US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD4289

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004289 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, KDEM, IZ, Sunni Arab, Parliament, Elections 
SUBJECT: ANBAR POLITICS:  NOBODY LIKES ANYBODY VERY MUCH 
 
REF: BAGHDAD 4239 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT FORD, FOR REASONS 
1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) Summary.  This is a SET Ramadi Cable.    Anbar Sunni 
Arab politicos may feel besieged with worries about Shia, 
Iranians, terrorists, Iraqi Security Forces and the 
American military, but they are hardly circling the wagons. 
The lead political figure in Anbar, in terms of 
administrative prowess and political savvy, is technocrat 
Governor Mamoon Sami Latif al Rasheed (albu Alwan tribe). 
He is, however, bitterly criticized by even apparently 
close political allies such as the deputy governor, Talib 
Ibraheem Someer, and his own legal counsel and cousin, Haji 
Arif al Alwan.  Provincial Police Chief Brigadier General 
Shaqr Mohammed Saleh (al Dulaym) has more reason to attack 
the governor, given that Mamoon seeks Shaqr's removal for 
corruption.  Local politics and jockeying for the next 
election in December resemble a nest of vipers.  End 
Summary. 
 
2. (C) PolOff and military colleagues pulsed five leading 
Anbari politicians in the week leading up to the 
constitutional referendum.  Police Chief Shaqr in his 
battle with the governor regarding the payment of 
policemen's salaries (reftel) accused the governor of being 
a member of the IIP.  He elaborated on the indictment, 
citing Anbaris' natural distrust of political parties, 
given their experience with the Ba'ath.  He claimed Mamoon 
was pressuring his police commanders to join the Islamic 
party.  Mamoon, however, declared in an October 13 New York 
Times report (in the presence of PolOff) that he was not 
affiliated with any political party.  Later the same day in 
a telcon, Mamoon described his own group (refusing to label 
it a party) as technocrats loosely aligned with the IIP for 
the January 30 election. 
 
3. (C) Provincial Council Chairman Khudair Abdel Jabar 
Abbas also a self-described member of the educated class, 
is more forthcoming about his membership in the IIP, which 
garnered a meager 2800 votes in the January 30 election - 
the highest total for any group in Anbar in that 
controversial election.  He noted, "The people consider us 
the IIP".  He named the party's Anbar chief as Abdul al 
Salam, whom Khudair claimed had been unable to connect with 
IIP headquarters after the momentous announcement regarding 
the changes in the constitution.  Of the five Anbar 
politicians PolOff has met, Khudair, the proud father of 
seven, was the only one to excuse himself from meetings to 
pray.  He appears to have a good, if subordinate, working 
relationship with Mamoon and boasted of holding 21 
Provincial Council meetings since the body's inception. 
 
4. (C) Deputy Governor Talib denigrated both political 
parties ("not representative of the people of Anbar") and 
tribal leaders ("who have lost their constituencies").  He 
criticized the governor (in the presence of Haji Arif, 
Legal Advisor to Mamoon) for failing to understand his 
authorities vis-a-vis the Provincial Police Chief. 
Mamoon's cousin and advisor, Lawyer Arif, chimed in that 
the governor's influence was limited : "He can only travel 
between his homes and the governorate center."  Talib 
accused Shaqr, meanwhile, of bribing officials in Baghdad, 
allegedly even the Minister of Interior.  The deputy 
governor claimed he did not represent "any one party, but 
the people of Anbar".  He tucked a copy of the Iraqi 
National Dialogue Council (INDC) party platform into the 
Poloff's notebook as he left. 
 
5. (C) Police Chief Shaqr praised the INDC's leader, Ramadi 
native Shaykh Khalif Al-Uyan for his military experience. 
A few of the Anbar police commanders agreed Al-Uyan was 
"popular".  Shaqr's old boss, former Anbar Governor Fassal 
al Ghaoud, did not get off so lightly.  The Police Chief 
described al Ghaoud as "tired" and lacking any support in 
Anbar.  (Note.  Al Ghaoud's party newspaper, "Solidarity" 
is one of the few publications found on Ramadi streets, but 
the former governor has been scarce in the troubled 
province.  End Note.)  Mamoon decried al Ghaoud as not even 
the most senior representative of his Hit-based, Albu Nimr 
tribe.  Shaqr seemed to approve of former Prime Minister 
Ayad Allawi, but found it difficult to imagine Allawi 
forming a coalition with the IIP. 
 
6. (C) Comment:  Organized and proactive political parties, 
like the Diyala IIP, do not seem to have materialized in 
Anbar.  With the October 21 election commission deadline 
for coalition and candidate registration fast approaching, 
local politicians will need to finalize their coalitions 
and appeal to their (if any) constituents quickly.  There 
appear to be no alliances among the leading local figures, 
another attestation of the divisive and fractured nature of 
Sunni Arab politics.  The voter turnout in Ramadi and 
points west was very low.  Focused education and public 
political forums may spark voter interest in the next 
elections.   End Comment. 
Khalilzad