9.4 | June 2005 to May 2006

193. The IPU recommended that the number of staff be kept under review and that

Sir Michael Jay press the MOD for a dedicated helicopter service.

194. On the same day, Mr Blair commented on an Iraq update from his Private

Secretary to which reports of security in Iraq were attached:

“This shows the vital importance of renewing our focus and getting the Red Team

report implemented.”99

195. The update said that Sir Nigel Sheinwald was working on a paper for Mr Blair

on the UK’s strategy and the structures for implementing it, to be submitted the

following week.

196. On 17 September, UK forces detained two leading members of a JAM splinter

group.100

197. Mr Patey reported on 18 September that the TNA had adopted changes to the draft

Constitution and had sent the text to the UN for printing.101

198. There had been some last minute problems with the published text when

Sheikh Hammoudi, Chair of the Constitutional Committee, produced a foreword that

made reference to the “religious maraj’iya”. The use of that phrase, which describes

the highest religious authority in Shia Islam, was strongly opposed by Kurdish

representatives and secular groups.

199. Mr Patey considered that the incident was likely to deepen the mistrust between

the participants and might be:

“… indicative of shifting trends in the political process: from the even slight degree

of engagement and private dialogue necessary to craft a Constitution, towards the

outright public jockeying for position necessary to fight a referendum and elections.”

200. Lt Gen Brims reported on 18 September that Gen Casey had “commissioned

work (coincidentally staffed largely by British colleagues) on some of the strategic policy

implications of the Red Team Report” to inform MNF strategic thinking.102

201. On 19 September, Mr Patey reported that the issue of what would constitute a

“yes” vote in the referendum appeared to have been resolved.103 Ms Carina Perelli,

Head of the UN Electoral Affairs Division, had reported that the TNA’s Legal Affairs

Committee had clarified that the referendum law referred to a majority of those who vote.

The Embassy was seeking to confirm that was the case.

99 Manuscript comment Blair on Minute Quarrey to Prime Minister, 16 September 2005, ‘Iraq Update’.

100 Letter Naworynsky to Quarrey, 23 September 2005, ‘Iraq Update’ attaching COS MND(SE),

‘GOC MND(SE) – Southern Iraq update – 21 September’.

101 eGram 13580/05 Baghdad to FCO, 18 September 2005, ‘Iraq: Constitution: the Fat Lady Sings’.

102 Minute Brims to CDS, 18 September 2005, ‘SBMR-I Weekly Report (179) 18 September 05’.

103 eGram 13644/05 Baghdad to FCO London, 19 September 2005, ‘Iraq: Elections: Update’.

521