MOD/MOI PERSONNEL CHURN INDICATIVE OF POLITICAL

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000521 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2020 TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PINS MCAP IZ SUBJECT: MOD/MOI PERSONNEL CHURN INDICATIVE OF POLITICAL POSTURING IN THE RUN-UP TO THE ELECTION REF: A. BAGHDAD 378 ¶B. BAGHDAD 294 ¶C. 09 BAGHDAD 3295 ¶D. TD 314/0145456-10 ¶E. TD 314/014678-10 BAGHDAD 00000521 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: M-C Cameron Munter for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SECRET/NOFORN) SUMMARY: February 24 media accounts of renewed de-Ba'athification are not new; rather, they represent the culling of up to 376 MoD and MoI personnel previously reported in mid- and senior-level personnel assignments. Many of these personnel movements, however, arguably are unrelated to de-Ba'athification. In an effort to try to counter public perceptions of fragmented command and control in the security sector, the Prime Minister has publicized that he has the power of exception with regards to Accountability and Justice Commission decisions in the security sector. The ongoing movements do not appear to be of concern to the MoD and MoI leadership but are rattling regional security leaders and masking ongoing Da'wa loyalist cadre-building in the security and intelligence sector. End Summary. -------------- -------------- PM spokesperson innoculates MoI, MoD from de-Ba'athification -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Government of Iraq spokesperson Ali al-Dabbagh released a press statement on 24 February that stated "The Accountability and Justice Commission (AJC) decisions in the case of the security commanders are subject to exceptions because they work in the security sectors and are not running for a public office. In the case of political candidates, the decision is final and can't be overturned." -------------- Old wine in new bottle, really same vinegar -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Defense Minister Abdul Qadir and two prominent leaders, General Abud and General Hashim are featured in this re-hashed press report, but they also fall under the category of mandatory retirees (because they are over age 63) who must be annually extended to continue serving in the ministry. Their fates are tied to the election outcome, not institutional de-Ba'athification in MoD insider eyes. Many of these personnel moves also are reported by MoD insiders to be the unwinding of end of administration "deals" for overdue loyalist retirees; efforts by senior leadership to shield veteran MoD and MoI Ba'athists whom they consider non-partisan from worse outcomes than they might otherwise face; and continued Da'wa party cadre placement by the Prime Minister's office (ref. A). ¶4. (SBU) More broadly, MoD and MoI insiders report that there has been regular shuffling for over a month of mid- and senior-level personnel being moved around the ministry, often to appear to be responding to allegations of Ba'athist links, but with the ordered moves intended to have minimal actual effects on the identified personnel (refs. A/B). Most in this category are veteran MoD and MoI Ba'athists whom they say Ministers Abdul Qadir and Bolani, respectively, see as relatively non-partisan and worthy of saving from worse outcomes than they might otherwise face if perceived as left "unscathed," especially by potential "new management." This group also is considered essential to the continued normal Qgroup also is considered essential to the continued normal functioning of the ministries. In the MoD, some of the personnel who also might face dismissal were Kurds associated with the Anfal campaign or the Marsh Arab repression after the Gulf War, but their ultimate status still is undetermined. Finally, in the Defense Ministry, there are approximately 12-15 staff generals who have had sinecures under the protection of DefMin Abdul Qadir. They have been awaiting the recent passage of the Military Service and Retirement Law and reportedly soon will be retired. -------------- -------------- De-Ba'athification more of a regional concern than in Baghdad -------------- -------------- 5.(SECRET) According to press reports, the name of MG Aadel, BAGHDAD 00000521 002.2 OF 002 the Basra Provincial Chief of Police (PCOP),also appears on the de-Ba'athification list. However, MG Aadel told USD-S that he has not heard anything from the MoI about his possible replacement. Similarly, the media is reporting that the PCOPs in Wasit and Muthana are also included in the AJC list. One of the most prominent IA leaders in Southern Iraq, the 8th IA Division Commander and commander of the mid-Euphrates Operations Command, sLTG Uthman, is also on the de-Ba'athification list. Uthman and his officers recently told USD-S that they considered this latest de-Ba'athification move to be political interference with the ISF. -------------- -------------- But some commanders fall victim to Shi'a politics -------------- -------------- 6.(SECRET) Per multiple reports to U.S. Embassy Baghdad and PRT officers, the division commander for the Iraqi Army Sixth division in Baghdad is in the process of being removed and staff Major General Sa'ad in Maysan Operations Command has already been removed. While Ba'athist links may be cited in their removals, their transgressions are reported to be more closely linked to political missteps in the eyes of Prime Minister Maliki. -------------- NIIA now seeing Dawa cadre arrival -------------- 7.(SECRET/NOFORN) As we have noted elsewhere in the Iraqi intelligence community in refs. A-C, the Prime Minister is seeding Da'wa loyalists into the National Information and Investigation Agency (NIIA). The current Deputy Director of NIIA, MG Hasan Kaokaz, was placed by the Prime Minister in October. Additionally, Deputy Minister Hussein Ali Kamal has indicated that 58 Da'wa party members (NFI) have been placed in the NIIA (refs D-E). Furthermore, there are about 125 NIIA personnel on the de-Ba'athification list per the Deputy Minister. Comment: We do not have conclusive evidence that the 125 personnel are part of the 376 person MoD/MoI list, although we find it probable. End Comment. ¶8. (C) COMMENT: The press releases regarding de-Ba'athification come at a time of heightened tensions due to the first round of de-Ba'athification. De-Ba'athification has become a significant campaign issue especially in the south where rival Shi'a parties are engaged in intense political competition. The cloud created by the AJC report also masks both MoD and MoI instinctive institutional self-defense behavior and Prime Minister Maliki's ongoing Da'wa cadre seeding of security posts. Since the politically linked command changes are corrosive to Iraqi Security Force command and control integrity and unit readiness, we will continue closely watching MoD and MoI personnel movements and the net effect on national security. End Comment. HILL