John Bolton: U.S. Should Support Independence for Kurds, ‘State of Iraq as We Have Known It Doesn’t Exist Anymore’

36

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton said it’s time for America to realize the Iraq of years past is long gone, and that the best foreign policy going forward would be for the United States to support the Kurds in their quest for independence.

John Bolton says helping the Kurds achieve their independence would be a good thing for America.

He made the remarks during a chat on Sirius XM with Raheem Kassam and Steve Bannon.

And he spoke of the long-time friendship America’s maintained with the Kurds as part of the reason the United States shouldn’t turn blind eyes to their fight for independence now.

Story continues below advertisement

Breitbart has more of the story:

“The Kurds are one of the largest ethnic groups in the world that has never had a nation in contemporary times,” Bolton explained. “Just two days ago, they held a referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan and voted well over 90 percent for independence. I think the United States should support independence for the Kurds. They’ve been friends of ours in the struggle against Saddam Hussein and the struggle against international terrorism. I think they’d be an important buffer against Iran.”

“And let’s face it: the state of Iraq as we have known it doesn’t exist anymore, and it’s not coming back together,” he added. “The Baghdad government is controlled by the ayatollahs from Tehran. The American strategy to defeat ISIS, which has relied so heavily on the Baghdad government, I think has been a mistake.”

“I think it’s a mistake for the State Department now, as it did before the referendum, to tell the Kurds ‘don’t hold it,’ and opposing now the inevitable consequences. They’re now going to be de jure independent,” said Bolton.

Bolton agreed with Bannon’s salute of the Kurds as a reliable U.S. ally over the past three decades.

“They asked, in early days, ‘please just give us weapons.’ Of course, the Obama administration didn’t want to do that for the longest time. Now we are, and I think that’s right,” he said.

“This referendum has created a new reality. I just don’t see the State Department at this point acknowledging that, even though it benefits the United States,” he lamented.

Bannon said the situation was even worse than that, quoting a New York Times report that the State Department tried to stifle the Kurdish independence vote because it didn’t want to upset Iran and Turkey.

“This is Obama administration thinking, reflecting the obsession with the Iran nuclear deal and not wanting to do anything that might cause problems there, and reflecting the idea that the Turkey of today is the Turkey of 30 or 40 years ago,” Bolton responded.

“During the Cold War, Turkey was a loyal ally of the United States, but under Erdogan, they are moving toward becoming an Islamic state, and unfortunately moving at a very rapid rate,” he said. “Independence for the Kurds in Iraq has implications for the very large Kurdish population, particularly in eastern and southeastern Turkey. That would have worried me 20 years ago. It doesn’t worry me today, given the Erdogan government in Turkey.”

“There’s simply no doubt that this will have an impact in Turkey,” Bolton said after Kassam noted the Kurds are a significant element in the European refugee crisis. “I’ve been to that region, that border between Turkey and Iraq, which is entirely Kurdish. The only Turks in that region are the Turkish military. This is a long-standing dispute that goes back centuries.”

“Erdogan has been entirely cynical. He allowed these Syrian refugees free passage across Turkey over the past couple of years to get to Greece, to get into the Balkans, to get into Europe. He knew exactly what he was doing. He was trying to relieve pressure on his own regime. Getting rid of the Kurds for him is maybe even better than getting rid of the Syrians in the refugee camps inside Turkey,” Bolton said.

He said Erdogan has been moving toward making Turkey an Islamic state throughout his presidency, and during his tenure as Prime Minister before that.

“He has successfully purged most of the judiciary of the secular judges who were upholding Kemal Ataturk’s secular constitution,” Bolton noted. “Even before the most recent failed coup attempt, he had been purging the military of secular – at least in their political views – secular generals and replacing them with Islamicist generals. He’s all but said he wants a caliphate.”

“When he was mayor of Istanbul back in the 1990s, he famously said, ‘Democracy is like a streetcar: you ride it to the stop you want, and then you get off.’ I think he’s getting ready to get off, and I think re-establishing the caliphate is definitely on that agenda,” he predicted.

As for the fragile Iraqi state, Bolton said it was important to destroy the Islamic State “caliphate,” while also considering “what the region looks like once we defeat ISIS.”

“Unfortunately, following the Obama administration strategy, which the Pentagon and the State Department are still doing – by expanding control of the current Iraqi government, we’re giving Iran the possibility of an arc of power, a land bridge from Iran to Iraq, to Assad’s Syria, to Hezbollah in Lebanon that threatens Israel and threatens the oil-producing Arab governments of the Arabian peninsula,” he warned.

Bannon said that Iran has effectively gained control of four Arab capitals: Baghdad, Damascus, Beirut, and Sanaa in Yemen.

“Yemen, although it doesn’t get a lot of attention in the United States, people should think of it as a backdoor to the oil-producing countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates,” Bolton advised. “That’s why they’ve focused on trying to destroy the Houthi rebels in Yemen, which are the surrogates for Iran.”

The Truth Must be Told

Your contribution supports independent journalism

Please take a moment to consider this. Now, more than ever, people are reading Geller Report for news they won't get anywhere else. But advertising revenues have all but disappeared. Google Adsense is the online advertising monopoly and they have banned us. Social media giants like Facebook and Twitter have blocked and shadow-banned our accounts. But we won't put up a paywall. Because never has the free world needed independent journalism more.

Everyone who reads our reporting knows the Geller Report covers the news the media won't. We cannot do our ground-breaking report without your support. We must continue to report on the global jihad and the left's war on freedom. Our readers’ contributions make that possible.

Geller Report's independent, investigative journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we believe our work is critical in the fight for freedom and because it is your fight, too.

Please contribute here.

or

Make a monthly commitment to support The Geller Report – choose the option that suits you best.

Quick note: We cannot do this without your support. Fact. Our work is made possible by you and only you. We receive no grants, government handouts, or major funding. Tech giants are shutting us down. You know this. Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Adsense, Pinterest permanently banned us. Facebook, Google search et al have shadow-banned, suspended and deleted us from your news feeds. They are disappearing us. But we are here.

Subscribe to Geller Report newsletter here— it’s free and it’s essential NOW when informed decision making and opinion is essential to America's survival. Share our posts on your social channels and with your email contacts. Fight the great fight.

Follow Pamela Geller on Gettr. I am there. click here.

Follow Pamela Geller on
Trump's social media platform, Truth Social. It's open and free.

Remember, YOU make the work possible. If you can, please contribute to Geller Report.

Join The Conversation. Leave a Comment.

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spammy or unhelpful, click the - symbol under the comment to let us know. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

If you would like to join the conversation, but don't have an account, you can sign up for one right here.

If you are having problems leaving a comment, it's likely because you are using an ad blocker, something that break ads, of course, but also breaks the comments section of our site. If you are using an ad blocker, and would like to share your thoughts, please disable your ad blocker. We look forward to seeing your comments below.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
36 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
JaneGLinton
JaneGLinton
6 years ago

Google is paying 97$ per hour,with weekly payouts.You can also avail this.
On tuesday I got a great new Land Rover Range Rover from having earned $11752 this last four weeks..with-out any doubt it’s the most-comfortable job I have ever done .. It sounds unbelievable but you wont forgive yourself if you don’t check it
!ra102d:
➽➽
➽➽;➽➽ http://GoogleDailyAlertUpdateWorkFromHome/more/cash ★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫:::::!ra102l..,.

normfunk
normfunk
6 years ago

Iraq was held together by a strongman pitting factions against each other, with him removed the wheels came off the whole thing, Iraq will never be what it once was. A united Kurdistan would be able to defend itself and prevent the interference of US diplomats who promise “peace” but cut and run when lives are at stake.

Suresh
Suresh
6 years ago
Reply to  normfunk

Agree. Let them get independence. Under Iraqi rule they gave oil revenues which was misused , looted and when ISIS began to takeover Iraqi army collapsed and inspite of requests for funds and arms to defend Kurdistan , Iraqi govt refused /failed.

Most Iraqis politicians are like corrupt American politicians . watch Paul Ryan as he Bullshits a nun when she asks him a question http://bit.ly/2fbYycd

That’s how most politicians/jihadis are.

El Cid
El Cid
6 years ago

A Kurdish homeland???
Dear oh dear that would upset our Turkish ” friends” and ” stalwart allies” in NATO.

wilypagan
wilypagan
6 years ago
Reply to  El Cid

So much the better. Time to liquidate Mr. “Our mosques are our barracks” Erdogan.

Liatris Spicata
Liatris Spicata
6 years ago

Independence for the Kurds in Iraq has implications for the very large Kurdish population, particularly in eastern and southeastern Turkey. That would have worried me 20 years ago. It doesn’t worry me today, given the Erdogan government in Turkey.

The actions of nations are largely driven by interests, be it the interest of the nation or the interest of the ruler. And I should think a strong case can be made that it is in the interests of the USA to have a substantial Moslem nation in the Middle East that does depend on the United States for its existence.

Such a state would have to reign in the baser aspects of Islam and be sensitive to American interests. Turkey was once that nation, but, alas, is no more. Wouldn’t bother me a bit if that Moslem nation maintained, in its own self-interest, the good-will of Israel, which in turn relies on the US umbrella for its security.

As I see it, here is an instance in which the national interests of the USA dovetail quite nicely with what is right. Kurds have long had an identity as a separate people and at least in the past century have displayed a tolerance that by Middle East standards is exemplary. Surely they deserve some consideration for that. Moreover, Iraq is a classic example of an artificial nation cobbled together by a colonial power. An independent Kurdistan should be carved out of Iraq- but perhaps not exclusively Iraq. Say, aren’t there a lot of Kurdish people in Iran?

IzlamIsTyranny
IzlamIsTyranny
6 years ago

Yes, let’s add another muslum state to the voting rolls of the United Nations (spit) and another member to the OIC because the world needs more fascist, totalitarian, theocratic religious apartheid, muslum states.

Kuffar
Kuffar
6 years ago

We should support a Kurdish state and arm them to the teeth. They are our only reliable allies against ISIS, the future islamic republic of Turkey and our buddies the mullahs in Iran. As far as Iraq goes it is no longer a viable state thanks to Obama.

IzlamIsTyranny
IzlamIsTyranny
6 years ago
Reply to  Kuffar

LOL our loyal muslum allies, yeah, just like the Turks.

farflung
farflung
6 years ago
Reply to  IzlamIsTyranny

Turks greatest fear is a separate Kurd country on their border. Erdogan wants to bring back and re-establish the Ottoman Empire. Erdogan is a ruthless bastard.comment image

IzlamIsTyranny
IzlamIsTyranny
6 years ago
Reply to  farflung

The enemy of your enemy is not always your friend.

Mahou Shoujo
Mahou Shoujo
6 years ago

It would add an additional check and balance to the convoluted durations of middle east political culture. The Kurds are muslims, but they are “our kind” of muslims, not the turkish type who are most definitely not “our kind” of muslim.

GandalfsTrouserpress
GandalfsTrouserpress
6 years ago
Reply to  Mahou Shoujo

They both live on the Sunni side of the street.
But restoring kurdistan to its previous borders might be an idea.
Things can hardly get much worse.

Mahou Shoujo
Mahou Shoujo
6 years ago

By introducing another “interviewer” in the muddle east, it will hep neutralize turkey, iran and a few other neighbourhood thugs.

GandalfsTrouserpress
GandalfsTrouserpress
6 years ago
Reply to  Mahou Shoujo

At least their women aren’t veiled but as we have seen, that can change overnight.

GandalfsTrouserpress
GandalfsTrouserpress
6 years ago
Reply to  Mahou Shoujo

Kurdish news site in English.
https://anfenglish.com/kurdistan

wilypagan
wilypagan
6 years ago

Free Kurdistan!

IzlamIsTyranny
IzlamIsTyranny
6 years ago
Reply to  wilypagan

Fkcu Kurdistan and Kurdish muslums.

wilypagan
wilypagan
6 years ago
Reply to  IzlamIsTyranny

Come on. They are better than the Iraqi Sunnis (ISIS) or the Iranians. At least their women serve in the military and kill religious nuts.

IzlamIsTyranny
IzlamIsTyranny
6 years ago
Reply to  wilypagan

Um, the Kurds are proposing islamic blasphemy laws in Iraq ALREADY:
1. http://www.aina.org/news/20120628053506.htm
2. https://www.mnnonline.org/news/kurdistan-blasphemy-law-considered/

Christians are ALREADY being persecuted by Kurdish muslums:
http://www.christiantimes.com/article/new-report-details-mass-persecution-of-kurds-and-christians-in-turkey/72813.htm

Wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell the jihad.

IzlamIsTyranny
IzlamIsTyranny
6 years ago

Go tell the 2.5 million Armenian and Assyrian Christians slaughtered by muslum Kurds and Turks how they feel about an independent Kurdistan.
Long live a free Burma, fcuk the dying atheist West.

DVultD
DVult
6 years ago
Reply to  IzlamIsTyranny

The ironnians were the good muslims, the soddies were the good muslums, the jordanians , the turks, … Maybe we should arm the Christians wherever they are to the teeth and not send a cent of foreign aid to any muslums whatsoever.

IzlamIsTyranny
IzlamIsTyranny
6 years ago
Reply to  DVult

Exactly I’m sick of leftist atheists stealing my hard earned money to bankroll muslum totalitarian, theocratic, religious apartheid states or selling advanced munitions to same — all while pi$$ing on countries like Burma that are resisting islamic imperialism

Sven
Sven
6 years ago

Turks WAS good ally in the past against communist Soviet Union, but they are now, under Erdogan more enemic to the NATO and on side of Iran. Kurds and their Peshmerga was (are) best allies against Islamic State ISIS and they deserve full support in creation of free Kurdistan ! If Erdogan’s Turkey or Ayatollah’s Iran or Baghdad clowns or Syria and Russia did not like – that’s theirs problem ! We should support Kurds !

IzlamIsTyranny
IzlamIsTyranny
6 years ago
Reply to  Sven

A “good ally”? Tell that to the Cypriots who were forced off their land by the invading Turks in the 1970’s. Tell that to the Greek victims (and a few Jews) of the Istanbul pogrom in the 1950’s. You can’t pretend to be a leader of the free world on one hand while collaborating w/the muslum world on the other.
The USA used to be called the arsenal of democracy, now it’s nothing but the arsenal of the totalitarian, theocratic, fascist muslum world.

GandalfsTrouserpress
GandalfsTrouserpress
6 years ago

Great article, informative and realistic.
The Kurds are Sunni muslims ….
Peshmurga women fight ISIS

“In 1891 the activity of the Armenian Committees induced the Porte to strengthen the position of the Kurds by raising a body of Kurdish irregular cavalry, who were well-armed Hamidieh soldiers after the Sultan Abd-ul-Hamid II. Minor disturbances constantly occurred, and were soon followed by a massacre and rape of Armenians at Sasun by Kurdish nomads and Ottoman troops[63] and other places, 1894–1896.”

It’s complicated

IzlamIsTyranny
IzlamIsTyranny
6 years ago

Thank you for revealing the complicity of the Kurds in slaughtered/enslaving Armenians. A genocide for which there has been no acknowledgement from the Turkish government — and no justice or compensation served to the families of the millions of victims.

GandalfsTrouserpress
GandalfsTrouserpress
6 years ago
Reply to  IzlamIsTyranny

Thank you for your comment, bless you.
Maybe the Kurds take their freedom more seriously than their Sunni religion these days – I would hope so.
It’s odd that the liberal left who are so keen to say “Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it” are slow to acknowledge the atrocities of the A. Genocide and all the other examples of Islamic terror and brutality.
We are living in yet another crucial phase in the epic historical struggle for Truth and Freedom’s survival and people are slow to waken.
Dreams are preferred to a looming nightmare.
I follow an Armenian newsfeed and wish the Armenians well.
Thanks again.

IzlamIsTyranny
IzlamIsTyranny
6 years ago

Muslums are the enemy — no matter what label they wear.

GandalfsTrouserpress
GandalfsTrouserpress
6 years ago
Reply to  IzlamIsTyranny

There are ex-muslims and those frightened to leave islam.
There are many who are murdered for adopting western ways.
The ice is melting.

IzlamIsTyranny
IzlamIsTyranny
6 years ago

I’m sure there are some muslims who are scared of leaving islum, but how would you propose separating the wheat from the chaff? Take them at their word?
Every day, in every way, the dying atheist West is losing ground to muslums and it’s OBVIOUS.

GandalfsTrouserpress
GandalfsTrouserpress
6 years ago
Reply to  IzlamIsTyranny

Raheem Kassan of BB might have some ideas.
He’s an ex-muslim and drinks pints.
Maybe he eats porky scratchings too.

I’d close down the mosques, ban the madrassas and the koran and deport any who object, similar to what the Chinese are doing.
But my hands are far from the levers of power.
The majority of people I know just follow the MSM.
Reminds me of the Jews who paid their own train fare to Belsen.
UKIP’s new boss may be an interesting development.

notme123
notme123
6 years ago

They, the Kurds, have more right to their own state than the made-up palistinians.

Badger
Badger
6 years ago

I’m all for supporting the Kurds so long as it weakens both Turkey and Iraq, but that is as far as I go.

Never forget that Kurds are muslims. I guarantee they will one day be our enemies.

Spike1047
Spike1047
6 years ago

A Kurdish with a Yazidi homeland paid for by the west would help us no end. They would give us strong allies in the future against the threat of Muslim expansion which Eisenhower failed to do in 1953. We’ve lost Syria, Lebanon, Somalia and Turkey which were all once Christian nations. A moderate Kurdish homeland and a Christian nation would help Israel solidify their hold on their tiny piece of land. The western nations have a chance to create a stable middle east out of a disastrous decade. What is the west afraid of? Iran? They are too afraid of their own people. Saudi Arabia? If electric cars start to be popular in the west they will be broke in 25 years. What else will they export? Sand? There will always be one country that will export oil to the west; the oil-exporting states are strong when they hold a monopoly – but when the money starts drying up one or more will leave a sinking ship.

IzlamIsTyranny
IzlamIsTyranny
6 years ago
Reply to  Spike1047

Anyone who calls a muslum state an ally is no friend to the free world.

Sponsored
Geller Report
Thanks for sharing!