Portrait of Mike Pompeo
Politician · country
Wikipedia (opens in new tab)

Mike Pompeo on Kurdistan

Strong advocate for support (strong)

TL;DR

Mike Pompeo strongly advocates for the US to advance Kurdish self-determination and autonomy, citing their steadfast loyalty as allies.

Key Points

  • He urged the U.S. to respect the legitimacy of the 2017 Kurdish independence referendum, where 93% voted for secession from Iraq.

  • During his tenure, he defended Turkey’s military incursion into northern Syria by stating Ankara had a legitimate security concern regarding the Syrian Kurds.

  • He characterized Kurdish-governed areas as islands of relative tolerance and pluralism in the Middle East, free from anti-American and antisemitic ideologies.

Summary

Mike Pompeo, as former Secretary of State and CIA Director, has forcefully argued that the United States must revise its policy of hesitation regarding Kurdish independence in favor of advancing Kurdish self-determination and autonomy. He contends that the Kurds are among America's most reliable partners in the Middle East, having fought tirelessly against groups like ISIS without ever engaging in anti-American terrorism or costing American lives. He asserts that their loyalty has yielded exceptional returns on minimal U.S. investment compared to other regional engagements.

He insists that Kurdish ambitions for greater autonomy align with critical American interests, pointing to the region's significant natural resources as a pathway to economic self-sufficiency, which would strengthen America's strategic position. The former official criticizes past U.S. foreign policy for allowing regional actors, specifically naming Iran, to undermine Kurdish autonomy through actions like missile attacks and economic strangulation via Baghdad. He urges Washington to enforce red lines and leverage its influence to support the Kurds, including respecting the legitimacy of their 2017 independence referendum.

Key Quotes

"The Turks had a legitimate security concern"

Frequently Asked Questions

Mike Pompeo strongly believes that the U.S. should respect the legitimacy of the 2017 Kurdish independence referendum and advance the Kurdish people's aspirations for self-determination. He argues that supporting greater autonomy or independence aligns with America's critical strategic interests in the region.

He stated that the Kurds have proven themselves to be one of America's most reliable partners, never engaging in anti-American terrorism and never wavering in their friendship. This unwavering commitment, he notes, has spared American lives and treasure in conflicts.

While he strongly supports Iraqi Kurdish autonomy now, in 2019, Mike Pompeo defended Turkey's military operations against Syrian Kurds by acknowledging Turkey's legitimate security concerns. He maintained the U.S. did not give Turkey a green light to attack them, despite their previous partnership against ISIS.