NINEWA: LOCAL KURDKISH LEADERS CALL FOR MORE U.S.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002699

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/23/2016
TAGS: PREL PINS PINT PGOV PHUM IZ MARR ECON
SUBJECT: NINEWA: LOCAL KURDKISH LEADERS CALL FOR MORE U.S.
PRESENCE IN IRAQI KURDISTAN


Classified By: PRT IPAO Jerome P. Hohman. Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (U) This is a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Ninewa
cable.

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


2. (C) Kurdish political party leaders from Ninewa are
calling for a greater U.S. presence in Iraqi Kurdistan. PUK
West Ninewa Director Mustafa Kokhe and Vice Governor and KDP
Provincial Director Khasro Goran say that though the future
of Iraqi Kurdistan will likely remain as a federal unit
within greater Iraq for practical reasons, the Kurdish area
is "calm, stable and ready" for greater U.S. military and
economic presence. Kokhe says the Kurdistan Regional
Government (KRG) also wants U.S. guidance to address concerns
of human rights abuses and corruption. He sees the region --
from Israel to Afghanistan -- suffering from further
turbulence in coming years, but believes that with greater
U.S. support, the KRG will be able to serve as an example of
democracy and freedom for the rest of Iraq and the Middle
East. End Summary.


3. (SBU) IPAOs met with Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)
West Ninewa Director Mustafa Kokhe on July 19, and with
Ninewa Vice Governor and Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)
Provincial Director Khasro Goran on July 22 in Mosul.

--------------
STRONGER U.S. PRESENCE IN KURDISTAN
--------------


4. (C) Over the past few months Kurdish officials in Ninewa
Province have called for a greater U.S. presence in Iraqi
Kurdistan. The KRG was very calm and stable, and ripe for
the U.S. to "develop it," economically and politically, said
Kokhe. He believed the key for strengthening Iraq was for
the U.S. to concentrate on the civilian population, from a
humanitarian perspective, and that there was no better place
to start than the KRG. "Consider the KRG a U.S. base," he
said, "to improve Iraq and the region as a whole." The U.S.
should increase the number of U.S. military serving in the
KRG, especially along the border with Iran and Turkey,
suggested Kokhe, to guard against future military action by
those countries against the Kurds in Iraq. This could be
done, he said, by building a permanent military base in the
KRG.


5. (C) Kokhe said other than building a permanent U.S.
military base, the U.S. should also have a consulate in
Irbil. The KRG was amenable to the idea of a consulate, he
said, since "we have the same objectives" as the U.S. to
"fight terrorism and protect the people." If U.S. and
Coalition Forces withdrew now, it would be "victory for the
terrorists," asserted Kokhe. He said insurgents, supported
by former Ba,thists, were now disseminating propaganda at
local mosques claiming they were "winning the war" as CF were
withdrawing.

--------------
BROADENING U.S. INVESTMENT
--------------


6. (C) Goran claimed the U.S. was losing ground on investing
in the KRG. He said the Iranians, Turks, Germans, Russians,
Saudis and the United Arab Emirates were all interested in or
had begun investing in the KRG. Citing an example of the
improved and ever-changing economic conditions in the KRG,
Goran said the airport in Irbil was "taking off." Direct
flights to Europe and the Middle East were rapidly expanding,
said Goran. He produced a flight schedule with flights to
Aleppo, Amman, Amsterdam, Beirut, Copenhagen, Cologne,
Damascus, Dubai, Dusseldorf, Istanbul, Stockholm, Tehran, and
Vienna. Although many of the flights were chartered, many
more were with major airlines, he said. The KRG had its own
airline as well, Kurdistan Airlines, but Goran did not have
specifics on how many planes it had or how the company was
financed. Goran said very directly that he hoped major U.S.
airlines would soon be operating to and from Irbil,
especially once the new international terminal and runway was
completed. "Dream City," being built next door to the Irbil
airport was another example of positive foreign investment,
said Goran. The Turks were funding the project which
included high-rise condos, parks, and a mall with a theater.
Goran said no time was better than now to invest as the KRG
recently passed a new law allowing for 100 percent foreign

BAGHDAD 00002699 002 OF 002


ownership to attract international investors.

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


7. (C) Goran and Kokhe,s comments echo opinions we have
recently received from several Kurdish sources in Ninewa.
Whether or not these are the same views held by KRG
leadership remains unknown, but the underlying message should
not be lost on U.S. policymakers. Without compromising U.S.
efforts to develop a pluralistic Iraq, the USG could be well
served to take advantage of the relative peace and security
of Iraqi Kurdistan to build a more permanent strategic and
economic presence in the area which could serve as a viable
and stable example to the region.
SCOBEY