America mourns passing of Sen. John McCain
WASHINGTON DC (Kurdistan 24) - America lost a true hero and the Kurds a genuine friend with the death of Sen. John McCain (R, Arizona) on Saturday, after a year-long struggle with brain cancer.
Americans know McCain as a Vietnam war hero, the pilot of a Navy fighter jet shot down over Hanoi in 1967, after which he endured five years as a prisoner-of-war.
McCain was possessed of an unusual sense of honor and decency. His father and grandfather were both Navy admirals, and when the North Vietnamese learned that, they offered to release him early. Although conditions in the prison were extremely harsh and included torture, McCain refused to be released before those Americans who had been captured before him.
McCain was also a strong supporter of the Kurds. In January 2017, McCain, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, spoke with Kurdistan 24 and called on the incoming Trump administration to provide arms directly to the Peshmerga in their fight, alongside the US-led Coalition, against the Islamic State (IS.)
“The Peshmerga are the best fighters,” McCain said, and they need proper “arming, training, and equipping.”
“Sometimes, it may mean direct,” he added.
The following month, McCain led a group of senators in meeting with the President of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Masoud Barzani, at the Munich Security Conference in Germany and encouraged Barzani to pursue independence.
In fact, a Kurdish spokesman described McCain as being “more enthusiastic” than the Kurds themselves.
Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, KRG Representative to Washington, tweeted her condolences on Saturday evening, "#McCain always had a warm welcome for visitors from @Kurdistan and was a frequent visitor there himself.”
Just heard news of @SenJohnMcCain’s passing. Sen. #McCain always had a warm welcome for visitors from @Kurdistan and was a frequent visitor there himself. His principled leadership inspired admiration and respect. Our condolences to his family and to the people of America pic.twitter.com/tIzBqeqKuO
— Bayan Sami Rahman (@BayanRahman) August 26, 2018
“His principled leadership inspired admiration and respect,” she added, echoing the view of many Americans.
Former president of the Kurdistan Region, Masoud Barzani, also shared his condolences.
Deeply saddened to know of the death of Senator John McCain whose support for, and friendship with, the people of Kurdistan shall remain in our memory, May he rest in eternal peace.
— Masoud Barzani (@masoud_barzani) August 26, 2018
Following Iraq’s assault on Kirkuk last October, McCain immediately denounced the attack, issuing a statement that day.
“I am deeply concerned” about Iraqi “military advances” against “Kurdish positions near Kirkuk,” McCain’s statement read. And “I am especially concerned that “Iranian and Iranian-backed forces are part of the assault.”
At the time, administration spokespersons claimed to have no knowledge of Tehran’s role.
A week later, McCain wrote in The New York Times, denouncing the US passivity in the face of the Iranian-orchestrated assault.
“If Baghdad cannot guarantee the Kurdish people in Iraq the security, freedom, and opportunities they desire,” McCain stated, “and if the United States is forced to choose between Iranian-backed militias and our longstanding Kurdish partners, I choose the Kurds.”
McCain had a reputation in Washington as a “maverick,” a rare individual who marched to the beat of his own drum, consistently doing and saying what he believed to be right.
The Senator will be sorely missed.
Editing by Nadia Riva