20 buses under the protection of Ammar
al-Hakim crossed into Iraq daily at Zurbatiyah without being
searched. Hanin alleged that the Iranian government helped
5,000 militants escape to Iran and is now training them in
camps near the border. The officials concluded that Iraqi
intelligence services needed to play a larger role in
combating Iranian networks in southern Iraq.

Sadrists will win in elections
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4. (C) Asked about the Sadr Trend, Hanin said "the movement
is not active; until now they don't have skilled
politicians." However, he added that Office of the Martyr
Sadr (OMS) branches were expanding their humanitarian work,
and both officials stressed the difference between Jaysh
al-Mahdi, who they called "killers without a clue," and
followers of Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr. Despite the poor
reputation of Jaysh al-Mahdi, the officials predicted that
the Sadrists would win "by a large percentage" in the
provincial elections.

Other religious parties are worse
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5. (C) "Badr, ISCI, Da'wa; these are all worse than the
Sadrists," added Hanin, who claimed elections were being
delayed so that religious parties could benefit from
widespread attendance at mosques during the holy days of
Muharram and Ramadan. Abed complimented former prime
minister Ayad Allawi, and offered a joke about former prime
minister Ibrahim Ja'afari's National Reform Movement: "What
is left for Ja'afari since he left the prime ministership?
Nothing but the Sadrists." Hanin warned about the danger of
assassinations during election seeing, saying "unfortunately,
Iraqis still solve their problems by killing," and said he
had instituted a ban on motorcycles in Kut after 3 p.m. daily
due to the frequent use of motorcycles by assassins as well
as a daily curfew from midnight to 4 a.m.

Comment
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6. (C) Although the officials' predictions of a Sadrist
victory are at odds with the views of many contacts, their
warnings over the open border and the dual loyalties of the
religious parties are common themes throughout the south.
Contrary to relationship between the Iraqi ARMY and Iraqi
Police found in many governorates, Hanin did most of the

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talking in the meeting and seemed the more confident and
aggressive of the pair. End comment.
CROCKER