MICHAEL GUNTER SPEAKING : Kurdistan needs new president as Barzani already served his allotted terms

Dr. Michael M. Gunter, Professor of Political Science at Tennessee Technological University.

Barzani already served more than his constitutionally allotted terms, Dr. Michael M. Gunter says

Milliyet – 10 July 2015 – COOKEVILLE, Tennessee,— Dr. Michael M. Gunter, Professor of Political Science at Tennessee Technological University, USA spoke to Millet reporter in the states and answered several questions about the current Kurdish issues and the developments in the region.

Michael M. Gunter is an authority on Kurds and has written seven books on the Kurdish struggle. Gunter has written more than 75 articles in scholarly journals and books including Middle East Journal, American Journal of International Law and World Affairs. He has also written nine books about the Kurdish people, two of which were among the first analyses in English of the Kurdish unrest in the Middle East. He received Human Rights Watch’s “Service to the Kurds Award” in 1998.

Millet: After Islamic State (IS/ISIS) approached the Kurdish borders, US support to Kurdistan increased significantly. Do you think this support is against ISIS and terrorism in general or it shows America’s willingness to establish an independent Kurdish region in the area?”

Gunter: The United States support was against ISIS, not to establish Kurdistan independence. If the latter the US would have encouraged independence and supported it earlier. ISIS is a threat to entirely destroy the Kurdistan and Iraq which the US wants to keep unified.

Q: In your perspective, how America deals with the issue of independency to Kurdistan region? Do you believe US supports an independent Kurdish state?

Gunter: No the US does not support Kurdistan independence because the US thinks that a united Iraq is the best way to promote peace and stability in the Middle East. In addition, the US tries to satisfy its NATO ally Turkey on this issue that the Kurdistan region should remain part of Iraq, not be independent.

Q: US Department of State deals with Iraq as a united region while Pentagon and Congress believe in division of Iraq to 3 independent parts. Then why White House considers Iraq as a united country?

Gunter: Although some in the Pentagon and Congress would probably like to see the KRG independent, it is simply not true that overall both want this. The official policy of the US remains against KRG independence because as I said already the US believes this is the best way to promote peace and stability in the Mideast.

Q: Based on Erbil-Baghdad agreement, exporting Kurdistan region oil through the Iraqi government continues, but Baghdad does not necessarily deliver Kurdistan budget share as mentioned in the agreement. In your opinion, what’s America’s vision on this issue?

Gunter: The US wants Baghdad to deliver the Kurdistan Regional Government KRG’s 17 percent of the Iraqi budget and also for the KRG not to sell any oil independently bypassing Baghdad. As a result the KRG is currently in a deep financial crisis. But part of the reason for this financial crisis is corruption in the KRG and a lack of transparency in its financial dealings.

Q: What’s America’s view on an independent Kurdish region in Rojava (Syrian Kurdistan)?

Gunter: The United States also opposes independence for Rojava for the same reason it does for the KRG: a united Syria would better promote peace and stability. In addition, if the US supported independence for Rojava, it would upset its NATO ally, Turkey, which opposes independence as furthering the cause of the PKK which has threatened Turkey’s territorial integrity for more than 30 years.

Q: What do you think about the future of ISIS? Why other countries do not take up serious steps in repelling the fighters of Islamic state?

Gunter: Every state in the Mideast has important elements supporting the jihadis. In addition every state has its own different priorities, so it is difficult to for them to agree on a common policy toward ISIS. Therefore, the apparent overwhelming coalition against ISIS is less than the sum of its parts. Turkey for example feels that the Syrian Kurds are as much as a threat to Turkey as ISIS so why should Turkey oppose ISIS and strengthen the Syrian Kurds? In addition, ISIS benefits from interior lines of defense and communication, while its state enemies do not when they seek to stop ISIS. In one form or another ISIS will probably be around for some time, but is unlikely to advance much further past the borders of former Iraq and Syria because then it would meet such established functioning states as Turkey, Iran, even Russia, and Jordan. However, what about Lebanon, which is a very unstable state?

Q: Kurdistan is currently going through several political and economic crisis such as the period of presidency of Masou’d Barzani, Kurdistan Constitution, lack of budget and clashes with ISIS. How do you think the world estimates Kurdistan? How should Kurdistan deal with all of these concerns?

Gunter: The KRG indeed has many major problems. Probably the most important one right now surprisingly is the financial one that threatens its ability to function as it has been as an autonomous state and important player in the regional situation. Not only is Baghdad failing to deliver the KRG’s allotted 17 percent of the Iraqi budget, but corruption and a lack of financial transparency is also hurting the KRG’s financial solvency. In addition, the KRG needs to choose a new president as Massoud Barzani already served more than his constitutionally allotted two four-year terms. If Barzani’s term is extended again, the KRG will begin to look more like the many other family dictatorships in the Mideast instead of the democracy it claims to be. There are plenty of others capable of being president of the KRG and it is time for one of them to assume the office through a fair democratic election. Finally, ISIS remains a potential existential threat to the existence of the KRG. To meet this threat, the KRG needs modern heavy weapons from the United States and other sympathetic states including Turkey which must not fear that this would lead to KRG independence which would not threaten Turkey as Turkey would be the natural big brother ally and guide to an independent KRG. Such a relationship would also help Turkey solve its own internal Kurdish problem, which if solved would also help Turkey develop much better relations with Rojava. Therefore, Turkey needs to support the Kurds of Iraq and Syria on the one hand and oppose ISIS with vigor on the other!