US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD3469

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003469 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2025 
TAGS: PGOV, PINS, IZ, National Assembly, Dawa Party 
SUBJECT: DAWA PARTY LEADER PLEASED WITH CONSTITUTION 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT FORD FOR REASONS 
1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) Dawa Party leader Jawad al Maliki told PolOff August 
24 that he is pleased with the draft constitution.  While 
acknowledging that some groups, especially the Sunni Arabs, 
are not completely satisfied, he is confident that the 
constitution treats all groups fairly. 
 
2. (C) Sunni Arabs, Maliki said, are strongly opposed to 
federalism and de-Ba'athification.  The Shia and Kurds, 
however, have agreed upon these two issues.  The Shia and 
Kurds feel that devolving power to the provinces is the 
best safeguard against a future dictatorship.  Maliki said 
there is no doubt Iraq will be a federal republic.  He is, 
however, willing to discuss the details of Iraqi federalism 
with the Sunni Arabs.Q 
 
3. (C) The issue of de-Ba'athification, Maliki said, was 
settled when the TNA voted to ban the Ba'ath party.  He 
said that Ba'athists ruined Iraq and that many of its 
members were criminals.  The goal of de-Ba'athification is 
not to expel or kill former Ba'athists, but to simply 
prevent former high-ranking members from holding positions 
of high authority where they could oppress Iraqis again. 
Only 5 percent of former Ba'athists, he asserted, have been 
removed from their jobs. 
 
4. (C)  Comment:  Maliki is a top Da'wa party member who 
has sometimes been involved in the negotiating sessions. 
He is generally thought to be harder line on relations with 
the Sunni Arabs.  His viewpoints above are indicative of 
the consensus now existing among the more conservative 
elements of the Shia Coalition which makes it harder to 
gain big concessions on federalism and de-Baathification 
that would help us gain Sunni Arab support for the 
constitution. 
 
 
 
Khalilzad