VZCZCXRO3728
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #3708/01 3141212
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101212Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4281
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003708 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREL IZ
SUBJECT:  DR. CHALABI'S SERVICES COMMITTEE 
 
REF: BAGHDAD #3565 
 
¶1. SUMMARY:  Only three weeks have passed since the surprise 
announcement naming Dr. Ahmed Chalabi as chair of a new Baghdad 
services committee. Since that time, the committee has met weekly, 
had open discussions and come to several conclusions. Implementation 
of the committee's recommendations is on hold until Prime Minister 
Maliki signs the executive order authorizing Chalabi's committee. 
The PM announced at the I-ESC on November 9 that he would sign the 
order. END SUMMARY. 
 
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Draft Executive Order Not Yet Signed 
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¶2. The draft executive order authorizing Chalabi's Committee 
designates Dr. Ahmed Chalabi as the President. Members include the 
Deputy National Security Advisor, Secretary of the Defense Ministry, 
Commander of Baghdad Operations and the Baghdad Governor and Mayor. 
Deputy Ministers include the Deputy Minister of Interior, Finance, 
Oil, Health, Electricity, Trade and Transportation.  All members are 
to have the "acting and binding" authority of their respective 
Ministers. 
 
¶3. Under the draft executive order, the committee is required to 
coordinate with the Baghdad Governorate and is explicitly authorized 
to work with "others" as needed. All ministries and entities not 
linked to a ministry are required to cooperate with the committee to 
achieve its tasks, including financial allocation management. 
 
¶4. The committee can issue directives that lead to a solution of any 
problem pertaining to the delivery of services. It is granted the 
authority to prioritize service delivery, paying particular 
attention to areas where previously displaced persons are returning. 
Finally, the committee is permitted to receive essential service 
complaints from citizens. 
 
¶5. The committee is tasked with diagnosing and defining problems 
that limit the provision of services.  The committee is to draft an 
execution plan, submit periodic reports and create an assessment 
mechanism to measure the committee's performance, as well as the 
outcomes of its recommendations. 
 
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Committee Forges Ahead, Better Organized and Well Attended 
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¶6. On Tuesday, November 6, Dr. Ahmed Chalabi chaired his weekly 
services committee meeting. The committee reviewed minutes from the 
previous meeting and then proceeded to follow a formalized agenda. 
Attendees included; Ra'ad Muhsin Al-Harith, Senior Deputy, Ministry 
of Electricity; Dr. 'Adil Muhsin Abdullah, Inspector General, 
Ministry of Health; Dr. 'Isam Namiq 'Abdullah, Deputy Minister, 
Ministry of Health; Mr. Na'im 'Ad'udh Al-Ka'bi, Deputy, Amanat 
Baghdad; Mrs. 'In'am Salih, Baghdad Governorate Councilwoman; Major 
General 'Adnan Qasim, Armed Forces General, Commander Office; Saleh 
Sarhan Al-khuza'i, Ministry of Defense; Mr. Sa'ad Kubbah, 
Secretariat, I-ESC; Mo'tasim Akram, Deputy Minister, Ministry of 
 
SIPDIS 
Oil; Dr. Nihad Abbas, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education; 
Abdul-Razzak Hassan, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Transportation; 
and Dr. Fadhil Nabi Othman, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Finance. 
The Iraqi Red Crescent was also represented by Dr. Sa'id Hakki, the 
President. 
 
¶7.  Health discussions led the way again, with the Deputy Minister 
of Health, Dr.Isam Namiq 'Abdullah, arguing that mobile hospitals 
were not needed in Baghdad, despite the previous suggestion from the 
Inspector General of Health. The committee sided with the Deputy 
Minister and will not further pursue mobile hospitals. The Ministry 
of Defense requested that Al Karkh Hospital be designated for MoD 
and MoI staff and employees. A debate followed between the MoH and 
MoD regarding whether the entire hospital was needed or just a 
designated wing. Chalabi instructed MoD and MoH to work together to 
resolve this issue as well as determine hospital staffing. They are 
to report findings next week to the committee. 
 
¶8. The Amanat asked for more fuel, noting that current low fuel 
supplies inhibited the provision of services. They also asked for 
emergency street lighting. Chalabi requested that the Amanat and MoE 
form a subcommittee to discuss emergency lighting and report back to 
the committee. The Amanat did announce that they wanted to establish 
a "Clean Up Day" or even a "Clean Up Week." 
 
¶9. Ra'ad Muhsin Al-Harith, Senior Deputy, from the MoE maintained 
that provincial defiance of load shedding continued to trouble the 
national grid. The militias and gangs are reportedly the real 
problem, threatening MoE employees if they do comply with load 
shedding. No solution was offered to this problem, but the MoD did 
note that a squadron was currently being assembled to provide 
protection to MoE employees when repairing downed and interdicted 
lines. MoE also reported again on the 10amp meters project. 65,000 
households will have these amp boxes by the end of December. The MoE 
intends to purchase digital amps next year and install them in 
nearly 900,000 residences.  The MoE reports that the specifications 
 
BAGHDAD 00003708  002 OF 002 
 
 
are complete and they are preparing to put this project out for 
bid. 
 
¶10. The Ministry of Oil representative noted that Baghdad was 
heavily dependent upon the Doura refinery and imports. Doura's 
production capacity is limited due to insufficient supplies of crude 
oil. According to the MoO representative, the Strategy of Integrity 
Commission was addressing opportunities to import more crude. A 
recommendation was offered to transport crude from Kirkuk to Doura 
by tanker trucks. The previous suggestion to explore alternative 
transport for fuel was noted, but no final recommendation was made. 
Lastly, the MoO recommended that fuel production and distribution be 
privatized to reduce corruption. Chalabi requested a special session 
with the MoO to discuss the myriad of issues. No date was set. 
 
¶11. Commerce, education and transportation were on the agenda, but 
were postponed to next week due to time constraints. 
 
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Comment 
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¶12. In the course of three weeks, Dr. Chalabi's committee has gone 
from marginally well-informed brainstorming to a fairly organized 
and well planned meeting. Formal minutes from the previous meeting 
were reviewed. The committee prepared and followed an agenda and 
presenters were prepared to discuss their relevant issue areas. 
 
¶13. A common theme running throughout these meetings is Dr. 
Chalabi's insistence for a specific request or recommendation. He is 
continually challenging the committee members to ask him for a 
deliverable. Once the committee has agreed to a recommendation, it 
will be presented to the Prime Minister for final resolution. 
 
¶14. Two key steps to this process remain unclear. First, from where 
the committee members will derive their information or requests. As 
evidenced this week, a recommendation from a previous meeting was 
challenged by the same Ministry that offered it, albeit a different 
representative. Secondly, it is still not clear what PM Maliki will 
do with the recommendations made by Chalabi's services committee. 
 
¶15. Nevertheless, with 2008, "The Year of Services," right around 
the corner, it is hopeful that the GoI is revisiting its 
institutions and leaders responsible for the delivery of services to 
the people of Iraq. Hopefully this process will allow for the 
emergence of not only short-term solutions, but long-term 
institution building. 
 
Crocker