US Withdrawal Will Lead to Recurrence of Violence, Kurds Predict

ARBIL / IraqiNews.com: Most of political blocs in Kurdistan believed that the US withdrawal at the end of this year is unsuitable that will tense the security situation in the country and return of violence.   Spokesman of the National Kurdistan Party, headed by President Jalal Talabani, Azad Jindiyani said to IraqiNews.com that “the US withdrawal is unsuitable due to the delay in building up Iraqi forces and the existence of political problems in the country”.   He pointed out certain reasons for his conviction, including the non-preparedness of the Iraqi forces, lack of arms, shortage in logistics as well as the intelligence powers.   He added to the previous elements “the political problems and nomination of security and defence posts”.   The Iraqi-US agreement of 2008 stipulated that all US forces should withdraw from Iraqi land, sea and air at a date not exceeding the end of this year.   Jindiyani believes that “the withdrawal will create denominational problems, which might lead to another round of violence”.   The same opinion was shared by Mohammed Tawfeeq of Change Movement who believed that the time is not ripe for such withdrawal, particularly with the presence of armed groups in the country that might resort to violence.   Tawfeed said that the Movement supports the stay of US forces after 2011 because the Iraqi forces are not adequate to handle the security dossier.   He expressed his fears of problems might occur in the disputed areas (between Baghdad and Arbil) following US withdrawal.   The rich-oil province Kirkuk, 250 km north of Baghdad, is the most important of disputed areas, where Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen live, in addition to Christians and other minorities.   The Kurds want the province to join Kurdistan, while the Arabs want it to remain under Baghdad control, and the Turkmen desire to be an independent region.   On the other hand, Member of the Polit-bureau of the Islamic Group Abdul Sattar Majeed said that “there is no opinion of his Group at this stage, because there are details should be thoroughly discussed and scrutinized”.   “Our previous stand was with the withdrawal, but we do not support such case without organizing matters and solving pending questions before the withdrawal”, he added.   Member of the Polit-bureau of the Islamic Federation Salahuddin Babakr commented that “this matter belongs to the Iraqi government. Baghdad should discuss and solve it, as well as declaring its official position for the withdrawal”.   Premier Nouri Al-Maliki stated that the remain of part of US forces is a matter connected with the approval of political blocs, referring that the relation with the United States shall be civic .   He declined to give his opinion or his bloc’s , but added that it shall be discussed with the heads of parliamentary blocs. Kurdistan Premier Barham Saleh expressed, earlier this week, the concern of the Kurdish region of security vaccum.    Most of the Political blocs do not declare clear-cut viewpoints on the withdrawal question, except for the Sadrist Trend, which stated, many times, its rejection for any extension for the US force.   The Kurds declared their desire for the stay of these forces till all pending political questions are solved, particularly the disputed areas.   In harmony, Iraqi Chief of Staff, a Kurdish, stated that Iraq needs the support of US forces for the coming years till the Iraqi forces are prepared. RM 660