The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
198.
In a separate
Assessment covering the effectiveness of efforts to engage
with
Iraq’s
Sunni Arab communities, the JIC judged that “The Iraqi Ba’ath
Party, now based
in Damascus,
has no obvious support base within Iraq.”165
199.
The JIC also
assessed that “perceptions that ministries are being purged of
Sunnis
under the
banner of de‑Ba’athification” were “exacerbating
tensions”.
200.
The Iraq
Sub-Committee of the Defence and Overseas Policy Committee
(DOP(I))
considered
a paper on 18 July entitled “Iraq: Splitting the Jihadists from the
National
Opposition”.166
It had been
written by the FCO and was presented by Mr Patey.
201.
The paper
described jihadists as “principally foreigners, but an increasing
number
of Iraqis”.
Its recommendations included:
•
continuing
to demonstrate inclusivity in the drafting of the
Constitution,
committing
to the timetable set out in the TAL, and being prepared to
intervene
if necessary;
•
ensuring
that the system used in the December elections was
province‑based
in order
to maximise Sunni Arab participation; and
•
pressing
the ITG to relax the de‑Ba’athification rules to allow disaffected
former
Army
officers and officials back into the ISF and government
institutions, and
ensuring
that de‑Ba’athification decisions were based in a legal
framework
rather than
a political one.
202.
These were to
be accompanied by a strong media strategy, aimed at
undermining
the
jihadists’ “un‑Islamic” message, and active engagement with
neighbouring States.
203.
DOP(I) agreed
the broad approach proposed by the FCO.167
204.
In an update
on the Iraqi Constitution sent to the FCO on 25 July, Mr Patey
advised
that the
first full draft contained “two unnecessary and unhelpful mentions
of Ba’athism:
‘Saddamist
Ba’athist’ thinking is prohibited and nominees for the National
Assembly
must not
have been covered by de‑Ba’athification law.”168
205.
Mr Patey
considered that it would be “better and more conducive to
national
reconciliation
if both references were to be dropped”.
206.
A note by the
IPU on 24 August said that the UK was pushing for an article
on
de‑Ba’athification
to be deleted “in order to increase the chances for Sunni
buy‑in”.169
Shia
representatives were keen to retain the section “believing it would
make it harder
165
JIC
Assessment, 14 July 2005, ‘Iraq: Outreach to Sunni
Arabs’.
166
Paper FCO,
18 July 2005, ‘Iraq: Splitting the Jihadists from the National
Opposition’.
167
Minutes, 21
July 2005, DOP(I) meeting.
168
eGram
9738/05 Baghdad to FCO London, 25 July 2005, ‘Iraq: Constitution
Update, 25 July 2005’.
169
Paper IPU,
24 August 2005, ‘Iraq: Constitution: Analysis’.
40