US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD4013

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 004013 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, PINR, IZ, Parliament 
SUBJECT: JAFARI'S DA'WA PARTY AND SCIRI NOT READY YET FOR 
ELECTION ALLIANCE 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Robert S. Ford for Reasons 
 1.4 (b) and (d 
 
1.(C) Da'wa al-Islamiyya senior official Jawad al-Maliki 
told PolOff on September 27 that he doubts the Shia 
Coalition 169 List will survive to the next elections.  He 
added that Da'wa would have to form new alliances based on 
the new election law and anticipated that there would be 
several different alliances for different districts. He was 
sure that Da'wa would not score many electoral successes 
running on its own ticket; he said it  would be lucky to 
win 15 seats. 
 
2. (C) Al-Maliki scoffed at the press reports indicating 
that SCIRI and Da'wa plan to form a secular movement. He 
added that any partnership with SCIRI would greatly 
surprise him because Da'wa needs more moderate partners. 
Da'wa member Ali Muhammed Hussein Ali al-Adeeb told PolOff 
that there has been no decision on a party platform. He 
expressed his concern that the party has stalled in its 
tracks.  TNA member Dhiya Muhammad Taqi Abd al-Hussein al- 
Shakarchi told PolOff on September 27 that without knowing 
its platform, Da'wa could not genuinely shop for allies. 
Al-Shakarchi stated that all Islamist parties are perceived 
as extremist, linked to Iran, and have a penchant for 
violence in the streets.  He warned that Da'wa should not 
make hasty decisions on forming alliances.  All the DAWA 
members with whom PolOff spoke skirted the viability of 
Jaafari's candidacy. 
 
3. (C) Poloff met separately September 26 with SCIRI leader 
Humam Hamudi to explore their electoral plans.  Hamudi was 
not yet willing to rule out a Shia coalition in the coming 
elections.  He said that the 169 leadership was holding 
constant meetings on the subject and no group was entirely 
satisfied with its representation on the list.  He said 
they had decided to reach a decision within 10 days. 
Khalilzad