Gulan: Regarding president Barzani’s visit to the US and his meetings with president Obama and vice president Biden, how do you interpret and see the visit?
Cordesman: it is very clear that the United States believe that the unity and stability of Iraq is a critical US strategic interest. It certainly sees the security of the Kurdish region as very critical for this. Now, I think sometimes it is reported in Iraq that the US is somehow supporting the division of Iraq, but this is simply not the case. The US is supporting some form of solution, something that will take care of the security of each Iraq’s major factions: the Kurds, the Arabs, Sunnis and Shiites. And the nation’s oil revenues will be properly divided so that each group felt that they have got their fair share. This would create a state in full support of its people, strong and independent. So this is going to be certainly a critical talk and a dialogue between the US and president Barzani. I think it is clear that the US has a strong support for the central government, and I think it is the US goal to create a situation where Iraq can serve all its people rather than being divided and become weakened.
Gulan: the Peshmerga forces have been the only ground force capable of defeating ISIS since June of the last year, so how is the United States concerned about supporting Peshmerga?
Cordesman: It is critical that the US does see the need to support Peshmerga. It does see the need to have a force that can defend the Kurdish area and support not only Iraq but other states dealing with humanitarian efforts. I want to be careful about two points: first, the regular Iraqi forces and the Shiite militias have earned some gains, and the Kurdish efforts have been to some extent the product of Kurdish efforts and US and coalition air support. The US goal here still--I think this has to be stressed—is the unified Iraq that can meet the need of all its people. It is not to support one element of Iraq at the expense of the others.
Gulan: if the Kurdish people asked for the United States’ support for the question of independency, what would be the position of the United States on that?
Cordesman: it has been very clear that the United States does not want to see Iraq divided and does not want to see a new series of small independent mini-states because this simply creates a new set of divisions and lasting problems in the region.
Gulan: what is your message for Kurdish leadership and Kurdish people at a time Iraq and the region passing through difficult times?
Cordesman: the message for everyone in Iraq is that ultimately Iraq’s problems have to be solved by finding a new balance of power between the Kurds, the Arab Shiites, and the Arab Sunnis. It has to be an outcome that goes far beyond preceding the Islamic State. There is really a need for more unified Iraq and without that, it is very unclear how anyone in the region is going to gain stability.
Gulan: do you think is it possible that the United States put military base in Kurdistan region?
Cordesman: I think the answer at least at the present is clearly no. United States is not going to set a base in one part of Iraq in a way it will imply there is somehow assisting in a division of Iraq.
Gulan: but as we have seen ISIS practically split up Iraq and do you think that the United States will separately deal with the Central government and Kurdistan Region?
Cordesman: for the time being, the US is already providing separate training for the Iraqi army and for the Peshmerga, but the goal remains the same goal that exists before Prime Minister Maliki, which is to create a structure in Iraq for the Peshmerga and the Iraqi army and some kind of Sunni National Guard do, on the one hand, guarantee the security of each element of Iraq, and on the other hand, act as a unified force to defend it.