VIDEO: 'Kurdistan one of most reliable allies of US,' Former CIA chief

The people of the Kurdistan Region are one of the best allies of Washington, said a former senior official of the US on Thursday.
kurdistan24.net

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The people of the Kurdistan Region are one of the best allies of Washington, said a former senior official of the US on Thursday.

In an interview with Kurdistan24, the former Director of National Security Agency (NSA) and then Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Michael Hayden said, “During the time that I was in those jobs, I found that one of the best US friends in this part of the world were the people of the Kurdistan.”

Hayden mentioned that Kurds are “good, open and focused on the economic development and are good ally of the US,” he continued. “I enjoyed visiting them, I enjoyed exchanging ideas with them, and I enjoyed cooperating with them on items of mutual interests.”

The former CIA Director explained that Washington administration should “continue to deepen and strengthen its cooperation with Kurdistan.”

According to him, the Americans who have experience in the Kurdistan Region know how reliable Kurds are which Hayden believes will affect the US policy to the Region.

“I understand, this is a complex issue, but I do know that there is one positive and solid truth which we all agree is that the Kurds have been a friend to the US,” he added.

Hayden stated Syria and Iraq will never go back to the countries they were before the wars in the Middle East.

He noted that the US has to pay deep respect to the interest of those people who have been a good ally of Washington, including the Kurds.

 

Editing by Ava Homa

(Rahim Rashidi conducted the interview from Washington DC)