The United States has a strong history of working closely with the Kurdish people, Ken Gross, US Consul General in Erbil, told Rudaw Radio. The relationship between the two nations is one he hopes will strengthen further after ISIS through economic ties and cultural exchanges.





Rudaw: What are the main areas of activity of the U.S. Consulate General in the Kurdistan Region?



Ken Gross: Certainly in the last few years we have been concentrating on the fight against ISIS. Working closely with KRG and the Peshmerga forces to assist them in the struggle against ISIS. As part of that, of course, we have also been looking at IDPs, internally displaced persons, providing assistance to them through international organizations and also trying to look at reconciliation issues both within the KRG, within the government, but also the larger ones from the fight.

But I should say that one of our primary responsibilities as a mission abroad is for US citizens. We are there if US citizens have issues, any problems, to assist them. We also of course issue visas for people who want to visit the United States.

So in the last few years we have been working closely with the government on the fight against ISIS and all the issues related to that. The IDPs, reconciliation, but at the same providing our normal services, visas, American citizen services we call it, and also programs like exchange programs which we send young Kurds to the United States for different types of programs.

What would you say have been the most notable accomplishments of the U.S. in the IKR and Iraq over the last year?

I think it has to go back to what I just said and that is working closely with the KRG and the government in Baghdad in the fight

We have been proud to support the KRG and the government in Baghdad in the fight against ISIS We have been proud to support the KRG and the government in Baghdad in the fight against ISIS

against ISIS. We have been proud to support the KRG and the government in Baghdad in the fight against ISIS. We worked closely with them in preparation for the offensive against Mosul, in providing assistance, and also related to that, the situation of the IDPs. So it is a bit abnormal for a US mission to be involved in all these issues but of course that is the situation the Kurdistan Region is facing right now and we are here working with the government.

Speaking of the fight against ISIS and its victims, there seems to be many people who sign up to this idea that the United States is causing trouble in the region, including having created ISIS. What would you say to these people?

That is absolutely false. As a matter of fact the United States is probably one of the leaders in the global coalition to fight ISIS. We have tried to assist the Kurdish government as much as possible, both in assistance directly to the Peshmerga, whether it is stipends, military equipment, training. We have also, as you are aware, we provide air support for the battle against ISIS. So we are working very closely to fight ISIS not to support it and that has been our role ever since ISIS originated.

Connected to that question is that the young generation in the Kurdistan Region who did not live in the time of Saddam Hussein’s regime seem to have a negative view of the US and its role towards the Kurds. What would be your response to these individuals?

I think you need to look at history a little bit for that. Since the ‘90s we have been working with the Kurdistan Regional Government whether in the fight against Saddam and now against ISIS. We provided in Operation Provide Comfort protection for the Kurdish people, we instituted the no-fly-zone with our coalition partners, we provided assistance to a lot of people who tried to return to their homes after they fled from Saddam, and of course we helped get rid of Saddam Hussein.

So you are right, it is kind of a generational issue. We see that in the United States where young people don’t think of what happened before, but we do have a history going back to the ‘90s of working very closely with the Kurdish people and the Kurdish government now in the fight against ISIS, but going back to previous times against Saddam Hussein. So I think we have got a good record of that.

I have been talking a lot about military action, but we want much more than that with the Kurdish people and with the Kurdish government. And we are looking forward to the defeat of ISIS so we can increase our economic ties, increase our people to people ties, increase our exchange programs if possible and that is the true sign of a good friendship.

Speaking of defeating ISIS and post-ISIS plans, tens of thousands of Christians have fled to the Kurdistan Region and some who are in camps and afraid of going back to liberated areas. And some Christians and others like the Yezidis have demanded the establishment of a separate region or province for themselves. What’s the official US position on this?

Well, the United States believes the Iraqi constitution does provide for those possibilities, something that the parliament itself would decide, the council of representatives. So we look to the Iraqi government to sort those out. I would just note that at least in my own country, we are a country of immigrants, that is how we started many years ago, we have had different ways with immigrants from different parts of the world. There is always issues when you have different groups come together or perhaps move into one area, but I think our background might serve as a little view for you to look at too, and for greater Iraq, that I think our country is stronger because of all those different ethnic groups.

It is something that we have looked at over the years in the United States and we have been an independent country, about how to deal with those issues, we are still working on it course, but we also realize some of the strength that comes from having such a diverse community. And I hope that is something that will be looked at here as well.

Do you talk to Iraqi and local officials for when there is a reconciliation process to speed it up or be genuine about it?

We do, and that is obviously something our embassy in Baghdad talks to the government there, something we talk to people when we work closely with our coalition partners and international groups including the UN, to try to work on that. As president Barzani said, after the military operation that is when the real tough issues have to be dealt with. And one of the most important is reconciliation.

when you have a multiethnic city or province with different traditions, different cultures and the sharing of that, I think, makes that society much stronger when you have a multiethnic city or province with different traditions, different cultures and the sharing of that, I think, makes that society much stronger

How do these groups, whether they have been forced out of their homes, whether they have fought each other in the past, whether they are afraid to return to their homes, how do we bring them back together. It is not easy, but that is something you have to put forth the most effort you can to try to get them back together, to try to offer hope to people who have had to leave their homes so they can return and resume their places in society.

I haven’t been to Mosul yet, but I am looking forward to going there sometime, hopefully in the near future, but from what I understand it was a mosaic of many different groups and religions and I think like what I said for my country, it was one of the strengths of Mosul. And so I hope that that is still possible in the future.

Every time I go to the Nineveh province I feel it is a shame that that diversity is disappearing. It is like a rare species going extinct and it is sad to see that.

It is true. It is society loses something. You might not think of it right away when you think you are in competition, but in fact living with people, it is what I have been doing in the last several years living overseas, here or elsewhere on behalf of the US government, it is pretty much a learning experience for me, and I have learned a lot by being exposed to different cultures, by seeing things. Trying not to see things not just with my own eyes as I did in the United States, but learning more about issues overseas on a smaller scale perhaps or a different scale, but that is what it is when you have a multiethnic city or province with different traditions, different cultures and the sharing of that, I think, makes that society much stronger.

Another question would be, several KRG officials, probably ordinary citizens and refugees too, have said they expected more from the U.S. in terms of assistance for refugees. What have you done, if you could give us examples, for IDPs and refugees and do you have any plans for additional humanitarian assistance?

We remain committed to this. Since 2014, the United States has provided over 1.1 billion dollars just for this one issue. Most of our support goes to international organizations, whether it is the UN or some international NGOs because they can look at the situation and quickly determine where the need is and how to do it. We work closely with them, we monitor it, we help them when we can. So it has been a substantial financial commitment, but it is also something we have done on our own whether providing winterization, kits for people in the camps.

The fact is, as you know, in the Kurdistan Region the scale of people who have been displaced is just amazing, and that is true throughout all of Iraq unfortunately. It is a problem that the whole world is interested in, should be interested in helping. I think if you look at, we have been providing more in funds and our efforts than any other country and I think that is what we should be doing. We should continue doing that and that is one of the most important things we can do here in the Kurdistan Region, so many IDPs, especially compared in percentage to your population, it is so high. So we very much praise the KRG for what it has done, for providing a temporary home for all of these people who have been displaced, or refugees from Syria or elsewhere.

I think we need to remain committed, whether it is funds, or other assistance, and for after ISIS we have to make the reconciliation work, we should create such conditions that people can return home, security, economic opportunity, all those things are going to be necessary. So we are not viewing our commitment as okay, we have some IDPs, here is money and then that is it. This is an ongoing commitment for the United States.

Do you expect the Mosul operation to be over before the end of the current US administration?

Hard for me to say. I am not a military man, but from what I read and understand, I think the progress is good, but it is a very, very hard fight. The urban warfare particularly with all the civilians there is very difficult. So my best guess is that the liberation of Mosul won’t be before the end of President Obama’s term. Probably it will take place during President Trump’s early month, we hope.

But what has impressed me, just because I arrived here last summer, and I know the difficulties the preparation for the campaign plan proved between Baghdad and Erbil, but the cooperation between the Peshmerga and Iraqi security forces has been exemplary. Your president has talked about, I know the prime minister in Baghdad has talked about, so it is great to see how well they have worked together in this campaign.

Any kind of cooperation between Erbil and Baghdad has been seldom for a number of years, so does the US now see and appreciate this kind of cooperation?

I think it is a great thing to see and the government here in the Kurdistan Region says they want to talk to Baghdad about the future and I think the good relations they have from this fight hopefully will bode well for that. And the relationship between President Barzani and Prime Minister Abadi is good. So we look forward to assisting if we can and for the conversations they are going to have in the future.

Once ISIS is pushed out we don’t envision our partnership ending but to intensify it in all the different realms Once ISIS is pushed out we don’t envision our partnership ending but to intensify it in all the different realms

Just for the fight itself, we are proud to be a partner with the Kurdistan Regional Government and the government in Baghdad. We do have some troops on the ground in advisory and assist role, we provide air power as well as material support for the Peshmerga.



You said you are proud to be partners with the Kurds, and Kurds in Iraq see themselves as a strong US ally. Where do they fit in the overall US agenda?



As I said, we are proud to be partners with them. They have been doing fantastic work with the Peshmerga and the government in the fight against ISIS, but we also don’t want this to be a one dimensional partnership. We want to work closely with the Kurdish people. People in the US know about the Kurdish people but they may not know that much and we want to make sure they learn much more. We want to make exchanges, for Americans to come here and once hopefully ISIS is pushed out of Iraq, more Americans will want to and understand they can come safely. But we want to do that on every level, whether it is economic or cultural. Once ISIS is pushed out we don’t envision our partnership ending but to intensify it in all the different realms.



I think that partly answers my next question which is: there are two American universities in Kurdistan Region (in Sulaimani and Duhok). Is there any other educational or scientific cooperation between the US and KRG?



We are very excited about these universities you mentioned. I have met both their presidents. They are both fantastic institutions. I think they are good additions before the Kurdish people here. We do have other programs. We do work with all the different universities here if we can. And we have a number of exchange programs for all levels, we have some for high school students, for university and graduate students, and for teachers at the secondary level and for the universities. Personally I think one of the best things we do is our exchange programs. But we have other programs as well, whether providing training to teachers and professors, whether it is English language training or methodology. If I had my way I would probably multiply our exchange programs a hundred times just because I have seen it here and in other countries as well. The ability for people here to go to the US, see something, come back and have different questions and perspective. But also for Americans to come here and do the same. It is not a one way street.



What are your plans for Christmas and the New Year, personally and as the Consulate General?



I will be here for Christmas and New Year and I look forward to celebrating both here in Erbil. For the consulate itself, for the new year, there is a lot of things we would like to do more of if we can. Part of it is time, part of it is our capacity and the number of people we have here, but I would like to get out more, to see people. I would like to get more people from the consulate out to see more people here in the region. I am fortunate enough to see the government, the party leaders, but I also would like to see more ordinary people and hear what their thoughts are, if they have issues and problems what those are, and just to have exchanging of ideas with them. Just to get out more, not always easy given our workload and other things, but I think that should be part of our workload, to be able to do that.



