Mending a Ministry - MOD's civilian advisors in Baghdad

Chris Beeson has seen a lot of changes in the 17 months that he has been working in Baghdad:

"The security situation has improved dramatically, however indirect fire (rockets and mortars) and kidnapping continue to threaten the International Zone", he said.

Chris, who lives at the British Embassy, spends most of his time either in Camp Phoenix, the US base, or at the Iraqi Ministry of Defence.  Although all these are in the relatively safe International Zone, and only a short armoured vehicle ride away, visits are categorised as high risk. That means they need to be planned ahead and must be accompanied by close protection bodyguards.

Anyone likely to make these trips must go through regular security training. This involves being bundled out of buildings during simulated attacks or kidnappings, and something called cross decking – being bounced out of a stricken armoured vehicle which has been hit by a roadside attack and into another vehicle to be sped away to safety.

Chris works in Defence Relations, part of the Multi-National Security Transition Command Iraq (MNSTC-I) Advisory Team. He is one of a team of six UK MOD civilians who are working closely with the Iraqi Ministry of Defence, offering advice and guidance on such things as financial planning, procurement, personnel, and how to develop relationships between government departments and with other governments.

Their role is to help develop a self-sufficient organisation that can do the work of the ministry in accordance with the Iraqi constitution and rule of law.

After 25 years under Saddam Hussein's heavy hand, where showing personal initiative could be career-limiting, if not life-threatening, things that we take for granted, like exercising delegated authority, are not a natural function in Iraqi ministries:

"Even the smallest of decisions gets pushed up to the top of the organisation. Decisions generally require approval of the Secretary General – equivalent to our Permanent Under Secretary," said Chris.

There is money in the Iraqi Government's coffers.  Quite a lot of it in fact, and if security continues to improve, many major international companies are poised to come and do business.  But knowing how to spend that money, and who they want to spend it with is a new experience for officials used to nearly three decades of international isolation. 

This is one area where MNSTC-I is helping. Chris explained:

"Part of my job is helping to build an awareness of international defence relations. I don't question who the Iraqis want to do business with, but I do try to give them a toolkit to help them think about why they want to approach a particular country and what's in it for each country."

He also encourages them to think about what issues the potential partner is facing, what is their political and economic position, who are the movers and shakers – and if you send an envoy, how you would brief them.

Much of this may seem obvious, but previously plans for the nation existed at the highest level only with Saddam himself.

Perhaps not surprisingly the Iraqis are currently comparing themselves with their immediate neighbours, but Chris said the signs are that they are beginning to think about allegiances further afield:

"I start by trying to help a small team within IMOD. Success spreads awareness of what we can offer, not just in the IMOD, but in other government departments as well."

A challenge that faces MNSTC-I personnel is the cultural resistance within IMOD to the idea that a military organisation can be run by civilians. When IMOD was first formed, the department was to be at least 80 per cent civilian. In reality most civilians fill the more junior grades. Senior officials tend to be military or ex-military. At the moment there is no model to show them how a senior civil service can work.

For example, David King, Advisory Team head, is a UK one-star civilian advising an Iraqi four-star. But it is important for UK civilians to understand that when they come to Iraq to help, they must bring knowledge and experience, not a blueprint for how things should be done:

"After all, if it were the other way round, we wouldn't like to be told what to do," said Chris.

Admiral sails for new shores

Rear Admiral Jawad, Head of the Iraqi Navy, is one of the people for whom Chris Beeson provides advice. A current project is the organisation of a Navy Day, an event designed to raise the profile of the service at home and abroad. The Admiral is keen to make the most of the advice and support that the advisers have to offer.

"This is a golden opportunity for us, working with the Coalition means that during this period of rebuilding, we won't be starting from zero. Building a new government is not routine."

During Saddam Hussein's time these skills were not needed, and links to the outside world were non-existent:

"For 25 years, we didn't have any relationships with other people, we only ever dealt with people inside the country," said the Admiral.

Iraq is now poised to send envoys to other countries, and MNSTC-I advisers like Chris offer support.

"At first, people didn't have confidence in Iraq, they felt it was like the old government. This relationship makes things happen quicker. it is my job to make dialogue with Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and yes, with Iran. If we try to deal with them it will show an open hand, that we offer peace," said Jawad.

When the Admiral starts to build up his navy (new ships should be entering service in 2010) his ambition is to invite neighbouring countries to attend a small ceremony. He sees it as sending a big message to the rest of the Gulf.

"It is like the key to the door to the future, and we learn to do all this from your country. I hope that ships from your country will also be able to attend."

Admiral Jawad is proud of his navy's progress and the readiness of new recruits to accept changes:

"We select the best young people, far away from the parties, all working for the future of our country under an Iraqi flag. I expect the new generation will be very different. I look into my son's eyes and see the future."

Iraqi Air Force Day

With help from Chris Beeson, Colonel Saad, the Iraqi Air Force's Public Affairs officer, organised the country's first Air Force Day, an event that included static aircraft displays, information panels and the pomp and ceremony provided by Iraqi military bands. It was attended by the Iraqi Chiefs of staff, General Babekr al-Zibari, Iraq's top General and senior military advisor, and General Petraeus, the Multi National Forces (Iraq) Commanding General.

Television crews broadcast the event to many nations in the region, including Kuwait, Jordan and Syria. The event was a milestone in the development of the IMOD, highlighting the capability of the air force. It proved that there was something to be proud of, and it meant that the future of the Air Force would present a bigger blip on the budget planning radar.

But it didn't happen without Chris and the Colonel having to burn a lot of midnight oil:

"I had a couple of sleepless nights wondering if everything would happen," says Chris. "But when I got the call that General Petraeus was on the way I knew there was no going back."

"In the last regime", said Colonel Saad, "we had no money, no assistance. We never did things like this. All we did was parade in front of Saddam in front of the crossed swords. everything was about him."

Since the success of Air Force Day, the Public Affairs team has gone on to develop PR material, including posters and a website to inform the military and Iraqi civilians what the Air Force is doing, and what it plans to do next.

Part of the campaign includes airdrops of leaflets inviting Iraqis to become pilots and keep the nation's airspace safe. Colonel Saad is an enthusiast. He explains the progress using an analogy close to his heart:

"We are now in the air and flying. We mustn't stop until we reach our destination. We still have many in the IMOD who need to understand what we do here."

Cultural co-operation 

Sitting behind his desk in the tasteful grandeur of his office on the first floor of the Iraqi MOD, seemingly impervious to the heat in his well-cut pinstripe suit, David King is the epitome of a Whitehall senior civil servant. As we sip sweet Iraqi tea he delicately reminds me that he is still the new boy of the team:

"Personally I see this as an opportunity to work in a real operational environment, see a country in flux, and – just maybe in a small way – make a difference."

New, maybe, but David is getting to grips with the issues:

"The Iraqi culture is many-layered. Your position here depends on your authority, which in turn depends on the value you bring as well as the contacts you make. You have to learn where the real authority lies, and that isn't necessarily reflected in the wiring diagram."

That need to build relationships is why David is prepared to spend a year in post. Currently the pressure is just to get things done. This urgency can create problems:

"It's a little awkward. I mean, we wouldn't dream of hassling Gordon Brown for a decision on a Monday for something that was pitched to him on a Friday, would we? We can be firm but we have to be careful to understand others' points of view and not spoil things by insisting things go at our pace."

That quick pace partly results from the Command Organisation of which MNSTC-I is a part. Civilians not used to working in a pressurised environment can find the 'I want this done yesterday' approach difficult:

"It doesn't always leave time for subtlety and reflection," says David. "What I'm trying to contribute is a civilian element who can cope with the pressure, but who can also build in time for reflection, and offer the right advice in the right way."

Coalition cash and expertise is making a difference to the security and stability of the country and the Government is now talking to its people. David believes that the future will depend on the Government's authority.

"Will this become the sort of place that people will want to do business with? If we show ourselves to have been good friends that can be trusted, in the future we will be welcomed back. But when we do come here to help, it is worth remembering that these people have been through terrible times and they are survivors."

This article by Ian Carr first appeared in the October 2008 issue of Defence Focus - the magazine for everyone in defence.