VZCZCXRO4478
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #2297/01 2051907
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 231907Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8457
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 002297 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2018 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS PMIL IZ
SUBJECT: VP HASHIMI, AMB CROCKER, CG PETRAEUS DISCUSS 
IIP-CF RELATIONS IN ANBAR 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: In a July 18 dinner hosted at his residence 
for Ambassador Crocker and General Petraeus to discuss how to 
promote better relations between the Iraqi Islamic Party 
(IIP) and Coalition Forces (CF) in Anbar Province, IIP 
Secretary-General and Iraqi Vice President Hashimi, IIP MPs, 
and IIP Party leaders from Anbar complained about the 
treatment of the IIP in Anbar by Coalition Forces.  IIP 
concerns included: as yet unprovided information on the CF 
investigation into the recent bombing of IIP's Fallujah 
offices following the visit of a CF team; a CF raid on an 
Anbar police station that had been carried out based on bad 
information; alleged U.S. interference with an Anbar 
Provincial Council decision to dismiss the Anbar Chief of 
Police; and questions as to whether anti-IIP material 
published by the CF-funded "Voice of Anbar" had been approved 
by U.S. authorities.  General Petraeus assured Hashimi that 
the U.S. must be seen as providing equal treatment for all 
political parties.  He suggested that a subsequent meeting be 
hosted by the commanding general of MNF-West MajGen John 
Kelly to resolve the aforementioned concerns. 
 
¶2. (C) Vice President Hashimi raised the issue of the PIC, 
saying that given the sensitive situation in Anbar, it would 
be better if the PIC did not take place until after 
Provincial elections.  General Petraeus said that the U.S. 
had previously believed the GOI wanted the PIC and noted that 
having heard Hashimi's objections, the CF will not push for 
PIC.  The Ambassador stressed that the resolution of 
PIC-related issues regarding local responsibilities for 
security must be accomplished by the GOI and the local 
government.  The GOI had asked for some "breathing space" to 
accomplish this.  On the impending Parliamentary approval of 
six Tawafuq-nominated ministers, and with it the return of 
the Tawafuq Coalition to the government, both Ambassador 
Crocker and General Petraeus stressed the importance of 
full-time ministers to oversee needed projects.  General 
Petraeus hoped the appointment of a new Communications 
Minister would speed the completion of the fiber optic 
network.  The Ambassador looked forward to the naming of a 
Justice Minister to move forward implementation of important 
legislation passed by the Parliament.  End Summary. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Ambassador Crocker was accompanied by PolMil 
MinCouns Marcie Ries, PolCouns Matt Tueller, Anbar PRT Leader 
James Soriano, and Fallujah EPRT Leader Philip French; MNF-I 
Commanding General Petraeus was accompanied by MNF-I DCOS 
Operations MG Michael Barbero, MNF-I DCOS Plans RDML David 
Buss, MNF-I CMD GRP CIG Director Col Mike Bell and MNF-I CMD 
GRP Senior Advisor Sadi Othman.  Vice President Hashimi was 
accompanied by MP and IIP Deputy Party Secretary-General Ayad 
Saleh Mahdi al-Samara'i, IIP MP Abdulkarim Samarae, IIP MP 
Omar Abdulsattar, IIP Anbar Party Chief and Anbar Provincial 
Council Member Dr. Ashour Karbouli, IIP Fallujah Party Chief 
Zaki Fayadh, Habbaniyah IIP Party Chief Abbas Jasim, 
Political Adviser Khalil Alazzawe, Security Adviser Fadhil 
Dulaimy, and Political Adviser Saifaldin Abdul-Rahman. 
 
IIP and CF: Common Strategic Goals 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Hashimi thanked the Ambassador and the General for 
accepting his dinner invitation to informally discuss how to 
promote friendly relations between the IIP and the CF forces 
in Anbar Province.  He said he wanted IIP-CF relations in 
Anbar to match those of the excellent IIP-CF relations in 
Baghdad.  Hashimi said he believed the IIP and the Coalition 
Forces shared four strategic goals in Anbar: (1) the fight 
against Al Qaeda, (2) the establishment of a strong security 
environment, (3) reconstruction, and (4) the rebuilding of 
government institutions.  Given the importance of those 
goals, Hashimi continued, we should not allow small things to 
get in the way.  But misunderstandings seem to have occurred. 
 And it was important that he as IIP leader and Ambassador 
Crocker and General Petraeus as U.S. leaders hear from the 
people -- people from both sides -- on the ground in Anbar. 
 
¶5. (C) General Petraeus replied that he would be happy to 
arrange a discussion devoted to relations between the IIP and 
CF in Anbar to be hosted by MajGen Kelly of MNF-W, who had 
been prevented from attending the dinner due to poor weather. 
 General Petraeus said that his instruction to all division 
commanders, including in Anbar, was "to be fair, honest and 
equal in dealing with all political parties."  At the end of 
the day, the Coalition Forces had to be seen as not giving an 
advantage to one party over another. 
 
¶6. (C) IIP Anbar Anbar Party Chief Ashour Karbouli then 
offered a review of IIP-CF cooperation against Al Qaeda in 
2006, noting that the presence of IIP's many branches 
throughout Anbar had enabled them to provide names, places 
 
BAGHDAD 00002297  002 OF 003 
 
 
and vehicle license plates to Coalition Forces.  Moreover, he 
said, the IIP had been able to change the minds of tribes and 
turn them against Al Qaeda.  General Petraeus said he 
disagreed with the argument that all tribes came over to the 
U.S. because of the IIP.  For instance Shaykh Abu Reisha came 
over not because of the IIP, but because members of his tribe 
were being murdered.  The IIP should not take credit for all 
that the tribal leaders began in 2005.  And, in truth, 
General Petraeus added, there was no love lost between Shaykh 
Abu Sattar and the IIP -- a fact that he said he knew because 
he had spoken with Shaykh Sattar.  General Petraeus suggested 
that the discussion focus on issues at hand.  The Ambassador 
added that, as we do, we should heed VP Hashimi's comment 
that we share common goals. 
 
IIP Concerns in Anbar 
--------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) IIP Anbar Party Chief Ashour Karbouli said that the 
high degree of IIP-CF cooperation that existed in Anbar has 
been weakened by certain incidents.  First a police station 
in Habbaniyah had been raided by persons in civilian clothes 
accompanied by someone clearly in U.S. naval uniform.  The 
following day, Karbouli had spoken to them and it was 
established that they had been given bad information.  A 
second incident, Ashour Karbouli continued, involved an Anbar 
Provincial Council order in June or July 2007 for the removal 
of the Chief of Police that, he said, the U.S. had prevented 
from being implemented. 
 
¶8. (C) IIP Fallujah Party Chief Zaki Fayadh raised the issue 
of the bombing of IIP's Fallujah offices last month 
immediately after the departure of a CF team.  Fayadh said he 
had met with MajGen Kelly last Friday (July 11) for several 
hours to discuss what had happened.  Fayadh said that General 
Kelly had asked whether the U.S. was being accused of blowing 
up the offices and Fayadh said he had replied "no," but that 
there were questions that needed to be asked.  Among those 
questions was when the U.S. would have the results of the 
investigation into the bombing.  Fayadh claimed the U.S. in 
Anbar was siding with other entities.  For instance, some IIP 
members felt that the newspaper "Voice of Anbar," financed by 
the U.S., had been running articles critical of IIP and they 
wanted to know whether the newspaper editorial board had 
consulted with the U.S. before publishing such material or 
whether they had done it on their own. 
 
¶9. (C) General Petraeus said that the Coalition Forces do 
value their relationship with the IIP in Anbar, but at the 
same time they must be careful not to play favorites. 
General Petraeus said that every time the Coalition Forces 
provide Vice President Hashimi with helicopter 
transportation, people say the CF supports the IIP.  He 
stated, "I say we support the Vice President and they say he 
is traveling to meet with the IIP; the truth is that we try 
to treat everyone equally."  General Petraeus said that 
MajGen Kelly's senior diplomat and anyone else Hashimi might 
desire would travel to Baghdad -- not out in Anbar where 
everyone would pay attention -- to discuss the issues and to 
clear the air.  He asked that prior to the meeting the IIP 
provide a list of the issues to be discussed. 
 
Other Issues: PIC, Tawafuq Return, Provincial Elections 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶10. (C) Vice President Hashimi said the PIC in Anbar was an 
important issue.  General Petraeus said that the CF supports 
PIC, but only when the Government of Iraq is ready.  Hashimi 
said that the very sensitive situation in Anbar required 
close coordination with the U.S. on the PIC, which might be 
better delayed until after the provincial elections.  General 
Petraeus said that the U.S. is not pushing on the PIC for 
Anbar and that when the PIC would take place would be 
entirely up to the GOI.  Before we had believed the GOI 
wanted the PIC; now we see you do not want it yet and we 
promise that we will not push for it.  The Ambassador 
stressed that the resolution of PIC-related issues regarding 
local responsibilities for security must be accomplished by 
the GOI and the local government.  The GOI had asked for some 
"breathing space" to accomplish this.  Hashimi said that 
Tawafuq had faith in the transparency of the U.S. and that he 
valued the strategic relationship with the U.S. 
 
¶11. (C) During a brief discussion of the list of Ministerial 
nominees scheduled for Council of Representatives action on 
July 19, General Petraeus said that the appointment of new 
ministers would mean progress for some currently stalled 
projects.  He assessed that new leadership at the Ministry of 
Communications was needed to move along the fiber optic 
network projects that had been stalled.  General Petraeus 
asked about progress on the appointment of a new Minister of 
Justice.  The Ambassador asked whether Dahran Nurredin, a 
 
BAGHDAD 00002297  003 OF 003 
 
 
very professional judge, was still under consideration.  VP 
Hashimi said he was still under consideration. 
 
¶12. (C) Ambassador Crocker asked about the status of the 
Provincial Election Law.  Vice President Hashimi said the 
problem was with the Kurds and Kirkuk.  The Kurds want Kirkuk 
treated as a special case and not included in these 
elections.  The current hang-up has to do with the scope of 
responsibility of the committee that deals with the Kirkuk 
election: whether they deal only with the "when" or whether 
they also deal with the "how."  The Tawafuq position, Hashimi 
said, was that the committee should deal both with the "when" 
and "how."  Hashimi said that what Tawafuq wants is to 
present one choice -- not two -- for a vote on July 21. 
There will be discussions on Saturday (July 19) on what such 
a text will be.  Ambassador Crocker said the law needed to go 
forward to the CoR to decide.  MP Samara'i said there was 
some concern that sending up only one choice would bring 
legal challenges from the opposition which probably would 
have some validity.  Ambassador Crocker said the Supreme 
Court could decide after the law had been passed. 
CROCKER