Evolution of the US-Iraq 360-Degree Relationship
- Alina Romanowski, United States Ambassador to Iraq
- Hiwa Osman, Journalist, +964 Media (Moderator)
Hiwa Othman
I’ll switch to English in a minute you don’t have I’m just doing the introductions thank you very much Madame Ambassador thank you for accepting the invitation I hope we can have a conversation that can make some news as a journalist and we follow at +964 your tweets very carefully but there are always certain things that we do not see or do not read and for obvious reasons or understandably in your tweets that we would like and your statements we would like to see here or to learn more about let me start with the elephant in the room or the elephant in the region the US is known to be a leading human rights advocate and you’ve had some stances in the past and the Iraqi elite in general we are talking about an Iraq US relationship a lasting US relationship that is 360 some of them say we can’t afford to do 360 it is 180 and I’ll come to that in a minute my next question maybe but right now the Iraqi elite understands the importance of a continued and a long lasting relationship with the United States but what they are perplexed or baffled with is that the US stands from atrocities in the region starting from the atrocities of Saddam in 80th all the way to what we are seeing in Gaza today what do you say to our elite?
Alina Romanowski
Well, first of all I want to thank very much the organizers of the MERI Forum you know every year they bring hundreds and I see it’s a packed room today hundreds of people to come and hear from many from diplomats from government officials from senior leaders from deep thinkers of the situation both here and in the region and I’m very pleased that I can be here today and again this year to participate in a dialogue that I think is very important and that you know advances the knowledge and the thinking of many here in Iraq and around the region so thanks a lot for putting this together I’m sort of looking at lir but he’s not he may be back there doing his organizational things so let me talk a little bit about you know the role of the United States and our 360 relationship here in Iraq and what we’re trying to build that absolutely continues and has a very important human rights component to it as you can imagine 360 not 180, 360 is we do everything we want to move the relationship that we have had for the past decades or so from a very heavily focused security relationship to one that really puts equal weight maybe even more weight on things like trade and energy human rights governance building a private sector supporting the aspirations of the Iraqi people especially women and youth in terms of building their future there have been significant changes I think over the past two three years and I think you know the United States as you called US the big elephant in the room but there are other big elephants in the room and in the region and so I I’m I’ve been very I think fortunate to serve in Iraq here over the past two and a half years to help really advance our relationship in these areas that are covered frankly and have been covered in the strategic framework agreement which is still very much a framework and agreement that we and the government of Iraq believe is still very useful in charting and setting our relationship and so this is kind of where we are right now and it’s been really important I can get into a lot of other details but and frankly to your point about the situation in the region overall being able to open up that aperture to talk with the government of Iraq and the people of Iraq about the situation in the region is really important and we’ve been able to do that those are it’s been a difficult issues here that countries in the region have grappled with to include Iraq but it’s been very much part of our political and diplomatic engagement to talk about the region and how we ensure that this region doesn’t find itself either intentionally or unintentionally in a war
Hiwa Osman
Thank you did you see the Israeli planes flying over Iraq to Iran?
Alina Romanowski
Did I see the Israeli planes did you see the Israeli planes?
Hiwa Osman
Did the embassy see them that’s my question? you’re supposed to be the United States.
Alina Romanowski
The United States did not participate in the Israeli strikes and Iraq is a sovereign country and we don’t control Iraq’s airspace.
Hiwa Osman
Talking of sovereignty I would like to talk about economy Iraq’s economy heavily relies on oil revenues and this is managed by the US Federal Reserve is there how do you see the future once there is a 360 relationship how do you see this relationship materializing especially with all the current restrictions on Iraq’s trade sometimes with Iran I mean we’ve seen recently Oman and UAE uh they can pay the Iranians the few billions that they have or for trade but Iraq always has issues with the US Treasury over being able to pay Iran for energy subsid or for energy for electricity especially during the summer days how do you see that relationship once we reach 360
Alina Romanowski
Well, first of all let me just point out the US Treasury doesn’t run Iraq’s energy sector nor do we run their economy I want to be really clear about that so I think to answer your question we have as part of our efforts to activate the SFA in the very first HCC or the higher consultative Council that we have under the SFA to kind of organize the work that we want to do we made back in very shortly after prime minister Sudani came to his position we made energy independence energy autonomy a very important element of our work that we were going to do together and that meant a number of things first of all it was making sure that the Iraqi government could look at the resources that they have here in Iraq and make sure that they are used most efficiently and one of the most important components of that was to look at capturing flared gas we were very much encouraged by the discussions that were going on with the French company total to help build and included in their work was gas capture was more efficient infrastructure and so that so building Iraq’s capacity to use its own resources was very important
Hiwa Osman
But between now and then
Alina Romanowski
Well between now and then we’ve accomplished a lot on that it was also working with improving the electrical grid you need you need a modern functioning grid in order to make sure that you know the Iraqi people don’t experience the kinds of shortages that they’ve been so we’ve done that and we have one of our premier labs new the US Pacific Northwest scientific laboratory that’s working on that aspect of it so we have tried to tackle with the ministry of electricity with the government of Iraq ways in which that we can strengthen and build towards a more independent self-sufficient energy sector.
Hiwa Osman
My question was about US being able to pay Iran there are some billions of dollars somewhere in some bank that when you speak to the bankers or the finance people, they say we cannot pay them because we will run the risk of being under sanctions by the US
Alina Romanowski
Well, that’s the answer you’ve made the you’ve given me my own answer which I was going to say which has to do with there are sanctions against Iran and I think those who want to either find ways to circumvent them or they find themselves violating sanctions will find themselves in real trouble
Hiwa Osman
So how come Oman and UAE are not violating the sanctions by paying Iran?
Alina Romanowski
Well, I’m not going to get into a lot of these details and but suffice it to say that the way in which we want to ensure that Iraq has a way to provide energy electricity oil revenues from their very important sector is to have a modern technically efficient infrastructure and sector to include you know connections with their neighbors which is Kuwait Jordan Saudi there are ways in which they we are harnessing that electrical grid in the region to help support and help Iraq build its independence and its sovereignty so that it doesn’t have to find itself or have the unpleasant choice of violating those sanctions.
Hiwa Osman
Okay so trade with everyone but Iran
Alina Romanowski
Well, there are ways that trade is allowed under sanctions and that has to do with the humanitarian assistance and the Iranians know very well exactly what that means.
Hiwa Osman
Because yesterday I think there was the news that the dollar window will close by December of this year in two months’ time and this has sent some alarm bells amongst the banking community as to how they will trade with dollars
Alina Romanowski
Well, the banking reforms and that actually has been one of the very positive things that has been going on over the last couple of years and that Iraq is now very much part of building the kind of international banking sector that it should have if it wants to be really a member of the international economy and banks that have corresponding relationships ship in the International Community with International Banks they have some of them have will have to restructure themselves and there are definitely ways in which they will continue to be able to access dollars
Hiwa Osman
Great we move to the US military presence again it has been an issue that we hear about it a lot in Baghdad not in Kurdistan the Kurds welcome the US president forever actually that’s what I hear from them when do you think when we hear two stories we hear from the American side that yes we will stay we will not stay but then we will hear from the Iraqis some of them say complete withdrawal now yesterday and then others say no we need to be more prepared is Iraq prepared for a complete with through?
Alina Romanowski
I think well first of all I the statement that both the joint statement that was issued on 27 September about the transition of the coalition’s military mission in Iraq in about a year I think is a recognition that the work that the Coalition has been doing and the Prospect for strengthening bilateral security and defense relationships is a recognition that the security forces in Iraq and frankly here in Iraqi Kurdistan have been making progress to be able to continue the enduring defeat of ISIS which is the mission of the coalition that’s why we were all invited here 10 years ago that there is a capability here that has improved and enhanced over time the decision by the government of Iraq to transition this into bilateral relationships which many of our friends are here in the audience is also recognition that these security defense relationships are important we expect to be able to continue working on the enduring defeat of ISIS is not down and out as we have seen recently but the steady pressure that we can all work together on and continue to build the capabilities is a very good decision that was made it’s not there are some who don’t agree with it but we’re dealing with the government of Iraq and those are the decisions that we’ve made together very much in deliberative fashion over the past year
Hiwa Osman
Those who do not agree with it we see them in in various institutions especially in Baghdad not in Kurdistan as people who are becoming more and more in control and powerful how do you plan I mean as part of the transition to the complete withdrawal if that to happen how do you plan or how do you think the Iraqis should deal with those who are very much against the US and are closer to the other side in the conflict for Iraqis and how should Iraqis deal or how do you see them as a threat to a future bilateral relationship between Iraq and the United States?
Alina Romanowski
I think what our discussion and our efforts with the government of Iraq are very much in line to ensure that the security forces answer to the commander-in-chief of this country those who believe that they speak on behalf of the government I think it has been very made very clear by the prime minister himself that decisions about the security of Iraq are wholly owned by the government our discussions and our decisions that we make together about the kind of defense relationship bilateral relationship we want to build will remain in discussion with the government I myself optimistic that we will be able to have the kind of defense and security relationship that was envisioned in the SFA and that frankly will also help Iraq build its security and ties with the neighbors Iraq is a very important country that will contribute to the stability of this region and the more we can be a partner in doing that the better off Iraq will be and in achieving its stability and its security and frankly its own sovereignty and that is a mutual goal that we are trying to achieve in our work that we’re doing together in this transition and in building a future long-term relationship that we’re both that we are committed to.
Hiwa Osman
Some point in the past I was an advisor to president Jalal Talabani and I accompanied him in two visits or many other visits but I remember two visits distinctly one in Tehran and one in DC one to DC and one to Tehran and he had one message to both sides he said we do not look at America with an Iranian eye and we do not look at Iran with an American eye can you tolerate that today from Iraqis?
Alina Romanowski
I’m not sure what you’re asking are we tolerating it’s a question Iraq is?
Hiwa Osman
Will the United States understand the Iraqi position of having a special relationship with Iran and yet maintain a relationship a healthy relationship with DC?
Alina Romanowski
Well, I think that again Iraq is a sovereign country and it needs to shape its relations with Iran it has a long history it has economic ties it has social ties it has religious ties we recognize that what we ourselves are trying to build stronger ties between Iraqis and Americans after 20 years of more than 20 years of having worked side by side on many of these issues and and you know frankly spilling our blood together to make Iraq safe to make the Iraq stable to make Iraq a democracy so I think that we are going to pursue the mutual interests that we have whether it’s on security issues on education on building a private sector on trade on continuing to support Iraq’s economic development it has a lot of work that it needs to do on just you know make strengthening the business environment so those are the areas where I think we will be concentrating and encouraging Iraq to work with our position on Iran is not a surprise to anybody so I would say right now the relationship that we have with Iraq is one that’s moving forward on a lot of mutual interests and it’s a positive one all in all there are lots of challenges lots of things we have to work through but frankly there are lots of challenges and lots of things that Iraq has to work through with many of the countries that would like to be part of strengthening their relationship with Iraq and the Iraqi people.
Hiwa Osman
On that note can we move to Kurdistan? the city where we are in was hit twice with ballistic missiles and both attacks were in close proximity to the new building the new consulate building or it flew over Erbil when to able to intercept these missiles as we saw when Iran was trying to hit Israel?
Alina Romanowski
You know you’re right we are building a very nice new consulate and we’re very proud of this new consulate it is I think a real Testament to our commitment to having strong ties with the region and with and advance our relationship with Kurdistan we are as part of our work that we do on defense and security it obviously very much includes defending and supporting the security and defense requirements of this area and we’re going to continue to be able to do that
Hiwa Osman
I know but the two attacks one was 1.4 kilometer away from that building the second one that killed Peshraw Dzayee was 4.2 kilometers we in +964 we drew a google map of the triangle and it was amazing how we had nothing from the US Consulate.
Alina Romanowski
Well, I would point out exactly who were the ones behind those attacks, my point is there’s a great neighbor so what were they doing attacking the Kurdistan and those sites here that’s a big question.
Hiwa Osman
So, if Iran attacks it’s up to the or turkey attacks it’s up to the Kurds the US has no
Alina Romanowski
I’m not saying that I’m just saying that you know we are here we defend we have always and for since you know we’ve always been defending US personnel and US facilities but part of our future defense discussions are going to be about how we have strong we build a strong defense for Iraq if that’s exactly what they are interested in doing.
Hiwa Osman
So, if Iran wants to do something now is the time but they shouldn’t attack US Personnel they can
Alina Romanowski
We’ve made that very clear that anyone who attacks our personnel and our facilities we will respond in self-defense that has been very clear and we’ve said that very clearly publicly.
Hiwa Osman
Just us personnel and Facilities?
Alina Romanowski
That we are here to we are going to protect our facilities and our Personnel.
Hiwa Osman
Thank you final question it’s a Kurdish one again we often hear from the Kurdish leadership about special relationship with the United States and some analysts even call it a one-sided love story as the son of one of the very first Kurds who made contact with the United States back in the 70th and I hear his disappointment afterwards in 1975, 88, 91 and later the question that is in the mind of every Kurd in the region does Washington have a Kurdish policy do they see the Kurds as Kurds or they see them as good Iraqi citizens good Syrian citizens good Turkish citizens and good Iranian citizens?
Alina Romanowski
Well, first of all when you say it’s a one-sided love affair I would disagree with you I would say it’s a two-sided love affair and we have well I know that the United States first of all has this very strong commitment and a very strong presence and have done a lot of work in Iraqi Kurdistan and we have you know in many ways Iraqi Kurdistan has been the beach head for so many American businesses to come in and establish their foothold in investment not just in Kurdistan but also in Iraq they have invested here and some of the Investments have done very well to the point where it allows them to go in some of our franchises started here and are now in Baghdad and other places Iraqi Kurdistan has really demonstrated that democracy is it can be strong look the elections that just happened on October 20 I mean they were lively and spirited like most elections are but at the end of the day it was a huge turnout what 72% I think you know that is a really strong model. we have an Iraqi policy and Kurdistan is part of Iraq but it doesn’t mean that you know we also don’t have our relationship our special aspects of our relationship with Iraqi Kurdistan as we do with other parts of Iraq.
Hiwa Osman
Thank you, madam ambassador.
MERI Forum 2024
Evolution of the US-Iraq 360-Degree Relationship