US embassy cable - 04BEIRUT1108

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 001108 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/05/2014 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, LE, IZ 
SUBJECT: LEBANON: SPEAKER BERRI AND SHEIKH QABALAN ON IRAQ 
TERRORIST ATTACKS 
 
REF: A. STATE 47118 
     B. BEIRUT 1036 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR VINCENT M. BATTLE FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (C) AMBASSADOR CONVEYED POINTS IN REF A ON THE TERRORIST 
ATTACKS IN IRAQ TO PARLIAMENT SPEAKER (AND SHI'ITE LEADER) 
NABIH BERRI MARCH 4.  BERRI, WHO PUBLICLY DENOUNCED THE 
ATTACKS FROM DAMASCUS ON MARCH 2 (REF B), SAID THAT "INSIDE 
THE ROOMS" OF INFLUENTIAL SHI'A LEADERS, THERE IS AGREEMENT 
THAT THE ATTACKS IN IRAQ CAME FROM OUTSIDE.  BERRI MENTIONED 
THE TALIBAN AND AL-QAEDA SPECIFICALLY.  HE NOTED THAT IRAQI 
SHI'ITE LEADER SISTANI DID NOT BLAME THE AMERICANS FOR THE 
ATTACKS, BUT "FOR THEIR FAILURE TO CLOSE THE BORDERS SOONER." 
 
2.  (C) BERRI SAID THAT SISTANI IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE 
POSSIBILITY OF REVENGE ATTACKS AND ESCALATING SUNNI/SHI'A 
SECTARIAN VIOLENCE.  BERRI EMPHASIZED THAT CONFLICT BETWEEN 
IRAQ'S SUNNI AND SHI'A COMMUNITIES WOULD NOT REMAIN CONFINED 
TO IRAQ, BUT THAT IT WOULD SPREAD "TO LEBANON, SYRIA, FOR 
SURE TO SAUDI ARABIA, OF COURSE IN BAHRAIN, EVEN IN KUWAIT, 
AND IT HAS ALREADY STARTED IN PAKISTAN." 
 
3. (C) BERRI STRESSED THAT THOSE WHO CARRIED OUT THE ATTACKS 
ARE "MUSLIM IN FORM ONLY," SAYING THAT "THEY WANT TO DO 
NOTHING BUT KILL."  HE COMPARED ASHURA TO GOOD FRIDAY FOR 
CATHOLICS AND SAID THAT ASHURA IS SOMETHING SACRED THAT EVEN 
SUNNIS ACCEPT IN CONCEPT, IF NOT IN FORM.  BERRI CLAIMED THAT 
THE TIMING OF THE INCIDENT, SHORTLY AFTER SISTANI AGREED TO 
DELAYED ELECTIONS AND THE CREATION OF AN IRAQI GOVERNING 
DOCUMENT, WAS AN ATTEMPT "TO KILL THAT PROGRESS."  BERRI 
URGED THE USG TO WORK HARDER TO RECREATE AND REBUILD THE 
IRAQI ARMY AND SECURITY FORCES, REITERATING HIS CRITICISM OF 
THE DECISION TO DISBAND THE IRAQI ARMY AS PREMATURE. 
 
4.  (C) AFTER VISITING BERRI, AMBASSADOR WENT TO SEE SHEIK 
ABDUL AMIR QABALAN, ACTING HEAD OF THE HIGHER SHI'ITE COUNCIL 
IN LEBANON, WHO WAS RECEIVING CONDOLENCES FOR THE IRAQ 
ATTACKS.  QABALAN SAID THAT THE MASSACRE IN KERBALA WAS 
REALLY AIMED AGAINST THE CPA; "THEY CANNOT GET YOU, SO THEY 
ATTACK US."  HE STRESSED THAT THE U.S. MUST NOT BE LENIENT 
WITH THE PERPETRATORS AND ARGUED THAT STRONG SECURITY IN IRAQ 
WAS ESSENTIAL. 
 
BATTLE