US Silence on Iran’s Attack on Kurds in Iraq “Tragedy”: US Former Diplomat

US Silence on Iran’s Attack on Kurds in Iraq “Tragedy”: US Former Diplomat.

ERBIL — Former US Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton voiced his support for Kurdistan Region in its bid for independence and criticized the American ties to the Iraqi government, which, he believes, is “dominated by Iran.”

“I support independence for the Kurds in Iraq. It’s no surprise that the State Department opposes that. I think the State Department and the Pentagon are still operating under the assumption that you can put Iraq back together again, and you can’t,” Bolton told Breitbart News.

The US diplomat condemned the Iraqi government, describing it a sectarian and Iranian-backed government.

“The Baghdad government is Shia-dominated and dominated, worse than that, by the mullahs in Tehran,” he said.

The Kurdistan Region held an independence referendum last month in which the vast majority of people voted for secession from Iraq.

The Iranian-backed Iraqi forces launched an offensive against the Peshmerga-held province of Kirkuk on October 16 and invaded the city.

According to Bolton, Baghdad’s invasion of Kirkuk was backed by Iran.

“I wish we could get through to the White House and say, ‘You should support the Kurdish independence,’ because Iran – our enemy in the region – is now attacking Kurds, our best friend. We are doing nothing. It’s a tragedy,” he said.

“We should help Kurds defend against these Shia militias under the direction of the Ayatollah in Tehran and the [US] president should see that and support Kurds,” he added.
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