US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD2349

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002349 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2015 
TAGS: OVIP, PREL, PGOV, IZ, Sunni Arab 
SUBJECT: JAFARI PLEDGES MORE SUNNI DIALOGUE, SAYS 
INSURGENCY APPEARS ISOLATED, DESPERATE 
 
 
Classified By: Classified by David M. Satterfield, Charge d'Affaires, f 
 
or reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C/NF) Summary: During a May 19 meeting with Prime 
Minister Jafari, the Deputy Secretary highlighted the need 
for an integrated strategy (political, economic, and 
security) to defeat the insurgency.  As part of that 
strategy, he emphasized the need for inclusiveness and the 
importance of sticking to the constitutional schedule.  He 
urged Iraqi political and religious leaders to take a firm, 
united stand against the sectarian violence spurred by the 
Zarqawi network.  He advised Jafari to prepare a plan 
reflecting the ITG,s top economic priorities in advance of 
the June 22 Brussels Conference.  Jafari informed the Deputy 
Secretary of the formation of a new ministerial committee to 
 
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support the constitution drafting process and incorporate 
Sunnis into the process.  He also outlined his cabinet's 
efforts to isolate the insurgency and bolster public 
confidence in the government.  End summary. 
 
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Including Sunnis in Constitution Drafting 
----------------------------------------- 
 
2. (C/NF) In a May 19 meeting with Prime Minister Ibrahim 
Jafari in Baghdad, Deputy Secretary Zoellick reviewed the 
need for a three-pronged strategy ) political, 
economic/reconstruction, and security ) to defeat the 
insurgency.  Jafari agreed.  With respect to political 
strategy, Jafari acknowledged that the composition of the 
National Assembly (TNA) does not accurately reflect the 
demographic reality of Iraq.  The TNA,s 55-member 
constitutional committee is similarly skewed.  To redress 
this imbalance, Jafari announced he will head a new 
eight-minister committee, including five notable Sunnis, that 
will "assist" Parliament's constitutional committee.  Jafari 
said the real purpose of the ministerial committee is to 
ensure that Sunni voices are represented in the 
constitutional drafting process.  The Deputy Secretary 
pointed out that increased public inclusion in the 
constitutional process can counter insurgent efforts to 
exploit divisions in Iraqi society.  The Deputy Secretary 
urged that Iraqi religious and political leaders stand 
together and condemn sectarian violence and its architects, 
especially Zarqawi. 
 
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Readying an Economic Plan 
------------------------- 
 
3. (C/NF) The Deputy Secretary observed that June will be an 
important month for Iraq on the economic front.   The 
International Monetary Fund's (IMF) review, the upcoming 
Brussels Conference, and the Joint Economic Committee, all 
present opportunities to further Iraq's reconstruction.  He 
suggested the ITG develop a short-term plan based on a small 
number of economic priorities, which the ITG could then 
present to donors at the Brussels Conference.  Noting 
Minister of Planning Barham Salih,s excellent international 
reputation, the Deputy Secretary observed that both Salih and 
Finance Minister Allawi could play significant roles in 
explaining Iraq's plan to donor countries.  The Deputy 
Secretary outlined USG priorities for reconstruction 
 
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assistance, such as rehabilitation of Iraq,s electrical 
system (with an eventual transition to natural gas as the key 
fuel for electricity generation), creation of agricultural 
sector jobs, completion of water and sanitation projects, and 
promotion of small businesses through mirco-loans. 
 
4. (C/NF) Jafari agreed with the need for a focused economic 
plan, saying that public opinion polls show that security and 
the delivery of essential services remain the top concerns of 
ordinary Iraqis.  He said Salih and Allawi will work with his 
office in leading the review and analysis of proposals for an 
economic plan.  According to Jafari, his economic team would 
focus on ensuring the most disadvantaged areas of the country 
receive the largest portion of aid resources.  Provincial 
governments will be an integral part of the process of 
allocating resources and will be responsible for 
implementation and oversight of programs.  He said this 
decentralized approach would strengthen the administrative 
and political relations between Baghdad and the provinces. 
 
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How to Isolate Sunni Extremists 
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5. (C/NF) With regard to stemming the rise in sectarian 
violence, Jafari explained that there is a distorted view of 
the relative strength of the insurgency.  He said while acts 
of violence appear to be on the rise, the random, 
undisciplined nature of the attacks on Iraq,s citizenry 
suggests that the insurgents are desperate and isolated. 
Jafari added that as the insurgents sense progress in the 
political sphere, they face increased pressure from within 
their circles to commit acts of terrorism.  Jafari also noted 
that the process of Sunni engagement continues.  He recently 
met with Sunni leaders from Ramadi and was preparing to visit 
Fallujah.  He also promoted the idea of releasing a select 
group of Sunni clerics and detainees (not yet charged with 
crimes) held by the ISF and MNF-I as a gesture of good will 
by the Iraqi government.  He agreed that the ITG must speak 
with a unified voice and stress to the public that Zarqawi is 
not an Iraqi, but an evil foreign terrorist.  The Deputy 
Secretary affirmed that the U.S. remains fully committed to 
 
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training the Iraqi Security Forces and engaging in joint 
planning operations, and stressed the need to avoid any 
surprises in the U.S.-ITG security relationship. 
 
6. (C/NF) The Deputy Secretary observed that some U.S. 
military commanders had been approached by extremist elements 
in west Anbar seeking further discussions with U.S. and Iraqi 
leaders; he asked how Jafari viewed such overtures.  Jafari 
firmly replied that the government is ready to talk.  Jafari 
then recounted recent positive signals he had received from 
the Syrian MFA.  The Deputy Secretary pointed out that these 
new intimations of Syrian interest in engaging the Iraqi 
leadership were evidence that the international pressure on 
Damascus was working.  The Deputy Secretary encouraged the 
Prime Minister to make clear that Syria should not interfere 
in Iraq,s internal affairs and should do more to control the 
border.  The Deputy Secretary urged Jafari to push Syrian 
President Asad hard on these issues and remind him that Iraq 
would not remain in its weakened state for long ) and would 
not forget Syria,s unhelpful behavior.  Jafari agreed. 
 
7. (U) REO HILLA, REO BASRA, REO MOSUL, and REO KIRKUK, 
minimize considered. 
 
Jeffrey