9.7 | May
2008 to October 2009
the
majority of the time. This is in stark contrast to March when only
60 percent
considered
that they had enough to live on and only 25 percent thought
they
had enough
food. We are also seeing an upward trend in support for the
ISF.
The
perception that the ISF are defeating the Militias increased by 11
percent
in May to
59 percent with similar trends reported for general confidence in
the
security
situation, now at 75 percent, and increase of 18 percent over the
previous
month, and
in confidence in the ISF’s ability to protect the population
increasing
by
10 percent to 70 percent overall. Finally, 74 percent of those
polled consider
the
environment safe enough to report crimes to the ISF, which is an
increase
of 6 percent
over last month.”
94.
Maj Gen
White-Spunner also reported that Operation Charge of the Knights
XIV had
begun on 18
June, covering “the continuous maintenance of security and control
by the
ISF
throughout Basra Province … and, secondly, support to ISF
operations in Maysan”.
95.
The British
Embassy Office Basra reported on 23 June that Charge of
the
Knights XIV
was targeting insurgents returning to the city, and had generated
“further
weapons
finds and detentions” as well as an increase in attacks against the
MNF
and ISF,
albeit “single rather than multiple rocket attacks which suggests a
reduced
capability”.32
There
appeared to be public support for ISF action.
96.
In the same
report, the British Embassy Office recorded “the first visit in ten
months
by UK
CivPol [civilian police] to the Joint Police Command Centre (JPCC)
in Basra”.
The report
said:
“The
success of the initial visit to the PJCC cannot be over-emphasised.
It will
enable, as
the security situation allows, future opportunities for the CivPol
team to
engage
close[ly] with the IPS as part of the continuing strategy to
support, develop
and assess
policing standards.”
97.
On 23 June Lt
Gen Cooper advised ACM Stirrup of the importance of
engaging
the Iraqi
Government “sooner rather than later on the nature of our long term
strategic
relationship
with them … we need to see through Iraqi eyes … rather than risk
taking
the future
for granted”.33
98.
The same
report stated that Charge of the Knights XIV had been
“well-co-ordinated”
and
“executed to plan”. Lt Gen Cooper reported:
“A vignette
that brings to life the burgeoning sense of confidence within the
ISF is
that a
departing JAM member had painted the graffiti comment
‘We’ll be
back’ on
the
Yugoslav
bridge in Amara to which an Iraqi soldier had added
‘We’ll be
waiting’.”
99.
Qadisiyah and
Anbar provinces were scheduled for transfer to Provincial
Iraqi
Control
(PIC) at the end of June, and Lt Gen Cooper commented that Gen
Petraeus
32
eGram
24392/08 Basra to FCO London, 23 June 2008, ‘Basra: Weekly
Update’.
33
Minute
Cooper to CDS, 23 June 2008, ‘SBMR-I’s Weekly Report (306) 23 Jun
08’.
397