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FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000521 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2020 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PINS MCAP IZ
SUBJECT: MOD/MOI PERSONNEL CHURN INDICATIVE OF POLITICAL 
POSTURING IN THE RUN-UP TO THE ELECTION 
 
REF: A. BAGHDAD 378 
     ¶B. BAGHDAD 294 
     ¶C. 09 BAGHDAD 3295 
     ¶D. TD 314/0145456-10 
     ¶E. TD 314/014678-10 
 
BAGHDAD 00000521  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: M-C Cameron Munter for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
 
¶1. (SECRET/NOFORN) SUMMARY: February 24 media accounts of 
renewed de-Ba'athification are not new; rather, they 
represent the culling of up to 376 MoD and MoI personnel 
previously reported in mid- and senior-level personnel 
assignments. Many of these personnel movements, however, 
arguably are unrelated to de-Ba'athification. In an effort to 
try to counter public perceptions of fragmented command and 
control in the security sector, the Prime Minister has 
publicized that he has the power of exception with regards to 
Accountability and Justice Commission decisions in the 
security sector. The ongoing movements do not appear to be of 
concern to the MoD and MoI leadership but are rattling 
regional security leaders and masking ongoing Da'wa loyalist 
cadre-building in the security and intelligence sector. End 
Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
PM spokesperson innoculates MoI, MoD from de-Ba'athification 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Government of Iraq spokesperson Ali al-Dabbagh 
released a press statement on 24 February that stated "The 
Accountability and Justice Commission (AJC) decisions in the 
case of the security commanders are subject to exceptions 
because they work in the security sectors and are not running 
for a public office. In the case of political candidates, the 
decision is final and can't be overturned." 
 
------------------------------------------- 
Old wine in new bottle, really same vinegar 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Defense Minister Abdul Qadir and two prominent 
leaders, General Abud and General Hashim are featured in this 
re-hashed press report, but they also fall under the category 
of mandatory retirees (because they are over age 63) who must 
be annually extended to continue serving in the ministry. 
Their fates are tied to the election outcome, not 
institutional de-Ba'athification in MoD insider eyes. Many of 
these personnel moves also are reported by MoD insiders to be 
the unwinding of end of administration "deals" for overdue 
loyalist retirees; efforts by senior leadership to shield 
veteran MoD and MoI Ba'athists whom they consider 
non-partisan from worse outcomes than they might otherwise 
face; and continued Da'wa party cadre placement by the Prime 
Minister's office (ref. A). 
 
¶4. (SBU)  More broadly, MoD and MoI insiders report that 
there has been regular shuffling for over a month of mid- and 
senior-level personnel being moved around the ministry, often 
to appear to be responding to allegations of Ba'athist links, 
but with the ordered moves intended to have minimal actual 
effects on the identified personnel (refs. A/B).  Most in 
this category are veteran MoD and MoI Ba'athists whom they 
say Ministers Abdul Qadir and Bolani, respectively, see as 
relatively non-partisan and worthy of saving from worse 
outcomes than they might otherwise face if perceived as left 
"unscathed," especially by potential "new management." This 
group also is considered essential to the continued normal 
Qgroup also is considered essential to the continued normal 
functioning of the ministries. In the MoD, some of the 
personnel who also might face dismissal were Kurds associated 
with the Anfal campaign or the Marsh Arab repression after 
the Gulf War, but their ultimate status still is 
undetermined.  Finally, in the Defense Ministry, there are 
approximately 12-15 staff generals who have had sinecures 
under the protection of DefMin Abdul Qadir.  They have been 
awaiting the recent passage of the Military Service and 
Retirement Law and reportedly soon will be retired. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------------- 
De-Ba'athification more of a regional concern than in Baghdad 
--------------------------------------------- ---------------- 
 
5.(SECRET) According to press reports, the name of MG Aadel, 
 
BAGHDAD 00000521  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
the Basra Provincial Chief of Police (PCOP), also appears on 
the de-Ba'athification list. However, MG Aadel told USD-S 
that he has not heard anything from the MoI about his 
possible replacement. Similarly, the media is reporting that 
the PCOPs in Wasit and Muthana are also included in the AJC 
list. One of the most prominent IA leaders in Southern Iraq, 
the 8th IA Division Commander and commander of the 
mid-Euphrates Operations Command, sLTG Uthman, is also on the 
de-Ba'athification list. Uthman and his officers recently 
told USD-S that they considered this latest 
de-Ba'athification move to be political interference with the 
ISF. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
But some commanders fall victim to Shi'a politics 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
6.(SECRET) Per multiple reports to U.S. Embassy Baghdad and 
PRT officers, the division commander for the Iraqi Army Sixth 
division in Baghdad is in the process of being removed and 
staff Major General Sa'ad in Maysan Operations Command has 
already been removed.  While Ba'athist links may be cited in 
their removals, their transgressions are reported to be more 
closely linked to political missteps in the eyes of Prime 
Minister Maliki. 
 
---------------------------------- 
NIIA now seeing Dawa cadre arrival 
---------------------------------- 
 
7.(SECRET/NOFORN)  As we have noted elsewhere in the Iraqi 
intelligence community in refs. A-C, the Prime Minister is 
seeding Da'wa loyalists into the National Information and 
Investigation Agency (NIIA). The current Deputy Director of 
NIIA, MG Hasan Kaokaz, was placed by the Prime Minister in 
October. Additionally, Deputy Minister Hussein Ali Kamal has 
indicated that 58 Da'wa party members (NFI) have been placed 
in the NIIA (refs D-E). Furthermore, there are about 125 NIIA 
personnel on the de-Ba'athification list per the Deputy 
Minister. Comment: We do not have conclusive evidence that 
the 125 personnel are part of the 376 person MoD/MoI list, 
although we find it probable. End Comment. 
 
¶8. (C) COMMENT: The press releases regarding 
de-Ba'athification come at a time of heightened tensions due 
to the first round of de-Ba'athification. De-Ba'athification 
has become a significant campaign issue especially in the 
south where rival Shi'a parties are engaged in intense 
political competition. The cloud created by the AJC report 
also masks both MoD and MoI instinctive institutional 
self-defense behavior and Prime Minister Maliki's ongoing 
Da'wa cadre seeding of security posts. Since the politically 
linked command changes are corrosive to Iraqi Security Force 
command and control integrity and unit readiness, we will 
continue closely watching MoD and MoI personnel movements and 
the net effect on national security. End Comment. 
 
HILL