9.6 | 27 June 2007 to April 2008

627. JAM1 reported that contact with the Iraqi Government in Baghdad had resulted

in agreement to three “reconciliation” committees in Basra as part of a wider national

initiative: one dealing with security, one with social affairs and one with politics/conflict

resolution.

628. The officials observed that “our sense was, as well that we, [NAME OF

OPERATION], the British, are starting to matter less” and concluded that they would

“need to drive home the importance of continuing contact with [government officials

working closely with the military]” after his release.

629. MOD officials wrote to Mr Browne’s Assistant Private Secretary with the latest

position regarding negotiations with JAM on 22 November.291 This explained that

the arrangements remained “fragile”. Mr Browne was asked to agree that a further

10 detainees could be released by MND(SE) in three tranches over the following three

weeks, subject to agreement that they no longer posed a serious threat. Approval was

required by the next day.

630. Lt Gen Rollo reported that Gen Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker held their

quarterly review of the campaign in Iraq on 24 November.292 Lt Gen Rollo wrote that,

while no-one discounted the hard work still required on the security line of operations,

the main debate focused on how to make more progress on politics and economics in a

way that would contain and gradually reduce the inter-communal tensions that continued

to dominate Iraq.

631. There was a significant debate about anti-corruption and terrorist financing,

including the problems of militia infiltration and intimidation of the MOI and MOD.

This mattered not only because of the need to starve AQ and the Special Groups

of funds but because any dysfunctionality in those ministries undermined the Iraqi

Government more generally. Lt Gen Rollo reported that there had been unanimity that

economic development and employment were critical to the success of the next

stage of the campaign.

632. Lt Gen Rollo also reported that the Supreme Court had found in favour of

Governor Waili. He wrote:

“Whatever the merits of the legal case it is to be hoped that this now provides

the basis for Maliki to accept that he will have to live with Waili as Governor,

and therefore for work to be taken forward on the MOU for PIC on a relatively

conventional basis on 16 or 17 December.”

291 Minute Powell to APS/Secretary of State [MOD], 22 November 2007, ‘Negotiations with JAM:

Latest Position’.

292 Minute Rollo to CDS, 25 November 2007, ‘SBMR-I’s Weekly Report (278) 25 Nov 07’.

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