Former US minister warns of "civil war" in Iraq if the demands of the Kurds did not materialize

by **RamblerNash** Mon Oct 23, 2017 9:46 pm

Former US minister warns of "civil war" in Iraq if the demands of the Kurds did not materialize

Monday 23 October 2017 21:34

BAGHDAD ( Reuters)
- Former US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta on Monday warned of a "civil war" in Iraq in the event of a "failure" to meet the demands of the Kurds, saying the goal of the United States is "healing" between Kurds and Arabs in Iraq.

"The Kirkuk crisis has made it clear that the Kurds are part of the Iraqi state and that they have to work together with the Iraqi government in Baghdad," Panetta said in a speech at an anti-extremism conference organized by the Hudson Institute. The officials there and I told them to work together and you have to resort to the Constitution. "

"Our aim is to heal the wounds between the Kurds and the Arabs, and we do not forget that the Kurds have great sacrifices and we have to come up with a strategic decision on Iraq's interest to confront Iran and stop Iran's expansion," Panetta said .

"If the Iraqis fail to meet the demands of the Kurds, we will be facing civil war," Panetta said. "I think we must find a quick solution to stop Iran from taking advantage of the contradictions in Iraq's internal positions."

LINK