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US withdrawal from Iraq is a mistake,
ex-CIA officer to Kurdistan says
29.5.2010
By Hawar Abdul-Razaq |
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May
29, 2010
ERBIL-Hewlêr,
Kurdistan region 'Iraq', — Lt Col Rick Francona is a
former officer working in Iraqi Kurdistan for the
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United
States. His work started in the 1990s after the
Iraqi Kurds were granted a safe-haven, known as
“No-Fly Zone” in the north of Iraq.
Since 1991, the Kurdistan region has been governed
by two parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)
headed by Massoud Barzani, president of Kurdistan,
and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) led by Jalal
Talabani, who holds the ceremonial post of Iraq’s
president. “I worked with the KDP and PUK –
relations were excellent with both,” said Mr.
Francona.
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File Photo |
“I worked more closely
with the PUK, but that was a factor of how our team
worked. I did intelligence liaison with the PUK and
a colleague of mine worked more with the KDP.”
Mr. Francona has been involved in a number of
sensitive operations including the escape of the
family of an Iraqi nuclear scientist in 1995.
“We received a tasking from CIA headquarters
directing us to arrange for the escape of the family
of Dr Khidhir Hamza, a scientist who had formerly
worked in Saddam’s nuclear weapons program. We
executed that operation and brought the family out.”
Though Mr. Francona now has nothing to do with the
CIA, his background values his views on the
post-Saddam Iraqi politics. Here is an interview
that Rudaw’s correspondent Hawar Abdul-Razaq
conducted with Mr. Francona. He says President Obama
failed to solve any issues in the region and the
possible withdrawal of US forces is a mistake.
Q: How do you see the
future of Iraq? Isn’t it going to be portioned at
the end of the day?
Francona: The future of Iraq remains a question,
although I am optimistic that the Iraqis will figure
out how to manage the diversity that comprises the
population. The primary issue is security – ending
the violence, be it between Sunni and Shi’s, or
between ethnic groups (Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, etc.).
That includes hunting down and eliminating all
vestiges of al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). Then the Iraqis
can start the healing process to become one country.
I worry about Iran’s closeness to the Shi’a parties
– that is one reason I was glad to see my friend
Iyad ‘Allawi win the election. Iraq must emerge as a
secular state again – a religious-based or dominated
government only plays into the hands of the
Iranians. Although I would do everything I could to
minimize Iranian influence in the country, I am not
sure President Obama will.
I hope there is some coalition building that allows
Sunni participation in the governance of the
country, otherwise, there will be resentment against
the Shi’a and inevitably violence.
I do not see Iraq being divided – the location of
the natural resources (primarily oil) do not allow
an equitable distribution of the wealth, so a
division into Sunni, Shi’a and Kurdish areas will
likely not work. Again, the Sunnis will feel
disenfranchised and strike out.
Q: Given the Shiite
domination of Iraq, don’t you think that Iran is
ultimately going to be the actual winner of the Iraq
war?
Francona: I hope not, but given the failure of the
Obama Administration to resolve any issues in the
region, I fear that Iran may emerge as the key power
broker in not only Iraq but the entire Persian Gulf
region.
The US does not “have to withdraw” from Iraq, but is
choosing to – a mistake in my view. Two reasons. We
should never have announced the exact withdrawal
date - all that does is tell your opponents how long
they need to wait to realize their goals. Also,www.ekurd.netI
believe that an American presence in the region is
required to offset Iranian ascendancy in the area –
Iraq is the perfect place to have that presence.
Q: Former Director of the
Turkish Intelligence agency known as MIT, Mahir
Kaynak, says that US is in favor of dividing Iraq
and would do so. Is this possible?
Francona: I don’t put much stock in what the Turks,
especially their intelligence services – and I have
worked with most of them – say.
I don’t think this is the American plan, since we
have always stated our desire that the territorial
integrity of Iraq remain intact. Despite Kurdish
wishes, I do not envision an independent Kurdish
state. The Kurdish Autonomous Region is as good as
it is going to get.
Copyright, respective author or news agency,
rudaw net
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