VZCZCXRO2015
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHGB #0209/01 0251736
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 251736Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2277
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEPGAB/MNF-I C2X BAGHDAD IZ IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000209 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
REL GBR AUS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2016 
TAGS: PGOV MOPS PINS KCRS IZ
SUBJECT: MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY 
DISCUSSES BAGHDAD SECURITY, PM'S TRIP TO ANBAR, AND 
NATIONAL RECONCILIATION 
 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR ZALMAY KHALILZAD FOR REASONS 1.4 (A), (B), (D 
). 
 
¶1. (C//REL GBR AUS) SUMMARY:  Prime Minister Ja'afari 
convened the Ministerial Committee on National Security 
(MCNS) at his residence the evening of January 22.  Although 
the major topic of discussion was infrastructure security 
(septel), the MCNS also heard reports concerning: the status 
of the security plan for Baghdad; the progress being made to 
provide a security plan to address the upcoming Ashura 
religious observances; and the PM's recent trip to Al Anbar 
Province.  The MCNS also began to focus on the subject of 
national reconciliation.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (C//REL GBR AUS) Prime Minister Ja'afari convened the 
Ministerial Committee on National Security (MCNS) at his 
residence the evening of January 22.  Members of the MCNS 
present at the meeting were the PM, Minister of Interior 
Bayan Jabr, Minister of Defense Saadoun al-Dulime, National 
Security Advisor Dr. Mowaffak al-Rubaie, MNF-I Commanding 
General Casey, Ambassador, and British Ambassador Patey. 
Minister of State for National Security Affairs Karim al-Anzi 
was absent.  DPM Ahmed Chalabi, Minister of Electricity 
Muhsin Shalash, and PM's Chief of Staff Dr. Abdul Aziz 
al-Tamimi also attended. 
 
--------------------- 
BAGHDAD SECURITY PLAN 
--------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C//REL GBR AUS)  MinInterior Jabr reported that, at the 
direction of the PM, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) announced 
and enacted emergency measures to forestall political 
violence in conjunction with the announcement last week of 
preliminary election results.  Jabr said he was pleased to 
report that there were no major security problems when the 
results were announced.  He also noted that MOI and Ministry 
of Defense (MOD) forces are coordinating well with the 
recently arrived U.S. Army Fourth Infantry Division with 
regard to security in the Baghdad area.  These forces' 
effective coordination, Jabr noted, has sent a message to 
terrorists who have been forced to leave Baghdad.  He also 
reported that new proposals are being studied to adjust the 
plan for Baghdad, which would involve stationing MOI forces 
in the city, MOD forces on the perimeter, and relying on 
Coalition forces for overwatch and quick response if needed. 
 
¶4.  (C//REL GBR AUS) Jabr also reported on progress being 
made to convert 23 temporary checkpoints in Baghdad, which 
now consist of concrete barriers provided by MNF-I, into 
permanent outposts.  Jabr's short-term plan is to spend $2 
million to purchase armored trailers that would be reinforced 
by additional concrete barriers. Adequate funds are available 
if the PM approves, Jabr added.  The long-term solution, he 
explained, is to build permanent checkpoints, which he 
estimated will cost $12 million.  According to Jabr, the 
funds for this project were appropriated in the 2005 budget 
but were returned at year's end because they were not spent. 
DPM Chalabi informed Jabr that he could have these funds 
returned, and Jabr said he would have his deputy minister 
forward the request to the PM's office. 
 
------------------- 
SECURITY FOR ASHURA 
------------------- 
 
¶5. (C//REL GBR AUS) Ja'afari said he is concerned about the 
potential for violence during the upcoming Ashura 
observances.  Millions of people will be gathering and 
marching, he said, which will present terrorists with many 
targets of opportunity.  Ja'afari said the security forces 
must be prepared to deal with the types of attacks that have 
taken place before: suicide vests, mortars, small arms, and 
VBIEDs.  However, Ja'afari said he fears that terrorists may 
try new tactics, such as poisoning food and water that will 
be provided to the marchers.  He directed that the security 
plan for Ashura include steps to approve and monitor food and 
water vendors.  In addition, hotels and homes and apartments 
for rent must be watched closely for the presence of 
terrorists.  The MOI-led interministerial committee that 
coordinated the election security plan is working on a plan 
for Ashura. 
 
 
BAGHDAD 00000209  002 OF 002 
 
 
--------------------------------- 
PRIME MINISTER'S TRIP TO AL-ANBAR 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C//REL GBR AUS)  Ja'afari reported on his recent trip to 
Al-Anbar Province with Ambassador and GEN Casey, during which 
he visited Ramadi and Fallujah.  While Fallujah looks like a 
city returning to normal, Ja'afari stated, Ramadi still bears 
many signs of conflict.  The PM called the people with whom 
he met in Ramadi "brave, realistic, frank, and willing to 
cooperate with the government."  One problem he learned 
during the trip, Ja'afari noted, is that the Ramadi "security 
committee" formed by the Governor is not representative of 
the local community.  Ja'afari said it is possible to support 
the work of the committee but that, at the same time, the 
others in Ramadi cannot be ignored.  Ja'afari said he wished 
he had had more time to meet with other segments of Ramadi's 
society, including the Provincial Council, professionals, and 
others with a stake in the development of the community. 
 
¶7. (C//REL GBR AUS)  Ja'afari said he was approached 
regarding two types of problems while in Ramadi and Fallujah. 
 First, he said, people still need compensation for damage to 
their property.  Ja'afari immediately made $75 million 
available for Fallujah and said he would discuss additional 
financial needs with the MCNS.  Second, regarding detainees, 
Ja'afari said that many in Ramadi would prefer to see their 
sons playing a role in protecting the security of the region 
as part of a locally formed defense unit, rather than seeing 
them locked up.  Ja'afari said there must be an agreed-upon 
strategy to address how the government will deal with 
Al-Anbar, as well as how to determine which requests from its 
residents are legitimate and able to be accommodated.  He 
concluded that he should meet with a wider segment of the 
population, not just the governor's security committee, in 
order to see what can be done. 
 
---------------------------- 
DETAINEES AND RECONCILIATION 
---------------------------- 
 
¶8. (C//REL GBR AUS)  With regard to detainees, Ja'afari said 
that two types of detainees cannot be released: (1) criminals 
whose cases must be handled by the courts, and (2) those who 
have been captured in possession of explosives, 
rocket-propelled grenades, and heavy weapons, or who are 
members of terrorist organizations.  However, he noted, 
consideration should be given to releasing those who are held 
with no proof of terrorist or criminal links.  Ja'afari said 
that such people could be released on the condition that, if 
it is later discovered that they lied or were involved in 
crime or terrorism, they would be re-arrested and pay a heavy 
price.  Ja'afari said that it may be time to take a 
courageous stand and consider laws that would allow the 
government to determine the nature and seriousness of a 
person's actions and then decide whether to be tough or 
lenient with them. 
 
¶9. (C//REL GBR AUS) Ambassador agreed that this is an 
interesting subject that needs to be addressed.  The law must 
make provisions, he stated, for people who wish to abandon 
the "resistance" and become part of the political process; 
this law should address questions of amnesty and 
reconciliation.  Ja'afari said he is thinking of South 
Africa's experience, in which reconciliation took place after 
democratic elections.  Ambassador Patey said the Iraqis might 
also profit from taking a look at the Good Friday accord and 
the British experience with Northern Ireland, of which he 
promised to make a copy available.  Ja'afari tasked Rubaie to 
undertake a study of how to deal with the detainee issue and 
to examine the concept of reconciliation. 
KHALILZAD