The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
advice, and
mainly on technical rather than policy issues. They would only
serve as long
as their
Iraqi Minister wanted them to.
1039.
The main
conclusions of the US transition planning process were formalised
on
11 May in
US National Security Presidential Directive 36.607
Hard
Lessons summarised
those
conclusions:
•
After the
dissolution of the CPA, the US Secretary of State would be
responsible
for all
activities in Iraq, except for military operations and the
development of the
Iraqi
Security Forces (ISF).
•
Two new
organisations would be established to manage the US
reconstruction
programme
(taking over the mission of the PMO). The Iraq
Reconstruction
and
Management Office (IRMO) would provide technical assistance
to
Iraqi
ministries and the Project and Contracting Office (PCO) would
provide
procurement
and project management support for the US Supplemental
(IRRF2).
•
13 of the
17 CPA provincial offices would be closed. Basra was one of the
four
that would
remain.
1040.
The Inquiry
has seen no indications that Ministers or senior officials were
briefed
on the
Directive, or the key changes it described, until
July.
1041.
Mr Richmond
and Mr Sawers met Ambassador Bremer in Baghdad on 6
May.608
Mr Richmond
reported by telegram that Mr Sawers had expressed concern that
the CPA
would not
meet its targets for basic services. Ambassador Bremer replied that
it should
get “within
shouting distance” of its 6,000MW target for power generation.
Sewage was
a
particular problem, “they were shovelling it off the streets in
Sadr City”. Ambassador
Bremer also
commented:
“If we
could even get security back to October/November 2003 levels, then
effective
reconstruction
would be possible.”
1042.
On the same
day, the AHMGIR was advised that reconstruction had
been
delayed by
the downturn in security, adding to Iraqi frustration with the
Coalition’s
performance.609
In Baghdad,
UK reconstruction staff had only been able to move
outside
the Green
Zone sporadically, and hardened accommodation was in short supply.
Staff
numbers had
been “thinned slightly” as a result. CPA(South) staff had been
unable to
travel for
nearly a week. Despite that, reconstruction was continuing. During
April,
120
projects worth US$37m had been contracted, including clearance of
rubbish and
road
building. Those should provide employment for 17,000 people and
many would
have a
quick and visible impact.
607
National
Security Presidential Directive, 11 May 2004, ‘United States
Government Operations in Iraq’.
608
Telegram
217 IraqRep to FCO London, 6 May 2004, ‘Iraq: Sawers’ Meeting with
Bremer’.
609
Annotated
Agenda, 6 May 2004, Ad Hoc Group on Iraq Rehabilitation
meeting.
180