Cablegate: Rallying Support for Constitution in Karbala And

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 004033

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR IZ
SUBJECT: RALLYING SUPPORT FOR CONSTITUTION IN KARBALA AND
NAJAF

1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Shia Coalition members Ali al-Dabagh and
Mona Zalzala traveled with PolOff to Karbala and Najaf on
9/22 to rally support for the draft constitution. Their
comments were sometimes critical of elements of the text,
but they nevertheless supported ratification. We sense the
Shia heartland will vote for the constitution despite what
even its supporters acknowledge are shortcomings. END
SUMMARY.

2. (SBU) Ali al-Dabagh argued that the constitution would
protect all Iraqi citizens and would ensure that Iraq no
longer has any more dictators. He said it would give power
to the people. Dabagh said that the constitution would
also help ensure the equal distribution of resources and
would stress Iraq's Arab identity, two issues opposed by
the Kurds. He added that, while Iraq was probably not
ready for federalism, the Iraqi people must nevertheless
determine if they could make such a system work.

3. (SBU) Mona Zalzala also supported the constitution,
saying that it would help guarantee the equal distribution
of resources. She called for the involvement of Grand
Ayatollah Sistani to help determine how to distribute
Iraq's resources equally. Zalzala then went on to argue in
favor of more rights for women. She said the constitution
did not give women all the rights they asked for. She also
stated that women should make up 50 percent of the new
Iraqi Parliament. Quoting Iman Ali, she said, "One good
woman is better than 1,000 bad men."

4. (C) Comment: Our sense from political figures who
travel to the Shia heartland and from polls taken in that
area is that the draft referendum will pass easily. It is
interesting that in these presentations, these Shia
parliamentarians pointed to faults in the draft
constitution but said it was the best that could be
achieved under Iraq's circumstances. This is a position
that few Sunni Arabs publicly are willing to take.
Khalilzad

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