US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD3664

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 003664 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/I-POL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPDC, PREL, IZ 
SUBJECT: SCIRI PRESIDENT AL-HAKIM SENDS CONDOLENCE 
LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH 
 
 
1. On September 3 President of the Supreme Council 
of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), Abdel 
Aziz Al-Hakim, addressed a letter to President Bush 
expressing condolences to the families of the 
victims of Hurricane Katrina. 
 
2. A translation of the letter's text follows: 
 
His Excellency President George W. Bush 
President of the United States of America 
 
We share your grief and the grief of the friendly 
American people for the human losses and damage 
caused by the hurricane Katrina.  Our condolences to 
the families of the victims and the afflicted. 
 
This disaster took place at the same time our people 
were facing another human tragedy at the holy city 
of Al-Kadhimiyya in Baghdad where we lost more than 
one thousand citizens along with an equal number of 
injured during the performance of sacred religious 
rituals. 
 
Once more, we pray for the families of the victims 
to have patience, and we are certain that faith in 
God's work will help in overcoming this ordeal.  We 
have great confidence that the people and Government 
of the United States of America will be able to 
overcome this disaster with firm resolve. 
 
Please accept our deep respect 
 
Abdel Aziz Al-Hakim 
President of the Supreme Council of 
The Islamic Revolution in Iraq 
President of the Unified Iraqi Coalition Bloc 
Baghdad, on the 3rd of September, 2005 
 
END TRANSLATION. 
 
Khalilzad