PRT KARBALA: ANTI-BA'ATH SENTIMENT CREATES STRANGE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 000425 NOFORN SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PASS TO NEA/I E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/2020 TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM IZ SUBJECT: PRT KARBALA: ANTI-BA'ATH SENTIMENT CREATES STRANGE BEDFELLOWS REF: BAGHDAD 386 Classified By: PRT Karbala Team Leader John Kincannon for reasons 1.4 ( b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Karbala report. ¶2. (C/NF) SUMMARY AND COMMENT: (C/NF) Strong anti-Ba'ath sentiment in Karbala has created an odd mix of cooperation and competition among provincial political entities to date. Local Sadrists and followers of former PM Jaafari, including MP Ali al-Adeeb, Da'wa parliamentary bloc leader (running for reelection) and Karbala's Deputy PC Chairman, Nassif Jassim Mohammad al-Khotabi (Da'wa) organized an anti-Ba'athist protest on February 10 in Karbala. PM Maliki's State of Law Alliance (SLA) and the Iraqi National Alliance (INA) have also cooperated in setting up a provincial Accountability and Justice Committee (PAJC),announced by Khotabi on February 11 (reftel). Fouad al-Doragi, another Da'wa candidate, stressed Maliki,s anti-Saddam credentials and ability to stand up to "U.S. interference" to stop the return of Ba'athists to power, at a recent local rally. Most observers see the election in Karbala as a "two horse race" between SLA and INA, which is largely borne out by the election banners appearing around Karbala City. While many commentators at the national level describe Da'wa as a former religious party that has rebranded itself as a nationalist, non-sectarian party, this is not what PRT sees on the ground in Karbala. Perhaps unsurprisingly in this "holy province" with a 95% Shi'a population, Da'wa emphasizes that it is a Shi'a party, takes a hard line against Baathists, and has a surprisingly cooperative relationship with its INA competitors. End summary and comment. ELECTION COOPERATION, NOT COMPETITION -------------- ¶3. (C/NF) The strong anti-Ba'ath sentiment in Karbala has created more cooperation than competition among provincial political rivals to date. An anti-Ba'athist protest on February 10 in Karbala was organized by local Sadrists and followers of former PM Jaafari but also featured two prominent Da'wa leaders, national figure Ali al-Adeeb and Karbala's Deputy PC Chairman, Nassif Jassim Mohammad al-Khotabi. While Ayatollah al-Sistani's two representatives in Karbala publicly adhere to a non-political line, a local PRT employee reported that a friend working at the Holy 
Shrines and other employees were forced by the shrine administration to participate in the February 10 anti-Ba'ath demonstration. ¶4. (C/NF) SLA and the INA also cooperated in setting up a provincial AJC, announced by Khotabi on February 11 (reftel). Iraqi media reported that Tariq Kadifa Ghujayri (Sadrist) and Chairman of Karbala PC's Economy Committee, announced February 13 that forty Ba'athists were discovered working in "very important and sensitive positions." He alleged that most Ba'athists work in education, which is sensitive because it permits them to spread their ideas and ideology to Karbala's youth. Ghujayri's announcement identified him as one of eight members on Karbala's AJC reviewing files of government employees in the province. According to a PRT local employee, other members include Dr. Aqeel Mahmoud al-Khazali Da'wa a former Governor of Karbala, and Ali Mohammed Sharif al-Maliki (Da'wa),PM Maliki's cousin and Chairman of the PC Anti-Corruption Committee. Names of provincial AJC members are not expected to be officially released for security reasons. (COMMENT: The composition of the committee is disturbing as is the report that members of the provincial AJC may be unannounced and hence Qthe provincial AJC may be unannounced and hence non-accountable. Nor are these moral paragons of the local political community. Another Karbala PC member accuses Ghujayri of having ordered the killing of her brother and Khazali has been linked in reporting to corruption and the January 2007 kidnapping and deaths of four Americans at Karbala's Government Center. End comment.) DA'WA CAMPAIGNS AGAINST AMERICA -------------- ¶5. (C/NF) On February 12, a local PRT employee attended the campaign rally of Fouad al-Doragi, perceived by many as the long-standing "eminence grise" of Karbala's Da'wa Party and a COR candidate on the SLA list. Doragi praised Maliki,s accomplishments to attendees and emphasized the importance of an SOL victory that results in the formation of a Shi'a controlled government. Doragi noted Iraq's need to defend itself against challenges by neighboring Sunni countries such as Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and the Arab Gulf countries. Doragi extolled the strength of Maliki,s character, noting how Maliki "stopped the U.S. Ambassador from allowing Ba'athists to return to power" and "said no to the greatest country in the world ) America." HEZBOLLAH NEWSPAPER IN GOVERNOR'S OFFICE -------------- ¶6. (C/NF) As another illustration of the sometimes odd ways in which Da'wa and the INA parties sometimes cooperate as much as they compete in Karbala, PRT officers recently sat in the Governor's antechamber waiting for a meeting. The Governor's staffer thoughtfully changed channels from Iranian TV to the USG-supported station, al-Hurra. Three newspapers were available in large stacks in the Governor's office - two published by the provincial council and the third by the State Department-designated terrorist group, Kata'ib Hezbollah. The newspaper carried a large quarter-page advertisement from the Kuwait-based cell phone provider Zain, several tenders for provincial government projects, and Provincial Governor Hir had given a (not very newsworthy) interview to the paper. FOCUSED ON THE END GOAL -------------- ¶7. (C/NF) COMMENT: Most observers see the March 2010 election in Karbala as a "two-horse race." Only banners for SLA and INA candidates have been noted in the city, home to 70% of the province's population. Although Da'wa is often described by political analysts as a religious party that has rebranded itself as a nationalist, non-sectarian entity, we see little evidence of such rebranding in Karbala. Reflecting the maxim that "all politics are local" in Karbala, Da'wa emphasizes that it is a Shi'a party, takes a hard line against Ba'athists and has a surprisingly cooperative relationship with its INA competitors. Nor is Da'wa bashful about "tweaking the eagle's beak" and misrepresenting U.S. views on the AJC controversy if that's what brings the party faithful to the polls. END COMMENT. FORD