Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BAGHDAD1913
2009-07-14 19:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

PRT SALAH AD DIN: SADDAM'S UNIVERSITY AS A

Tags:  PGOV PREL PTER PINS KPAO SCUL IZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5109
PP RUEHBC RUEHDH RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #1913/01 1951906
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 141906Z JUL 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3931
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001913 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/14/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PINS KPAO SCUL IZ
SUBJECT: PRT SALAH AD DIN: SADDAM'S UNIVERSITY AS A
BELLWETHER FOR CHANGE

Classified By: Salah Ad Din PRT Leader David Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b
).

This is a PRT Salah ad Din (SAD) reporting cable.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001913

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/14/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PINS KPAO SCUL IZ
SUBJECT: PRT SALAH AD DIN: SADDAM'S UNIVERSITY AS A
BELLWETHER FOR CHANGE

Classified By: Salah Ad Din PRT Leader David Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b
).

This is a PRT Salah ad Din (SAD) reporting cable.


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Both the SAD PRT and its Coalition Forces
(CF) partner have had increasing success in building positive
connections with the University of Tikrit, a notable change
from the University's previous unwillingness to work with
Americans generally and open hostility toward CF. Over the
last six months, instead of concentrating money on
reconstruction and development projects, the focus has been
on building relationships between diplomats and scholars,
soldiers and students, and between the University of Tikrit
itself and American schools. This investment of time and
effort has yielded dramatically different results: we are
now welcomed onto the campus several times a week, professors
and students are eager to collaborate, and the President of
the University even hosted a banquet for an Embassy
delegation from the Embassy. This change is not taking place
in isolation. The recent flourishing of connections between
USG agencies and the University of Tikrit reflects a
promising transformation across SAD Province. END SUMMARY.

PAST HOSTILITY TOWARD AMERICANS
--------------


2. (C) In the past, both the SAD PRT and its partner military
units attempted to work with the University of Tikrit, which
was established in Saddam Hussein's hometown in 1987, but
they often encountered a hostile reception from the
University. Few university officials would meet with CF,
and those who did told the U.S. military and the PRT to stay
away from campus. The University has been used as a source
for raising funds for the insurgency, along with helping to
facilitate and harbor insurgents. Indeed, the number two CF
target for the Tikrit battalion remains a professor there,
whom CF assesses to be a leading Al Qaeda in Iraq recruiter
and facilitator.

PD EFFORTS HIGHLIGHT POSITIVE CHANGE
--------------


3. (SBU) But while pockets of tensions remain, during the
last six months both the PRT and its supporting brigade have
received an increasingly positive reception from the larger
university community. At the start of 2009, the SAD PRT
Public Diplomacy Officer (PDO) began a concerted effort at
outreach toward the University. During the PDO's meetings
with faculty from the University, it became clear that
instead of money and projects they sought respect and the
opportunity to reconnect with the world. The PDO started by
focusing on building connections between the University and
its American counterparts.


4. (C) Through a series of video conferences, the PRT has
been able to link the University of Tikrit with several major
American schools. The American schools have embraced the
opportunity to develop relations with Iraqi scholars. They
have extended invitations to professors from Tikrit to come
to their campuses, attend conferences, and some have even
planned trips to come to Iraq. In early June, with help from
the Embassy's Public Affairs section, the University's
President, Dr. Maher Saleh, and two of his colleagues
attended the Atlantic Coast Conference of Universities'
meeting in Istanbul. They were hailed as pioneers at the
conference; the Iraqis described it as "a golden
opportunity." The University of South Carolina's Moore
School of Business is planning to send two high-level
representatives to Tikrit to develop their plans for
partnership.


5. (SBU) The PRT has also been working with the University in
Q5. (SBU) The PRT has also been working with the University in
several other areas. Soldiers now go to campus each month to
hold English chats with students, American officials are now
regularly giving lectures on campus, 500 students attended a
recent college fair organized jointly by the PRT and the
brigade, and on June 24, the University inaugurated the
first study abroad center in Iraq to promote study in the
United States. The brigade recently organized a tour of COB
Speicher for the President of the University and the deans.
During the visit the Iraqi academics suggested that there
should be more joint training initiatives between the
military and the University.

COMMENT
--------------


6. (U) What has been taking place at the University of Tikrit
is a reflection of trends the PRT is seeing across the
Province. As the security situation has improved, once
hostile individuals and institutions are seeing the practical


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