Tom's latest Kurdistani interview

The interviewer is Hawar Ali.

HA: 1- In your article, Obama must not sell out Kurds, do you think those who advise the Obama administration to sell out the Kurds are stronger then those who advise them to not sell out them?

TB: I have no good way of knowing the answer to that question. I fear the Kurdistanis are largely an after-thought in these deliberations, which are driven by two desires: 1) to refocus and send more resources to the struggle in Afghanistan/Pakistan; and 2) to fulfill campaign promises. But since those campaign promises were largely driven by public concern over U.S. casualties in Iraq, and since stationing any U.S. troops in the KRG would present minimal-to-no risk of casualties, I think there is hope--and a window--for this discussion to unfold between the KRG and the new administration.

2- Scott Sullivan is a former Washington government employee, and imeediately after your article he wrote an article that tells the Obama administration to oppose the Kurds. Do you think Obama's or Bush's administration supports the Kurds more?

I see no evidence that the Obama administration has made up its mind about the Kurdistanis one way or the other.

3- What do the Kurds have to do to keep the Obama administration from selling them out?

I argue that the Kurdistanis should convince the new administration that, as it draws down the number of U.S. troops in southern Iraq, a small U.S. military "tripwire" force should be stationed permanently in the KRG, to work and live alongside the peshmerga (so no new base to negotiate).

4- In your article you wrote that after U.S withdrawal, the situation may get worse then it is. Do you think "responsible withdrawal" means Obama feels that this withdrawal will be dangerous?

President Obama strikes me as both a wise and careful man, so I take him at his word regarding a "responsible withdrawal."

5- Hilary Clinton was one of the first to put forward the opinion of having a long term military base. Do you think she would be able to make Obama establish a military base in Kurdistan, just as the president of the Kurdistan regional government in his last visit to Washington revealed their happiness at that possibility?

If Secretary Clinton favors this approach, then the KRG would have a strong ally within the administration. I think the KRG should aggressively court this possibility with the Secretary of State.

6- How much do you see uncertainty in Kurdish leaders because of the U.S not having a clear policy toward Kurdistan?

The KRG officials whom I have had the honor of meeting do not strike me as uncertain in the least, just worried--and sensibly so.

7- Which Kurdish leader has impressed you the most?

I have met only a small handful here in the United States, as I have as yet to visit Kurdistan. I am most impressed with Qubad Talibany, the KRG's representative here in Washington DC. He strikes me as a man of great learning and vision.

8- What do you think of the recent tension between Maliki and the Kurdish leaders?

I do not know enough of this to offer useful comment. There is naturally some concern here in America among observers about the apparent concentration of power in the central government by Mr. Maliki, especially the creation of military units that report directly to him.

9- What is the U.S's policy toward PKK?

That's a question for the U.S. State Department.