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ACTION SS-00
INFO LOG-00 SAS-00 /OOOW
------------------2A6472 070856Z /38
0 070951Z JUN 04
FM CPA BAGHDAD
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1241
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
6 0 U P I D E N T I .. n~ l. SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 000638
EXDIS
E.O. 12958; DBCL: 06/06/2014
TAGS: PTER, MOPS, IZ
SUBJECT: CPA 12 9 7 : FALLUJA S ITREP FOR JUNE 6, 2 00 4
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR L. PAUL BREMER III FOR REASONS 1.4 (B)
AND (D) .
REFTEL A) CPA 1287/BAGHDAD 629 B) CPA 1259/BAGHDAD 593
INCIDENTS IN THE FALLUJA AREA IN THE LAST 24 HOURS
1. (%} A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS OCCUlUUID IN AND AROUND
FALLUJA IN THE LAST 24 HOURS:
-- A COMPETENT AND TRUSTED COALITION INTERPRETER WAS ABDUCTED
FROM WITHIN SIGHT OF MARINE POSITIONS IN THE VILLAGE OF KHARMA
(NORTHEAST OF FALLUJA) . THE 1ST BATTALION 5TH MARINES IS
WORKING WITH LOCAL IRAQI POLICE AND ICDCS TO TRY AND FIND THIS
FATHER OF TWO, BUT SO FAR THERE HAVE BEEN NO LEADS. IRAQI
REPORTS SUGGEST THAT .HE WAS ABDUCTED BY AN OLDER TRIBAL LEADER
WITH TWO YOUNG ACCOMPLICES.
-- 2ND BATTALION 1ST MARINES DISCOVEPED TWO LARGE IEDS EMPLACED
ALONG THEIR EGRESS ROUTE FROM A CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN
SAKLAWIYAH (NORTHWEST OF FALLUJA). THE IEDS WERE NOT/NOT DAISY
CHAINED SUGGESTING THAT THE INSURGENTS WERE TRYING TO HIT THE
COMMANDER'S CONVOY AND THE FOLLOW UP QRF.
-- A VEHICLE CONVOY ON HIGHWAY ONE BROKE DOWN WITHIN SIGHT OF
FALLUJA AND TOOK SIGNIFICANT FIRE FROM THE CITY. INITIAL
REPORTS SUGGESTED THAT ONE OF THE VEHICLES WAS DESTROYED BY
ENEMY FIRE, HOWEVER IT HAS NOW BEEN DETERMINED THAT VEHICLE
CAUGHT FIRE FROM OVERHEATED BRAKES.

.
;j_ A· ·.~0 VEHICLE ARMORED PATROL TO THE NORTH OF THE CITY GOT
LOST ON ITS WAY BACK TO BASE AND TOOK A WRONG TURN INTO THE
NORTHWEST QUADRAN'r OF THE CITY. THE PATROL DROVE ALONG THE
OUTER EDGE OF THE CITY BEFORE GETTING OUT OF THE AREA AND WAS
FIRED ON BY RPGS.
-- 1ST MARINE REGIMENT (RCT-1) COMMANDER COLONEL
CP WAS AMBUSHED IN THE WESTERN PENINSULA ON THE
EUPHRATES FROM FALLUJA WHILE HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO MEET WITH
505TH ICDC COMMANDER COLONEL l<bl(4);;.X,*'Yil: I. THE ASSAILANTS APPEARED
TO BE SOLDIERS IN FALLUJA BRIGADE (FB) UNIFORMS. FB C~ER
GENERAL t'(:i!~ . ~:~: ~·~'~'1 j CLAIMS THAT NO FB SOLDIERS ARE DEPLOYED
OUTSIDE FALLUJA, BUT COLONEL CONFIRMS THAT THEY WERE
FROM THE BRIGADE.
CLAIMS PROCESS
2. (.P1 TO DATE, THE MARINES HAVE PROCESSED 590 SOLATIA CLAIMS
EQUIVALENT TO $2 MILLION. SOME RECENT INDEMNIFICATION CLAIMS
FROM CITY LEADERS HAVE BEEN EXAGGERATED BY AS MUCH AS 5 TO 10
TIMES THE REAL MARKET VALUE OF REPAIRS. FOR EXAMPLE, lf?;Yil ,;I
[<li111i., ~~;;::; J ::vim~~ ~s · ;JDEMANDED $120,000 AS COMPENSATION FOR
DAMAGE TO HIS HOUSE THAT CLEARLY AMOUNTED TO LESS THAN $5,000
(NOTE. THE MARINES HAVE REFUSED TO ENTERTAIN OBVIOUSLY
FRAUDULENT CLAIMS • END NOTE . ) .
r(b)r ·· ·~t
PROSPECTIVE t .·.·~ MATTIS MEETING AND FALLUJA PATROL
3. j/i!:f 1ST MARINE DIVISION COMMANDER MAJOR GENERAL MATTIS MET
FALLU IGADE COMMANDER GENERAL ~~~~~~==~==~
AND ICDC BRIGADE COMMANDER CANDIDATE COLONEL
FALLUJANS BEGAN THE MEETING WITH THE FOLLOWING
POINTS:
-- THOUGH THERE WAS A LOT OF FEAR IN THE CITY THAT THE LOST
PATROL IN THE NORTH WAS A COALITION ATTACK, WE UNDERSTAND THAT
THIS WAS A MISTAKE.
-- COMPENSATION IS NOT MOVING FAST ENOUGH; WE HAVE SET UP A
COMMITTEE OF 27 TO REVIEW CLAIMS; WANT THE MARINES TO SET THE
100 FILES WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AS PRIORITY AT THE TOP OF THE LIST
FOR COMPENSATION THIS WILL BRING PEACE. IT WILL BE BETTER TO
MEET WITH AFTER THESE CLAIMS ARE PAID.
(NOTE. THE 100 FILES IDENTIFIED BY THE COMMITTEE CLEARLY PLAY
INTO THEIR PATRONAGE SYSTEM IN THE CITY AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY
THE MOST NEEDY CLAIMANTS. END NOTE.)
-- WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A NEW COMMITTEE CONSISTING ONLY OF

AND A CITY ENGINEER THAT WILL TRY TO REVIEW
CLAIMS, BUT WE NEED BETTER COOPERATION FROM THE
ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD AllD YOU CAN TRUST US TO BE
HONEST.
(NOTE. THESE POINTS WERE REITERATED A NUMBER OF TIMES IN A
NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FORMULA. END NOTE.)
4. f,Z') MG MATTIS RESPONDED TO THESE OPENING COMPLAINTS WITH THE
FOLLOWING POINTS:
BAGHDAD 00000638 002 OF 003
DAYS SINCE THE END OF
THE FIGHTING, THE COALITION HAS BEEN PATIENT AND MADE MANY
GESTURES TO PROMOTE PEACE WITH THE CITY, BOT FALLUJANS HAVE
PROVIDED US NOTHING IN RETURN. (MG MATTIS LISTED EVERY STEP
TAKEN SINCE APRIL).
-- IF THE COALITION DOES NOT SEE WEAPONS TURNED IN, RECEIVE
ACCESS FOR ITS CIVIL AFFAIRS TEAMS INTO THE CITY, GET A MEETING
WITH 5~) ~~~i£~"~ AND SEE A REAL INVESTIGATION OF THE MURDERS
OF THE SECURITY CONTRACTORS, MG MATTIS WOULD CEASE ALL
COMPENSATION AND CONTRACTS IN THE CITY. HE ALSO STATED HE WAS
ALSO CONSIDERING CEASING ALL PAYMENT OF FB SALARIES.
THE COALITION DOES NOT THREATEN, BUT IT SEEMS THAT THE
COALITION IS MORE CONCERNED WITH PEACE THAN THE LEADERS OF
FALLUJA.
5. pe1 AN INTENSE AND PROLONGED DISCUSSION ENSUED WITH THE
FALLUJANS, WHO PLEADED WITH MG MATTIS, "NOT TO TURN YOUR BACK ON
ETERNAL PEACE WHEN IT IS FINALLY IN REACH ..• ALL WE NEED ARE
OUR 100 CLAIMS PAID AND YOU WILL HAVE YOUR MEETING WITH ANYONE
YOU PLEASE AND BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING YOU WANT IN THE CITY. "
SOME REPRESENTATIVE STATEMENTS FROM THE IRAQIS:
-- WE DIDN'T AGREE WITH INSULTING CONDITIONS
PRESENTED TO YOU IN OUR LAST MEETING (REF B), THESE 100 CLAIMS
ARE NOT A CONDITION;
-- THE FALLUJA BRIGADE NEEDS THREE WEEKS UNTIL WE ARE READY TO
ATTACK OUR MUTUAL ENEMIES IN THE CITY;
-- YOU SHOULDN'T STRESS MEETING WITH lfb)(1) <~~~; tl-~~ SO HIGHLY,
THE~ ARE OTHERS ~AS I~RTANT AS HE IN . THE CITY LIKE lfi'B: lf/
~~~"i'~::·j(NFI) AND!~~~' :~l\!l~~·~lijiij. THE DECISION TO MAKE
A MEETING OF MANY IMAMS. THE 100 CLAIMS A CONDITION FOR A MEETING (SIC) WAS ARRIVED AT BY
THEY WILL PRESSURE 1-. ijJ IF YOU PAY.
I
---

-~ IF":YOU PAY THE CLAIMS,f(blqa:"c~~ilr~WILL PERSONALLY ESCORT
YOU AND YOUR CA TE~S INTO THE CITY AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR
YOUR SAFETY.
-- WE WILL HAVE A PRESS CONFER&NCE WHEN YOU PAY AND WILL SAY
ANYTHING YOU if.ANT TO THE WORLD PRESS. WHAT DO 100 CLAIMS MEAN
COMPARED WITH THE BUDGET OF THE UNITED STATES?
6 . ;zf' AFTER TWO HOURS OF TOUGH NEGOTIATING, MG MATTIS ANNOUNCED
THAT THE MARINES WOULD lAY 50 OF THE 100 CLAIMS BY JUNE 8 AND
WOUW PRESENT TO (b)(J~ ,,Jl PERSONALLY APPROVALS FOR THE REMAINING
50 AT A MEETING ON SDAY . HE NOTED THAT HE WAS NOT HOPEFUL
THAT THE FALLUJANS WOULD ACTUALLY COME THROUGH WITH THE j<b, •.• ;Jf j
MEETING AS PROMISED SINCE THEY HAD NOT PRODUCED ANYTHING TO
DATE. THE FALLUJANS PROMISED TO MEET ON TUESDAY WITH A
CONFIRMED TIME FOR THE WEDNESDAY MEETING.
COMMENT
7 . $fZ{ MG MATTIS IS RIGHT TO CONCLUDE THAT THE FALLUJANS HAVE
NOT AND WILL NOT COME THROUGH WITH ANYTHING THEY HAVE PROMISED.
AS PREVIOUSLY NOTED, THE CONTINUING NEGOTIATIONS ARE LIKELY
STALLING TACTICS. WE CAN EXPECT THAT ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY,
THE FALLUJANS WILL TRY AND PUT BACK THE MATTIS/@i~·!MEETING
ANOTHER WEEK. FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE, THEY HAVE EVERYTHING TO
GAIN FROM DRAWING OUT NEGOTIATIONS UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH,
WHEN THEY CORRECTLY CONCLUDE ANY RESUMPTION OF OUR OFFENSIVE
AGAINST ACF/AIF AND FOREIGN FIGHTERS IS POLITICALLY IMPOSSIBLE.
IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT THE MAIN GOAL FOR ENEMY LEADERS, CIVIC
LEADERS, AND FALLUJA BRIGADE LEADERS ALIKE IS TO ESTABLISH
FALLUJA AS AN INDEPENDENT CITY STATE/SAFEHAVEN INSIDE IRAQ. IT
IS UNLIKELY THAT ANY STRATEGY WE UNDERTAKE WILL CONVINCE THE
FALLUJANS TO GIVE US ACCESS TO THE CITY FOR ANY REASON. THE
CRITICAL QUESTION AT THIS POINT IS WHETHER THE FALLUJA SAFEHAVEN
BECOMES A LOGISTICAL BASE FOR ATTACKS ELSEWHERE IN IRAQ, OR
REMAINS A QUIESCENT FIEFDOM OF BRIGANDS CONTENT WITH THE CURRENT
STALEMATE. THE RECENT REPORTS OF INTERNECINE FIGHTING BETWEEN
RIVAL GROUPS IN THE CITY SUGGEST THAT THE ALLIANCE OF INTERESTS
AGAINST US MAY HAVE BEGUN TO FRACTURE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SOME
OF THE MORE RUTHLESS GROUPS WITH TIES TO FOREIGN TERRORISTS HAVE
BEEN FIGHTING WITH OTHER FALLUJANS WHO WANT TO KEEP THEIR
PROACTIVE TERROR AGENDA IN CHECK AND SO PRESERVE THE STATUS QUO.
A CRITICAL FACTOR IN ALL OF THIS IS HOW THE IIG WILL WANT TO
DEAL WITH FALLUJA. THE MARINES BELIEVE THAT THE IIG WILL
SHORTLY ASK FOR THE COALITION TO RESOLVE FALLUJA' S PROBLEMS BY
FORCE, WITH THE EXCUSE THAT FALLUJA'S INDEPENDENCE THREATENS
IRAQI STABILITY, BUT THAT IRAQI SECURITY FORCES WILL NOT BE ABLE
OR WILLING TO DO THE DIRTY WORK. IT IS ASSUMED THAT ANY SUCH
ACTION UNDERTAKEN EVEN WITH THE TACIT BLESSING OF THE IIG WILL

EE P'C~LICLY REPUDIATED BY THE IRAQIS, AND WILL BE ANOTHER PUBLIC
RELATIONS DEBACLE. THIS IS THE MAIN REASON THE MARINES GIVE FOR
PRESSING TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION BEFORE 30 JUNE. END COMMENT
BAGHDAD 00000638 003 OF 003
AND A TEAM FROM BAGHDAD IS TRAVELING JUNE 8 TO PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL INPUT.
BREMER
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