KRG honors Sen. Jim Inhofe, long time friend of the Kurds, as he retires
WASHINGTON DC, United States (Kurdistan24) After 37 years in the US Congress, first as a member of the House of Representatives and then as a senator, Jim Inhofe (R, Oklahoma) is retiring, leaving his long career in public service as the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC.)
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As Inhofe retires, the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) has honored him, a long-time friend of the Kurds, with an official portrait of the senator prominently displayed in the VIP lounge at Erbil International Airport.
The KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani spoke on Wednesday by video with the senator, as his portrait was unveiled. The SASC’s Democratic Chairman, Sen. Jack Reed (Rhode Island), was present as well, as Barzani expressed his deep appreciation for Inhofe’s work as “a lifelong champion of the Kurdish people.”
Barzani expressed to Inhofe “the gratitude of the Kurdish people, particularly President Masoud Barzani, for his continued support to the Peshmerga and the people of Kurdistan,” according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s office.
“Through this small token of our appreciation, [Sen. Inhofe’s] contribution to the security and stability of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq will stand the test of time,” Barzani tweeted.
Senator @JimInhofe has been a lifelong champion of the Kurdish people.
— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) December 15, 2022
Through this small token of our appreciation, his contribution to the security and stability of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq will stand the test of time -mb. pic.twitter.com/47UFXG4gZI
The Kurds enjoy bipartisan support in the US Congress, and the Kurdish Prime Minister also thanked Sen. Reed “for his support to the people of Kurdistan,” according to the statement from Barzani’s office.
The KRG Representative in Washington, Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, also attended the event in Inhofe’s office.
Inhofe has served on the SASC for nearly 30 years—since 1995. He became chairman of the committee in September 2018, after Sen. John McCain, also a good friend of the Kurds, passed away.
Read More: Pro-Kurdish Senator replaces John McCain as Armed Services Committee Chair
The year before, Inhofe had strongly protested the Trump administration’s failure to stop the attack on the Kurdistan Region engineered by Qasim Soleimani, head of the Qods Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, following the Sept. 25, 2017, Kurdistan independence referendum.
In mid-November, as tensions persisted and further attacks seemed possible, Inhofe, along with two other senators, wrote President Donald Trump, calling on him to provide more support to the Peshmerga.
Describing the Kurdistan Region as “one of the United States’ most dependable allies in the region,” the three senators expressed their concern about Tehran. “Iran’s influence is growing and has the potential to undermine the Kurdistan Regional Government and overall stability of the region,” they wrote.
Three years earlier, in the summer of 2014, ISIS had burst out of Syria and into Iraq, threatening both Erbil and Baghdad. As a senator, Barack Obama had opposed the 2003 war that ousted Saddam Hussein. Once Obama became president, he withdrew US troops from Iraq as soon as he could.
Already by the end of 2011, all US forces had left Iraq. But less than three years later, Obama was obliged to reverse that decision. In 2014, with the emergence of the ISIS threat, he reluctantly returned US forces to Iraq.
The renewed US intervention began with air strikes. Inhofe welcomed them, but, in a written statement issued on August 8, 2014, he described the strikes as “long overdue.”
“ISIS now operates the largest terrorist safe haven in the world,” Inhofe said, “and ISIS’ strength and influence poses a direct threat to the U.S.”
Inhofe called on Obama to develop a “clear and compelling strategy for Iraq and the broader region.” Notably, he added, “I believe a vital component of any strategy must involve direct assistance to the Kurds, who have proven to be a steadfast partner of the United States.”
“They have shown themselves willing and able to fight against ISIS, but are finding themselves outgunned and need more support,” the senator continued. “I’ve met with President Barzani on several occasions, and trust his judgment in this crisis to request assistance from the U.S.”
“We need to provide them with air support, intelligence and equipment, such as small arms, ammunition, and anti-tank weapons,” he added. “The Kurds have played a vital role for the U.S. in the region, and it is critical we stand by their side.”
It is for thoughts like that, expressed at critical times, leading to action from successive US administrations, that a portrait of Sen. Jim Inhofe now hangs on a wall in the VIP lounge at Erbil International Airport.