By Salam Abdullah
Yesterday, December 3rd, was a historic day for our region. On that day, after seven years, the US Consulate in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, was inaugurated in a grand ceremony attended by President Barzani, the President of the Kurdistan Region, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Secretary of State, and senior US officials in the Kurdistan Region. The ceremony was reportedly the largest of its kind in the world.
It is obvious that this move by a powerful nation like the United States came after a thorough and deliberate study of the region’s role and standing. We all know how US forces in Iraq, particularly in central and southern Iraq, were met with resistance, unrest, opposition, and even death in various forms. This fact is not lost on anyone, including the Americans themselves. The only place where US forces and diplomats could feel safe was the Kurdistan Region, which, despite its volatile nature from the outset, welcomed US forces, while some countries in the region did not even allow US troops to pass through.
For this reason, and within the framework of the United States’ strategy, Erbil, as the capital of the Kurdistan Region, seeks to secure its rightful place at the heart of the United States, as a safe haven for its consulate, from which it can conduct its diplomatic affairs without fear of hindering its duties.
Undoubtedly, the United States has been closely familiar with the policies and actions of the Kurdistan Region and its government for 34 years, and is convinced of the human values such as peaceful coexistence, religious freedom, and the openness of Kurdish society in general. It recognizes how all sects, religions, communities, and political parties live together peacefully, and how women’s rights and demands are respected to a reasonable degree—a practice that aligns with the views of the West, the United States, and the civilized world.