VZCZCXRO7671
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #0134/01 0131412
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131412Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9057
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC//NSC// PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000134 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPART FOR NEA/I/KATIE NUTT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV MOPS ECON IZ
SUBJECT: PRT TIKRIT: PRT-BCT RELATIONS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL 
IN SALAH AD DIN 
 
REF: A. 06 BAGHDAD 4501 
     ¶B. 06 BAGHDAD 4408 
 
¶1. (U) This is a PRT Tikrit, Salah ad Din cable.  It has been 
cleared by the 3rd Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division 
(3/82) Brigade Combat Team (BCT), which is the Coalition 
Forces (CF) task force with responsibility for the province 
of Salah ad Din (SaD). 
 
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY.  PRT Tikrit and 3/82 BCT have a mutually 
beneficial relationship from which the SaD provincial 
government profits.  3/82 has the lead on security-related 
issues in the province, and the PRT spearheads reconstruction 
and development initiatives.  Through daily contact at both 
the leadership and operational levels, we coordinate policy, 
engagements, and implementation of these goals.  While the 
PRT and BCT have different objectives, which merit separate 
chains of command, close coordination has made them 
complementary in Salah ad Din.  Through this close, 
cooperative relationship, both the PRT and BCT have been able 
to achieve more than they would have individually, as each 
acts as a force multiplier for the other.  All of this is 
further enhanced by the tremendous policy and logistics 
support we receive for PRT objectives from the 25th Infantry 
Division responsible for MND-N.  END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
Reconstruction, Non-Kinetic Engagements 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The PRT spearheads reconstruction and development 
initiatives through its functional teams focused in 
Governance, Rule of Law, Economic Development, Infrastructure 
Reconstruction, and Focused Stabilization in Samarra.  In an 
effort to streamline reconstruction efforts, the 3/82 BCT 
re-arranged its non-kinetic operations targeting to parallel 
these functional teams.  Planning for all reconstruction and 
non-kinetic operations is completely coordinated, with PRT 
elements from each of the functional groups as well as our 
two Iraq Provincial Action Officers (IPAOs - Foreign Service 
officers assigned to do political and economic reporting) 
participating in BCT planning and BCT elements engaging in 
PRT planning.  As a result of the joint planning platforms, 
the PRT and BCT also coordinate on usage of reconstruction 
funds, such as CERP, IRF, and ESF. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Through conferences and visits, the PRT provides 
expertise to the Civil Affairs (CA) Teams in the BCT's Area 
of Operation to enable them to replicate initiatives the PRT 
has made at the provincial government level at the city, 
qada, and nahia (or subordinate district) levels.  For 
example, working with the PRT, the Provincial Council 
recently approved rules to govern its internal operations, 
thus enhancing transparency and accountability in governance. 
 In January, the PRT is hosting a conference to present those 
rules and related information to the civil affairs (CA) Teams 
so that they can work to have their respective local councils 
adopt similar rules, an effort supported by the Provincial 
Council. 
 
¶5. (SBU) To demonstrate a unified front and synched policy 
messages, PRT and BCT representatives regularly hold joint 
engagements.  In December 2006, the BCT hosted a Dialogue and 
Communication Conference (DACC) where PRT and BCT 
representatives led community leaders in discussions on 
governance, economic development, rule of law, education, and 
medical issues (reftel A).  All participants were 
enthusiastic about the event and requested a continuation of 
them; a follow-on DACC is planned for February.  In November 
2006, the PRT hosted a provincial sheikhs' council meeting 
and luncheon where PRT and BCT representatives engaged tribal 
sheikhs from throughout the province on their role in 
security (reftel B).  We will be participating in another 
sheikhs, council meeting the week of 14 January to discuss 
the way forward and reconciliation in a post-Saddam, 
democratic Iraq. 
 
------------------------------- 
Security and Kinetic Operations 
------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) 3/82 BCT has the lead for all security, 
anti-terrorism, and kinetic operations.  The BCT regularly 
meets with the provincial government leadership, including 
political and ISF representatives, to coordinate initiatives 
and garner political support.  The PRT encourages support for 
security and the ISF in meetings with contacts as well.  The 
 
BAGHDAD 00000134  002 OF 002 
 
 
IPAO Political and Economic Officers provide situational 
awareness about the political and economic context in the 
province that informs the planning process for some 
operations. 
 
----------------------- 
Synching and Presenting 
----------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Both the leadership and operational levels of the 
PRT and BCT meet regularly and communicate daily for 
coordination.  A 3/82 BCT Liaison Officer (LNO) attends daily 
PRT staff meetings and works as the PRT "Desk Officer" in the 
BCT to promote PRT-related issues in the BCT.  The 3/82 BCT 
S9 ) Civil Military Operations Officer encourages PRT 
participation in BCT planning and serves as the BCT "Desk 
Officer" in the PRT to promote BCT-related issues at the PRT. 
 (NOTE: Physically, both the LNO and S9 sit at the brigade, 
though both are at the PRT Building on a daily basis. END 
NOTE.)  Conversely, members of the PRT spend time at the BCT 
headquarters and in the field at the component battalions, 
working on both policy and practical issues (e.g. How is 
corruption at the oil refinery affecting the security 
situation and the legitimacy of the provincial government? 
How can we measure the corruption?).  A PRT-maintained 
SIPRNET site allows BCT access to PRT political and economic 
reporting as well as weekly situation reports and monthly 
assessments.  In addition, the PRT and BCT mutually include 
each other in briefs to VIPs visiting both institutions. 
Through joint presentations, we are able to communicate 
better both the security and reconstruction dimensions of the 
situation in the province, giving a more holistic picture of 
the current state of play. 
 
---------- 
Challenges 
---------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Most coordination challenges stem from the 
interaction of the two organizations' parent bureaucracies, 
which is minimized to the extent possible on the ground. 
However, differences in Areas of Operations (AOs) and in 
other similar functional divisions, at times, provide 
challenges.  For example, the PRT has responsibility for the 
political footprint of the province of Salah ad Din; whereas, 
the BCT's AO does not include the province's eastern district 
of Tuz Khurmatu, whose Provincial Council members are 
currently boycotting PC meetings, inhibiting forward movement 
on a number of governance issues.  This requires additional 
planning when, for example, using CERP money for the entire 
province.  The BCT has worked diligently to smooth any 
challenges. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) The PRT and BCT have different, though mutually 
supporting, objectives in Salah ad Din, and achieving those 
objectives requires separate chains of command.  Through 
close coordination, the PRT and BCT have created a 
multiplying effect and a complementary relationship.  The 
strong leadership of the BCT has been instrumental in 
fostering this productive relationship.  The Salah ad Din 
provincial government is benefiting from this relationship 
through consistent USG policy and coordinated reconstruction 
and security initiatives.  We are seeing progress in 
governance, economic development, rule of law and other areas 
that is faster and more sustainable than if we were acting 
independently. 
 
¶10. (U) For additional reporting from PRT Tikrit, Salah ad 
Din, please see our SIPRNET Reporting Blog: 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Tikrit. 
KHALILZAD