Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08HILLAH1
2008-01-08 16:10:00
CONFIDENTIAL
REO Hillah
Cable title:  

KARBALA SECURITY IMPROVING DESPITE SECURITY EQUIPMENT

Tags:  ECON EAIR PREL IZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7042
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHIHL #0001 0081610
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 081610Z JAN 08
FM REO HILLAH
TO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0883
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1015
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEHIHL/REO HILLAH 1079
C O N F I D E N T I A L HILLAH 000001 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/8/2018
TAGS: ECON EAIR PREL IZ
SUBJECT: KARBALA SECURITY IMPROVING DESPITE SECURITY EQUIPMENT
SHORTAGES

CLASSIFIED BY: Angus Simmons, Team Leader, PRT Najaf, DOS.
REASON: 1.4 (a),(b),(d)



C O N F I D E N T I A L HILLAH 000001

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/8/2018
TAGS: ECON EAIR PREL IZ
SUBJECT: KARBALA SECURITY IMPROVING DESPITE SECURITY EQUIPMENT
SHORTAGES

CLASSIFIED BY: Angus Simmons, Team Leader, PRT Najaf, DOS.
REASON: 1.4 (a),(b),(d)




1. (U) This is a PRT Karbala cable.


2. (C) SUMMARY: On January 2, PRT Leader and PRT off met with IA
Brigadier General Emad Majeed Soumadia'a and Iraqi IP BG Ra'ad,
as well as School Superintendent Hamada in Brigadier General
Soumadia'a's office in Karbala. The following topics were
discussed: the improving Karbala security situation, how the
Iraqi Army (IA) and Iraqi Police (IP) are addressing potential
security concerns during upcoming Ashura-Arbaeen period,
complaints that promised security equipment had not been
delivered, and the beneficial security effects of the Green Belt
Project. The refurbishment of Karbala Agriculture School was
also discussed with school superintendent Hamada. END SUMMARY.


3. (C) BG Emad Soumadia'a said the Hajj was successful and that
Karbala security has few problems. He added that he was
concerned about security during the upcoming Ashura-Arbaeen
because of the large numbers of pilgrims that will transit his
area of operations in Karbala and South Babil Provinces. He
said Major General Uthman will take control of the Operations
Center (OC) in the Karbala area during the Ashura-Arbaeen period
as he has done in the past. Comment: The previous OC commander,
MG Hassan, has been transferred to head the IA 9th Division.
End Comment. The BG said this is an excellent move to counter
potential threats to religious pilgrims. BG also said that
Karbala Governor Ghazali originally planned to be part of the
meeting, but cancelled when the PRT flight was delayed, saying
that the Governor would reschedule at another time. BG Ra'ad
said he was also concerned about security during the upcoming
pilgrimage event. He said a security plan was being finalized
that included deployment of a sniper company, an 800 man
infantry battalion, and a 200 man SWAT element. BG Ra'ad said
he was concerned about resources he had been promised by 3ID
that he had not received. He said radios, concrete barriers,
EOD screening machines, and trucks promised had not yet been
delivered. He noted he had only received 100 radios so far and
that this was much less than his requirements. Comment: We
understand a batch of EOD equipment will be delivered to the IP
from the 3rd ID on January 14. End Comment. Commenting on the
recent meeting between Governor Aqeel and three of Muqtada
al-Sadr's lieutenants, BG Ra'ad noted that he had not been
present, but understood that they had signed a nineteen-point
security agreement with the Governor. However, Ra'ad
characterized the main points of the agreement as follows:
citizens' lives would be protected, property would be protected,
no one was above the law, and weapons should only be in the
hands of the state.


4. (C) The Team Leader asked both BG's if the proposed Karbala
Green Belt project would help security in Karbala. They both
said that any project that employs large numbers of people
enhances security and that unemployment is the root of most
security problems in the province.


5. (C) As a quid pro quo for acquiring the land to expand the
Husaniyah FOB, 3 ID agreed to renovate some structures on the
vocational agricultural school property adjacent to the
Husaniyah IA military base. Superintendent Hamada provided the
Team Leader with a list of key items required for school
refurbishment. The key items included lab equipment, planting
devices, security fences, poultry hatchery refurbishment, and
green house refurbishment. He said he could not provide a
request for classroom refurbishment as that was being reviewed
by the MOE. The Superintendent said the priority should be the
security and training of additional staff members. Comment: The
PRT will also assist the agricultural school with QRF projects
and technical support. End Comment.

SIMMONS