US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD4439

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004439 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR NEA/PPD AND NEA/I, INFO ECA AND IIP 
 
E.0. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, OEXC, PGOV, KPAO, IZ 
SUBJECT:  IRAQI PARTY LEADER OFFERS PROGRAM SUPPORT TO 
EMBASSY'S PUBLIC OUTREACH 
 
 
1. (SBU)  Summary.  On October 22, PA Counselor and PA 
Section staff met with Mithal Al-Alusi, Secretary General of 
a liberal Sunni party, to discuss cooperation in the area of 
public outreach, specifically the establishment of a joint 
mechanism to promote Iraqi-American cultural linkages and to 
disseminate liberal values within Iraq.  Post will be 
exploring options for cooperating with Alusi in such areas 
as speaker programs, dissemination of Arabic language 
materials, and a local youth magazine.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU)  On October 22, PA Counselor and PA/Information 
Office staff met with Alusi, Secretary General of the Sunni 
Hizb al-Umma al-Iraqiyya (Iraqi Nation Party), to discuss 
Alusi's interest in establishing a permanent mechanism for 
supporting the Embassy's public outreach effort.  In 
particular, Alusi is proposing a joint mechanism to plan and 
execute public programming to promote improved institutional 
and individual Iraqi-American linkages and to disseminate 
progressive, liberal values within Iraqi society as a 
counterweight to perceived wide-spread anti-American 
sentiment.  In response, PA counselor encouraged Alusi's 
interest and agreed to work with him to explore options for 
cooperating in such areas as arranging speakers for public 
fora, disseminating IIP Arabic language materials, and 
subsidizing children's literature.  Alusi has enjoyed good 
ties to the Embassy since returning to Iraq in 2003.  Alusi 
first raised his cooperation ideas in a letter to Ambassador 
Khalilzad following a September 3 meeting. 
 
3. (SBU) At the outset of the October 22 meeting with PA 
staff, Alusi expressed his gratitude for U.S. engagement in 
Iraq saying, "We appreciate your help and the risks, 
sacrifice and high price your sons have paid to liberate our 
people." He went on to decry "a tremendous vacuum that 
currently exists in Iraqi society" - as a result of Saddam's 
misrule.  Alusi argued that the present moment offers a 
window of opportunity to influence the future development of 
Iraqi society, the first such window since the aftermath of 
the first Gulf War. With conviction Alusi argued for the 
U.S. to reach out more effectively to average Iraqis with 
clear and focused messages, to counter the "circus-like 
language of politicians intent on deceiving people." He 
characterized the communication gap between politicians and 
their constituents as "dangerous" and stressed the need for 
a more candid and inclusive dialogue. 
 
4.  (SBU)  Alusi recalled with evident nostalgia his visits 
to the pre-1967 USIS American Cultural Center in Baghdad, 
where he encountered American life and values directly for 
the first time, especially via a magazine he recalled as 
"Life in America" (al-Hayaat fi Amrika).  PA Counselor 
reviewed possible areas of cooperation and briefly explained 
current PA programs such as American Corners, U.S. Speakers, 
and Hi magazine and offered broad suggestions for co- 
sponsoring projects with Alusi - but not in his political 
party leader role - such as evening discussion roundtables 
and similar fora.  Alusi suggested working through an NGO 
that he also heads and predicted "huge turnouts" for such 
events. 
 
5. (SBU)  Commenting on the renascent media scene in Iraq, 
Alusi bemoaned what he called a lack of true autonomy and 
independence.  He referred to the popular Al-Iraqiyya TV 
channel, e.g., as having fallen under the sway of clerics, 
noting that "it is dangerous to have our people held hostage 
by religious authorities."  More broadly, he expressed 
concern that popular culture and media in Iraq have become 
mere instruments of politics, skillfully manipulated by 
religious groups with far greater resources than those 
available to secular, liberal, intellectuals (such as 
himself).  "Where we have hundreds of supporters, they 
(religious and political heavyweights) have thousands." 
 
6. (SBU)  It is clear that Alusi envisions engaging the 
media as part of this effort.  Another priority for Alusi is 
the establishment of a magazine for young Iraqis, 15-22, 
that would reach this critical group effectively with 
positive messages. "We're stealing their childhood-they must 
have something to make them feel they're alive."  PA 
Counselor provided recent copies of IIP's Hi Magazine, but 
noted that Alusi was more interested in something with 
predominantly Iraqi content.  PA Counselor suggested there 
might be opportunities to work together on better nation- 
wide distribution of Hi, along with support to a wholly 
Iraqi publication.  He asked Alusi to come back with 
specific proposals for a follow-on planning meeting in two 
weeks. 
 
7.   (SBU)  BIO NOTE:  Alusi is a leading Sunni 
intellectual, considered by Western observers to be a voice 
of reason and moderation. He formerly served as a spokesman 
for the Iraqi National Congress (INC), but broke with Ahmed 
Chalabi, reportedly after being castigated publicly by him 
for attending a conference in Israel. Alusi and his party 
supported the just approved constitution. He accuses the 
(Sunni, anti-coalition) Muslim Scholars' Association of 
masterminding the February 8, 2005 assassination attempt 
against him, which killed his two sons and bodyguard. Alusi 
spent 26 years in exile, mainly in Germany, and returned to 
Iraq on November 5, 2003. 
 
SATTERFIELD