US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD4906

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 004906 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PNAT, KDEM, PHUM, PINR, IZ, Elections 
SUBJECT: ALLAWI CAMPAIGN UPDATE 
 
Classified By: Classified by Political Counselor Robert S. Ford for 
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary.  Former PM Ayad Allawi's Campaign 
Manager, Renda Rahim Rancke, met with PolOffs on 
December 7 to provide them with proof of serious 
campaign violations and copies of the 55 complaints 
filed with the Independent Electoral Commission of 
Iraq (IECI).  She encouraged Embassy efforts to ensure 
the IECI responds to such charges.  (As reported 
SEPTEL, we have pushed the Commission to do so.)   End 
Summary. 
 
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Campaign Headquarters Atmospherics 
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2.  (C) Allawi's campaign headquarters is situated on 
a large compound adjacent to the International Zone and 
consists of three buildings with one multi-story building 
mounted with Allawi's stallion symbol on the front.  A 
large poster of Allawi greets visitors at the outside 
gate.  Two large outdoor dining areas covered with 
colorful awnings are set up on the lawn.  Security was 
apparent, passing through a modern metal detector, x- 
ray machine, and physical pat-down.  In the lobby, 
there were several people milling about with five 
assistants sitting in Deputy Operations Campaign 
Manager Dr. Azzam al-Wash's outer office.  Dr. al-Wash 
himself seemed to embody the campaign's flurry of 
activity when he interrupted PolOff's meeting only to 
say a few words, grab his briefcase and a bottle of 
water. 
 
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Complaints to IECI go unanswered 
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3.  (C) Allawi's Campaign Manager Renda Rahim met 
with PolOffs to provide copies of 55 unanswered 
complaints of serious campaign violations previously 
submitted to the IECI.  According to Rahim, the IECI 
has not responded to any of these complaints.  She 
sifted through several of the violations to point out 
how the Shia Alliance (555) is conducting a smear 
campaign that not only attacks Allawi but also 
threatens anyone who deigns to vote for him. 
 
4.  (SBU) Rahim also provided PolOffs with photos of 
Shia Alliance (Badr Corps) banners that insinuate that 
the Alliance has the blessing of the Marja'iya and 
posters of Allawi's face melded with Saddam's.   In 
addition, she provided PolOffs with a short video of 
policemen in Baghdad tearing down Allawi posters at 
night. 
 
5.  (C) On December 8, Rahim expressed to PolOff her 
disgust with these criminal campaign tactics.  She 
urged EmbOffs to intervene, make a public statement 
denouncing these measures, and put pressure on the IECI 
to sanction political coalitions violating IECI 
campaign regulations.  She stated that the Allawi team 
has worked very hard on its media campaign that 
engages in television advertisements, wide 
distribution of posters and leaflets, personal 
appearances, rallies, and cultural events.  It is a 
shame that other parties can destroy all this hard 
work by engaging in dirty campaign tactics, Rahim 
commented. 
 
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Comment 
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6.  (C) Rahim is influential in many circles; 
articulate, extremely capable, and aware of the issues. 
She strongly believes in Ayad Allawi's candidacy, 
becoming his Campaign Manager, even after Allawi's 
Advisor Rosum al-Awadi removed her name from the 
Baghdad candidate roster without her knowledge.  Rahim 
told PolOff that she was very disappointed that she 
will not be able to participate in Iraqi politics at 
the Council of Representatives level. 
KHALILZAD