US Senator: Kurds are good allies, should be ‘represented fairly’ in new Iraq government
WASHINGTON DC (Kurdistan24) – Sen. Marco Rubio (R, Florida) spoke with Kurdistan 24, following a contentious hearing that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) held on Wednesday with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
“The Kurds have been good allies and partners,” Rubio said. “We hope they’ll be fairly represented in the new Iraqi government.”
Like many of the senators on the committee, Rubio was concerned that they had been told so little about any understandings that US President Donald Trump might have reached at the July 16 Helsinki summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Rubio stressed that it was not so important for him to know what the two leaders said in private. They were entitled to a confidential discussion, he suggested. But the key thing for him—as a senator sitting on the SFRC—is “what [the administration’s] policies are going to be, moving forward.”
“No policies have changed yet,” Rubio noted, “but I can’t predict what they will do in the future. If that happens, we’ll respond to that.”
Rubio opposes US cooperation with Russia in Syria. The administration has floated the idea that Washington might reach some deal with Moscow, in which Putin would agree to limit Iran’s presence in Syria, allowing US forces to leave that country, once the Islamic State (IS) is finally defeated.
Rubio noted that Putin has “four objectives” in Syria, only one of which the US shares—namely, defeating IS. Other Russian goals, such as “having favorable access to oil and gas; having basing rights;” and “having a unified Syria, under the control of a pro-Russian government” are not objectives that the US shares, he said.
The Republican party, traditionally more hostile to Moscow than the Democrats, has split, with the more populist wing, which Trump represents, viewing Russia as a relatively benign force. Rubio reflects the traditional Republican view, which sees Moscow as a major rival.
Rubio expressed other concerns about the situation in Syria, citing “reports” that “the YPG [People’s Protection Units] has turned into an insurgent organization that’s beginning to fight underground.”
Sen. Tim Kaine, (D, Virginia), also a member of the SFRC, was yet more critical of the Secretary of State, when he spoke to Kurdistan 24 after the hearing.
“Secretary Pompeo did not reveal any meaningful discussion about topics that President Trump spoke about with Vladimir Putin with respect to Kurds in Syria,” Kaine said.
“There was a discussion about the potential return of refugees to Syria, but beyond that, it was very vague,” he noted.
“I support the Kurds in Northern Syria and have enjoyed visiting Kurdistan,” the Senator added, “and I look forward to my next visit.”
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D, New Hampshire) visited Syrian Kurdistan earlier this month and was extremely impressed with what she saw. At last Wednesday’s hearing, she told Pompeo, “It would be, I believe, a real terrible reversal of policy for us to leave those folks after what we’ve done and to turn them over to the Russians or to Assad’s forces.”
(Rahim Rashidi conducted the interviews in Washington DC)