VZCZCXRO8866
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #1203 1271551
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 071551Z MAY 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2967
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 001203 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: MUTHANNA PC FORMED: STATE OF LAW LEFT SHOCKED AND 
EMPTY-HANDED 
 
(U) This is a PRT Muthanna reporting cable. 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  At an April 30 Muthanna Provincial 
Council (PC) meeting, a last-minute surprise defection by 
Da'wa member Ibrahim Salman al-Mayali resulted in the State 
of Law coalition being completely shut out of provincial 
executive positions.  Ibrahim Salman was voted in as Governor 
with the support of ISCI, which will hold the PC 
Chairmanship, and former Governor Ahmed Marzouk's Al Jumhoor 
party.  The PC meeting had been scheduled to end a deadlock 
that developed after Marzouk had earlier convinced a member 
of the Independent Gathering of Iraqi Qualifications Party to 
defect from the State of Law-led coalition to his own, 
causing a 13-13 tie in the PC.  End summary. 
 
The April 30 PC Meeting 
----------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Prior to the April 30 meeting, given the 13-13 
deadlock on the PC, the factions led by State of Law/Da'wa 
and ISCI reportedly agreed on a deal whereby executive 
positions would be reserved for each grouping.  According to 
the arrangement, the ballot for Governor would be reserved 
for up to three State of Law candidates and the PC Chairman 
ballot would be reserved for aspirants within the 
ISCI/Al-Jumhoor coalition.  Furthermore, the Deputy Governor 
slots were to be reserved for ISCI/Al Jumhoor candidates and 
the Deputy PC Chairman post held for Da'wa and their Sadrist 
and National Reform Trend-affiliated coalition partners. 
State of Law had already settled internally on its preferred 
candidate for Governor.  When the meeting started, however, 
Ibraheem Salman al-Mayali -- a Da'wa party member and also 
the mayor of Samawah -- proclaimed that he also wanted to be 
nominated for the governorship.  When the ballots were 
counted he had 14 votes, 13 from ISCI/Al Jumhoor and 
affiliated small parties -- and one from himself.  The State 
of Law members, stunned by the results, walked out of the 
proceedings. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  There still being a quorum of 14 members, council 
business continued.  They voted Lateef Hasan Abbas al-Hassani 
(ISCI, brother of the ISCI-affiliated governor assassinated 
in 2007) as PC Chairman, and installed two Deputy Governors, 
both from the ISCI/Al Jumhoor camp.  They did not vote for 
the Deputy Chairman at the April 30 meeting, but did vote an 
Al Jumhoor member into that slot at a council meeting held on 
May 3.  When the dust finally settled the Da'wa coalition 
found itself completely shut out of the PC executive and 
under threat of expulsion if they continued to boycott 
council meetings. 
 
The Deal 
-------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Our sources tell us that the night before the vote 
took place, representatives from the ISCI/Al Jumhoor 
coalition approached Ibrahim Salman.  They told him that they 
feared that either a Sadrist would be elected governor or 
that Abdulmunim Salih al-Shara (National Reform Trend), an 
Iraqi/American dual national they believe has Sadrist ties 
would win the day.  They also said they preferred a Samawah 
resident be governor, instead of someone from Rumaytha, which 
is considered a Sadrist stronghold.  They offered him their 
bloc of 13 votes, which, with his vote, would guarantee him 
the governorship.  Unbeknown to his coalition, he accepted, 
effectively dashing any hopes of Da'wa leadership at the top 
levels of the council. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  The losing Da'wa-led coalition remains rattled and 
has yet to come up with a response other than to boycott 
council meetings.  We expect that the outcome of the vote 
will not harm the PRT's relationship with the council; we 
have good relationships with both the new Governor and the 
new PC Chairman.  Unfortunately, the maneuver orchestrated by 
Qnew PC Chairman.  Unfortunately, the maneuver orchestrated by 
ISCI/Al Jumhoor also isolated the most well-known 
anti-corruption force on the council, Hakim Khazal Khashan of 
the Middle Euphrates Assembly.  Hakim, who during the last 
provincial council term was frozen out of proceedings for six 
months due to his anti-corruption activities, had hopes of 
becoming the Deputy Chairman.  As it stands, the ISCI/Al 
Jumhoor group may have unprecedented control over the 
council's awarding of contracts and the selection of 
Integrity Commission members -- which is a source of concern. 
 End comment. 
HILL