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Arabs, Kurds Should Take Advantage of U.S. Help, Gates Says
American Forces Press Service ^
| Jim Garamone
Posted on 07/29/2009 4:09:26 PM PDT by SandRat
ERBIL, Iraq, July 29, 2009 Arab and Kurdish Iraqis should take advantage of the remaining time U.S. forces will be in the country to work out their differences, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said to Kurdish President Massoud Barzani here today.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates meets with Massoud Barzani, the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government, at the governments version of the White House during a brief visit to Erbil, Iraq, July 29, 2009. DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jerry Morrison (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. |
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Gates met with Kurdish Regional Government leaders at their version of the White House, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said. Gates -- accompanied by Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Force Iraq -- congratulated Kurdish officials for last weeks free and fair elections and said the Kurdish people always have been good friends of the United States.
Under the U.S.-Iraqi agreement signed in December, all U.S. troops will be out of Iraq by the end of 2011. Gates urged Kurdish leaders here today and Iraqi government leaders in Baghdad yesterday to take advantage of the remaining American presence to work through their disagreements. Gates delivered the same message to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
The issues include a law governing distribution of oil revenue, internal boundaries and security. Morrell said Gates asked the leaders to reach sustainable agreements on these issues. Gates said the United States supports the United Nations task force set up with Arab and Kurdish Iraqis to work through these disagreements.
The disagreements between Kurds and Arabs run deep in Iraq. Saddam Husseins regime persecuted the Kurds and tried to Arabize whole sections of the country, especially the area around oil-rich Kirkuk. Saddam cleared out Kurdish areas and gave the land to Arab families, launched chemical attacks against Kurdish towns and drove thousands out of the nation.
Gates acknowledged this history during his meetings, Morrell said. He noted that at every negotiating table, history has a seat, the press secretary said. The challenge is to put history at the end of the table, and think about the future, rather than the past.
Gates assured Kurdish and Arab leaders that the United States is prepared to offer any help it can to resolve the disputes in a peaceful manner in accordance with the [Iraqi] constitution, Morrell said. He reminded his hosts that all of us have sacrificed too much in blood and treasure to see the gains of the last few years lost due to political differences.
An outbreak of violence between Kurdish and Iraqi national security forces would adversely impact the progress the country has made, he added.
Kirkuk is the main flash point between the regional and national government, but not the only one. Kurdish and Iraqi security forces have had confrontations, but they have not escalated to violence. U.S., Iraqi and Kurdish officials are working closely in coordination centers to ensure confrontations are avoided or resolved peacefully, Odierno said during an interview yesterday. The general also said the Arab-Kurd issue is the main driver of instability in Iraq today.
Morrell said the secretary came away from meetings in Baghdad and here believing that all parties want to take advantage of the U.S. offer to deal with these issues sooner rather than later.
Hes optimistic that there can be follow-through on these issues, Morrell said. They are very difficult issues, and the clock is ticking on our presence in Iraq. He is very much encouraging both sides to get down to work as soon as possible.
TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: arabs; frwn; iraq; kurds
1
posted on
07/29/2009 4:09:26 PM PDT
by
SandRat
To: MozartLover; Old Sarge; Jemian; repubmom; 91B; HiJinx; MJY1288; xzins; Calpernia; clintonh8r; ...
FR WAR NEWS!
If you would like to be added to / removed from FRWN,
please FReepmail Sandrat.
WARNING: FRWN can be an EXTREMELY HIGH-VOLUME PING LIST!!
2
posted on
07/29/2009 4:10:02 PM PDT
by
SandRat
(Duty, Honor, Country! What else needs said?)
To: SandRat
Is that with KY or without, Gates?
3
posted on
07/29/2009 4:17:29 PM PDT
by
cranked
To: SandRat
It’s going to be one big ole mess once we pull out of there. I wonder if Turkey will invade to squash the Kurds before Iran steps in to install it’s puppet regime. Or maybe they will work together!
4
posted on
07/29/2009 4:47:06 PM PDT
by
Boogieman
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