Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09AMMAN2013
2009-09-03 06:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:
IRAQI PARLIAMENTARIANS WARN OF IRANIAN INFLUENCE;
how-toVZCZCXRO7560 RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHIHL RUEHKUK DE RUEHAM #2013 2460606 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 030606Z SEP 09 FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5873 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 002013
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/I AND NEA/ELA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/02/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL EFIN ECON JO IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQI PARLIAMENTARIANS WARN OF IRANIAN INFLUENCE;
PREDICT DIRE RESULTS IN NEXT YEAR,S ELECTIONS
Classified By: DCM Lawrence Mandel for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 002013
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/I AND NEA/ELA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/02/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL EFIN ECON JO IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQI PARLIAMENTARIANS WARN OF IRANIAN INFLUENCE;
PREDICT DIRE RESULTS IN NEXT YEAR,S ELECTIONS
Classified By: DCM Lawrence Mandel for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) Iraqi Parliamentarian Dr. Saleh al-Mutlaq repeated to
Emboffs previous allegations of continuing extensive
corruption in the Iraqi government and wide-spread influence
by Iran. Mutlaq claimed that the Iraqi government, military,
and media, are all under the influence of Iranian-supported
parties. He added that the Iraqi High Electoral Commission
(IHEC) was also controlled and corrupted thoroughly by
Islamists who were easily able to perpetrate fraud, actions
which he predicted would result in a major victory by the
Islamists (and thus Iran) in the upcoming election. He
commented that many Sunnis might boycott the upcoming
election, as they did in 2005.
2. (C) Mutlaq also reported that Iran, in addition to its
other efforts, is now funding both Sunni and Shi'a political
parties in order to gain influence and splinter the
opposition. Mutlaq complained that the government remained
extremely corrupt and incompetent, commenting that upon the
fall of the Saddam regime, many criminals were allowed into
government ministries, with their only credentials being that
they had been imprisoned under Saddam. He decried the
excessive bureaucracy: with everyone afraid to make the
smallest mistake, they refused to make the smallest
decisions, and the simplest tasks required extreme amounts of
paperwork and repeat visits to multiple ministries.
3. (C) Mutlaq then inquired about possible international
observers being present at next year's election to help
ensure fairness, commenting that with the exit of U.S. troops
from Iraq, there would be nothing to stop pro-Iranian
elements from exploiting the Shi'a-led Government of Iraq to
take control. He also asked about U.S. financial assistance
for political parties opposed to the allegedly
Iranian-controlled Shi'a parties.
4. (C) Iraqi Member of Parliament Dr. Nada Ibrahim, a member
of Mutlaq's party (and a licensed physician),supported his
observations, saying that the Islamic parties from both Shi'a
and Sunni sects were gaining more control over the Iraqi
public through pressure, connections, and funds provided by
Iran. Claiming the current "democracy" in Iraq was a
"mockery," she said educated Iraqis society continued to
depart the country, leaving the less educated and more
modestly skilled to run the country. She said the government
had no initiatives to solve any of the current social
problems -- health care and education, for example -- and was
depriving the next generation of Iraqis, many of whom are
currently refugees or internally displaced, of future
opportunities.
5. (C) When Emboff commented that Iraq was now their country
and they, as Members of Parliament, were in a position to
affect change, they countered that there was nothing they
could do because PM Maliki and his government remained under
Iran's heavy influence. They repeated that Iran continued to
make significant inroads. Mutlaq added that the U.S. refusal
to support the anti-Islamists in Iraq, was in effect
abandoning the country to the extremists and the Iranians.
7. (C) Comment: Mutlaq and his party are no fans of PM
Maliki and these complaints are similar to ones we have heard
several times before. Mutlaq is prone to political hyperbole
but fortunately his earlier predictions of the "awakening
movements" falling apart, and that wide-spread violence would
shortly begin anew, did not come to pass. While Iran is
actively supporting various Iraqi Shi'a parties in the run-up
to Iraqi elections, the claim that Tehran is now also funding
Sunni Islamist parties is a new allegation. Post will
continue to meet with Sunni Iraqis in Jordan and report as
new information or new allegations surface. End comment.
Visit Amman's Classified Website at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman
Beecroft
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/I AND NEA/ELA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/02/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL EFIN ECON JO IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQI PARLIAMENTARIANS WARN OF IRANIAN INFLUENCE;
PREDICT DIRE RESULTS IN NEXT YEAR,S ELECTIONS
Classified By: DCM Lawrence Mandel for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) Iraqi Parliamentarian Dr. Saleh al-Mutlaq repeated to
Emboffs previous allegations of continuing extensive
corruption in the Iraqi government and wide-spread influence
by Iran. Mutlaq claimed that the Iraqi government, military,
and media, are all under the influence of Iranian-supported
parties. He added that the Iraqi High Electoral Commission
(IHEC) was also controlled and corrupted thoroughly by
Islamists who were easily able to perpetrate fraud, actions
which he predicted would result in a major victory by the
Islamists (and thus Iran) in the upcoming election. He
commented that many Sunnis might boycott the upcoming
election, as they did in 2005.
2. (C) Mutlaq also reported that Iran, in addition to its
other efforts, is now funding both Sunni and Shi'a political
parties in order to gain influence and splinter the
opposition. Mutlaq complained that the government remained
extremely corrupt and incompetent, commenting that upon the
fall of the Saddam regime, many criminals were allowed into
government ministries, with their only credentials being that
they had been imprisoned under Saddam. He decried the
excessive bureaucracy: with everyone afraid to make the
smallest mistake, they refused to make the smallest
decisions, and the simplest tasks required extreme amounts of
paperwork and repeat visits to multiple ministries.
3. (C) Mutlaq then inquired about possible international
observers being present at next year's election to help
ensure fairness, commenting that with the exit of U.S. troops
from Iraq, there would be nothing to stop pro-Iranian
elements from exploiting the Shi'a-led Government of Iraq to
take control. He also asked about U.S. financial assistance
for political parties opposed to the allegedly
Iranian-controlled Shi'a parties.
4. (C) Iraqi Member of Parliament Dr. Nada Ibrahim, a member
of Mutlaq's party (and a licensed physician),supported his
observations, saying that the Islamic parties from both Shi'a
and Sunni sects were gaining more control over the Iraqi
public through pressure, connections, and funds provided by
Iran. Claiming the current "democracy" in Iraq was a
"mockery," she said educated Iraqis society continued to
depart the country, leaving the less educated and more
modestly skilled to run the country. She said the government
had no initiatives to solve any of the current social
problems -- health care and education, for example -- and was
depriving the next generation of Iraqis, many of whom are
currently refugees or internally displaced, of future
opportunities.
5. (C) When Emboff commented that Iraq was now their country
and they, as Members of Parliament, were in a position to
affect change, they countered that there was nothing they
could do because PM Maliki and his government remained under
Iran's heavy influence. They repeated that Iran continued to
make significant inroads. Mutlaq added that the U.S. refusal
to support the anti-Islamists in Iraq, was in effect
abandoning the country to the extremists and the Iranians.
7. (C) Comment: Mutlaq and his party are no fans of PM
Maliki and these complaints are similar to ones we have heard
several times before. Mutlaq is prone to political hyperbole
but fortunately his earlier predictions of the "awakening
movements" falling apart, and that wide-spread violence would
shortly begin anew, did not come to pass. While Iran is
actively supporting various Iraqi Shi'a parties in the run-up
to Iraqi elections, the claim that Tehran is now also funding
Sunni Islamist parties is a new allegation. Post will
continue to meet with Sunni Iraqis in Jordan and report as
new information or new allegations surface. End comment.
Visit Amman's Classified Website at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman
Beecroft