WATCH: Sen. Graham, Rep. Curbelo hail US alliance with Kurds

WASHINGTON DC, United States (Kurdistan 24) – Sen. Lindsey Graham and Rep. Carlos Curbelo both hailed the US alliance with the Kurdish people and the Peshmerga, as they spoke with Kurdistan 24.

Graham expressed his gratitude to the “Kurdish people for their steadfast support against [the Islamic State (IS)].”

The South Carolina Republican has considerable political experience. A three-term senator, he served in the House of Representatives for 10 years before entering the US Senate in 2003.

The Kurds “are the best ally of the United States,” said Graham, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee and is known for his advocacy of a strong US national defense.

The Kurdish people are “very pro-American,” he told Kurdistan 24. “I hope we can find a way for Iraq to reconstitute itself and bring stability, counter Iranian influence, and destroy [IS] once and for all.”

“The Kurds have been the bravest fighters and the most loyal to the United States,” Graham concluded.

Rep. Curbelo, who hails from South Florida, expressed similar views.

“The Kurdish people have long worked alongside US military personnel to stabilize the Middle East, to fight for freedom, to fight against terrorism,” the Republican Congressman said. “We’ve seen that in recent years.”

The son of Cubans who fled Fidel Castro’s communist regime, Curbelo has a special appreciation of freedom and what it means to fight for it.

“I think it’s very important that we honor all our alliances and our friendships in the region,” he stated.

“We identify with the Kurdish people, their sacrifice for freedom, and we certainly appreciate their aspirations,” Curbelo said.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany