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DE RUEHGB #0512/01 0571446
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FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
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C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 000512 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2011 
TAGS: IZ PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: DE-BA,ATHIFICATION, ELECTION VIOLATIONS, MAR START 
TO MUTHANNA PROVINCE,S CAMPAIGN SEASON 
 
REF: A. 10 BAGHDAD 483 
     ¶B. 10 BAGHDAD 422 
     ¶C. 10 BAGHDAD 387 
     ¶D. 09 BAGHDAD 146 
 
Classified By: PRT Team Leader John Kuschner for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d 
). 
 
¶1.  (U) This is a PRT Muthanna reporting cable. 
 
¶2.    (C/REL) SUMMARY AND COMMENT: Much as it is dominating 
the business of governing in Muthanna (reftel A), 
anti-Ba,athist sentiment is a dominant theme of the 
campaign, for the moment.   The furor is squeezing out other, 
more traditional campaign issues, such as jobs and essential 
services delivery.  While the election season has begun with 
only a few reported campaign violations, there are rumors of 
vote buying efforts targeted at influential tribal leaders 
and localized geographic areas. END SUMMARY AND COMMENT. 
 
DE-BA,ATHIFICATION AS A CAMPAIGN ISSUE 
-------------------------------------- 
¶3.    (C) In the wake of the Accountability and Justice 
Committee,s de-Ba,athification decisions (reftel B), 
Muthanna,s politicians have taken up de-ba,athification as 
a central campaign issue this year.  At a February 7 meeting 
with the PRT Team Leader, Governor Ibrahim Salman Al Mayali 
(Da,wa/State of Law Coalition) compared  de-ba,athification 
to the exclusion of the Nazis from German government after 
the Second World War (reftel C).  Other State of Law Alliance 
(SLA) and Sadrist Trend parliamentary candidates have also 
used similar rhetoric in recent weeks.  One U.S. Army officer 
in Muthanna recently queried a local Iraqi Police contact on 
why anti-Ba,athist sentiment runs so deep here in Muthanna. 
He simply offered, &All families have scars from Saddam.8 
This rhetoric is presently crowding out the typical campaign 
issues of jobs, corruption, and essential services delivery 
in this impoverished province. 
 
A FEW VIOLATIONS, BUT OTHERWISE A QUIET START 
--------------------------------------------- 
¶4.    (SBU) At a February 15 meeting, Director Mutamed Namaa 
of the Governorate Electoral Office (GEO) told the PRT that 
preparations for the March 7 parliamentary elections are 
running smoothly.  Some of the GEO,s work has been stalled 
because of the de-Ba,athification process.  Also 
complicating matters, key GEO staff--specifically, the deputy 
director, an important auditor, and a logistician--have been 
sent abroad to help administer out-of-country voting, further 
reducing the office,s capabilities. 
 
¶5.    (C) Prior to the start of the campaign season, the GEO 
Director cited three political parties for campaign 
violations.  While the parties were not identified publicly, 
Namaa told the PRT the specifics of the citations.  The GEO 
cited two parties for campaigning before the February 12 
start date of the campaign season.  The State of Law 
Coalition posted campaign signs and the 20th Revolution Bloc 
distributed hand flyers too early. The third violation was 
the Coalition of Willingness and Change electioneering during 
the Arba,een pilgrimage to Karbala, a route that traverses 
the northern part of Muthanna.  Namaa noted that his office 
employs ten individuals who investigate provincial campaign 
violations.  He referred each matter to IHEC in Baghdad. 
 
VOTE BUYING THROUGH PERFORMANCE INCENTIVES? 
----------------------------------------- 
¶6.    (C) A PRT locally engaged staff member noted that vote 
buying this election has become more sophisticated than in 
the 2009 provincial elections.  While it was (and continues 
to be) an issue in the previous provincial election on an 
individual basis (reftel D), now some campaigns are targeting 
whole areas, especially rural ones, with performance 
incentives.  If the local tribal sheikh can deliver a certain 
Qincentives.  If the local tribal sheikh can deliver a certain 
percent of the vote for a given list, that campaign will 
pledge a certain amount of cash to the tribal leader. 
Unconfirmed reports suggest that tribal leaders in the Khidr 
area of Muthanna are especially susceptible to this kind of 
vote buying and are being heavily courted by the major 
parties. (Note: PRT will try to clarify these claims. End 
Note.). 
 
¶7. (C) Sheikh Raysan Mutashar Fahad Jiheel alZayadi (INA) 
complained  to PRToffs that governmental resources are being 
misappropriated for campaign purposes.  He cited, 
specifically, Mohammed Arboud al-Zayadi (Coalition of Iraqi 
Unity) because he ordered the municipalities department--in 
his capacity as First Deputy PC Chairman--to fix the roads in 
certain areas of Samawah where his supporters live, but 
neglected areas where he was politically weaker.  In this 
way, he was literally fixing potholes for votes. 
 
¶8. (C) When the PRT asked about vote buying, the GEO Director 
 
was largely dismissive of the possibility.  He explained that 
when a voter is alone behind the voting screen, there is 
nothing to stop him or her from casting a ballot, 
notwithstanding any payoff that may have been made.  He 
declined to comment on the matter of vote buying for whole 
areas. (Comment: Given that polling place vote tallies will 
be available after counting, accountability, in theory, can 
be better ascertained.  End comment.) 
COMMENT 
------- 
¶9. (C) Given that Muthanna is almost an entirely Shi'a 
province, there is no political risk to criticizing the 
Ba,athists.  Many local Sadrist Trend and SLA candidates are 
using this rhetoric to help rally their base and gain 
additional votes on Election Day.  Legislation in the 
Provincial Council may be an important part of the campaign. 
If the recently passed law aimed at the de-Ba'athification of 
local government is implemented, it would have deleterious 
consequences for the functioning of the province that in 
turn, could impact the campaign.  Despite this, the 
de-Ba,athification issue seems to be gaining resonance, as 
it has replaced essential services, jobs, and corruption as 
the primary campaign issues discussed this season.  Nearly 
all of the major, competitive parties have embraced it to a 
greater or lesser extent, for fear of being branded &soft on 
Ba,athists.8  Voters may tire of the issue in the waning 
days of the election season, however, if politicians cannot 
give them some other reason to vote for their candidacy.  End 
comment. 
 
HILL