US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD3012

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003012 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/20/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KDEM, KISL, IZ, Sunni Arab, National Assembly 
SUBJECT: NOT A DONE DEAL: SUNNI WITHDRAWAL FROM 
CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE 
 
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires David M. Satterfield for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: Following the July 19 assassinations of Sunni 
representatives to the Constitution Drafting bodies, the 
media has reported that the entire Sunni contingent had 
withdrawn from the constitution drafting process.  While 
there is some confusion even amongst our Iraqi interlocutors 
as to whether this is the case, it appears that Sunni 
participation in the constitution development process has 
been only temporarily suspended and Committee members are 
taking time to mourn their slain colleagues.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) Angry and grief stricken Sunnis openly contemplated 
withdrawal from the constitution development process at the 
July 20 session of the Transitional National Assembly. 
Deputy Constitution Committee Chair and head of the Sunni 
delegation Adnan al-Janabi demanded guards and a security 
budget for Sunni representatives to the Committee that is on 
par with that provided to other TNA members.  In a side 
meeting during today's session, Speaker Hajim al-Hassani and 
Qassim Daoud agreed to provide the Sunnis with 15 guards -- 
the number allotted to other TNA members -- and a budget for 
the purchase of an appropriate vehicle. 
 
3. (C) Al-Janabi exchanged heated words with al-Hassani both 
inside and outside the July 20 session, complaining that the 
condolence statement read during the Assembly by Daoud, who 
has essentially broken with the Iraqiya bloc, was 
inappropriate.  Daoud described Mujbil Ali Haseen al Shaykh 
Issa as a member of the Dulaimi tribe rather than the Nuami 
tribe.  Additionally, al-Janabi felt he should have read the 
statement, not Daoud. 
 
4. (C) The National Dialogue's Dr. Saleh Mutlak expressed his 
anger at the refusal of the TNA to support the new -- and 
threatened -- Sunni members to the Constitution Committee. 
He said TNA authorities had delayed even badging the new 
members and had not made any moves to support their personal 
security.  He also stated that the Karada neighborhood where 
Mujbil Issa and others were killed is well patrolled by Iraqi 
Security Forces (ISF), who did nothing to protect his 
colleagues. 
 
5. (C) Both al-Janabi and Mutlak told reporters that they are 
suspending Sunni participation on the Constitution Committee, 
and today's meeting was cancelled.  It remains unclear, 
however, whether the suspension is because the Sunnis were 
attending today's funeral for the slain Committee members or 
a step out the door entirely. 
 
6. (C) Dr. Hasib Saleh al Obeidi told PolOff while traveling 
north to the slain committee members' village of Hawija that 
he and several other committee members (most likely other 
National Dialogue representatives) would be in mourning for 
two days and did not intend to return to Baghdad before that 
time.  Obeidi said there had not yet been any decision to 
withdraw but predicted National Dialogue members would come 
to some consensus on how to proceed. 
 
7. (C) Dr. Ala'a Sadoun, an Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP) 
representative to the Committee, said the group did not 
attend today's TNA meeting, but was considering attending on 
July 21.  IIP's Dr. Ayad Samarra'i also did not mention to 
PolOff any planned withdrawal. 
 
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COMMENT 
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8. (C) It is far from clear whether the Sunnis do, in fact, 
intend to withdraw from the constitution process permanently, 
despite press reports that this is already a 'fait accompli.' 
 An encouraging sign is that Sunni interlocutors have 
indicated they will go forward with a meeting planned for 
this evening with the Charge.  Post will press Sunni leaders 
hard to continue participation in the constitution drafting 
process.  Post will also strongly urge the Government, as 
PolCouns did today in a discussion with Prime Minister 
Jafari, to provide adequate security --at least on par with 
that provided to other TNA members -- to the Sunni members of 
the Constitution Committee.  END COMMENT. 
 
9. (U) REO HILLA, REO BASRA, REO MOSUL, and REO KIRKUK, 
minimize considered. 
Satterfield