Embassy News
Interview: U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker with Alison Ruth Brettle of Kuwait TV Channel 2
April 22, 2008
Kuwait
QUESTION: Well, first of all, thank you very much for coming, and thank you very much for agreeing to do this interview.
Really, I would just like to know what you see as the main achievement from today's extended conference here in Kuwait.
AMBASSADOR CROCKER: I look at this as a continuum. This is our third ministry-level expanded neighbors’ conference. The first, of course, was a year ago in Sharm El-Sheikh.
What is really different this time in Kuwait, this third time, is the difference in Iraq. A year ago it was still a pretty bleak situation. Today, Kuwait welcomed an Iraqi prime minister representing a government who has successfully engaged militia elements in Basra, Shia extremists. At the same time, with coalition forces, they are engaging Sunni extremists, al-Qaeda, up in Mosul. And what that says to me is that there are definitely still problems in Iraq, but what we're seeing is a growing Iraqi capability, as well as determination, to deal with those problems. So that is the context in which we met today in Kuwait.
The Prime Minister's address to the conference was that of a confident leader who looks forward to partnership in the region, who is very proud of Iraq's Arab identity, and wants to be a full participant in regional activities.
The other element of significance actually did not happen today, it happened yesterday in Bahrain, in which Iraq sat down at the table with the GCC foreign ministers plus the representatives of Egypt and Jordan, the so-called "six plus two," and now it's the six plus three: Iraq will be a permanent part of that effort.
So today, I think what we're seeing is, as Iraq's situation improves politically, economically, especially in security terms, so too is it becoming a more fully integrated part of the Arab world.
QUESTION: I mean, in terms of opinion about Iraq and the future development, it seems that I veer towards that cautious optimism. And then, an event will happen or a series of events will happen which seems to, you know, make people feel slightly more pessimistic about the future, especially given the recent security, you know, issues, such as this rising of Muqtada al-Sadr.
What is your personal opinion? What would you really like to see happen in Iraq?
AMBASSADOR CROCKER: Well, as I said when General Petraeus and I appeared before Congress about 10 days ago in Washington, Iraq is hard, it's complicated, and it will continue to be hard. These are very difficult challenges.
At the same time, as I look back, either over the past year, since the Sharm El-Sheikh ministerial, or the seven months since my last testimony before Congress, and take a step back as well, not to look at an explosion here or a security incident there. There clearly is a positive trajectory. The Iraqi government is functioning better. The Council of Representatives has been extremely active, passing complicated pieces of national legislation. And Iraq security forces are now performing quite well under very difficult challenges.
So, just to take one event, you mentioned the events of Basra, not far from Kuwait's own borders. This was a case of the Prime Minister ordering Iraqi security forces to take on an extralegal, externally-supported militia. It was not a perfect operation. There were problems. But, as we have seen over these last few days, search operations are going methodically through the city, arrests are being made, arms are being confiscated.
So, even in security incidents where there is a lot of fighting and everybody worries, this can lead to positive outcomes. So there will be further setbacks I think, without question. But after more than a year now in Baghdad, I am increasingly confident that the Iraqis are going to pull their future together.
QUESTION: And also, in terms of Iraq's political progress as well, how do you see that impacting on other regional issues?
AMBASSADOR CROCKER: That is a great question, because Iraq is a part of this region, and it will always be part of this region. When you look at Iraq's modern history, we have seen that Iraq has played a major role, for better or worse. And, quite frankly, since 1958, it has only been for the worse.
And, of course, no one knows that better than the Kuwaitis, not just the invasion of 1990, but the threats of 1994. And you have to recall that the problems with Iraq go all the way back to, I think, 1961, when Abdul Karim Qasim asserted that Kuwait was part of Iraq.
Prime Minister Maliki made very clear today that the Iraq that is developing under his leadership will be so secure, stable, and democratic that it will never again threaten any of Iraq's neighbors. And that, I think, is tremendously important to Kuwait and to the rest of the region. And that is why today's conference was important, too, to bring Iraq and its neighbors together in a constructive way to build a better future, not just for Iraq, but for the entire region.
QUESTION: I mean, is there broad, international consensus about the best way to, you know, to help Iraq? Or are there still, like, little, you know, differences between various groupings within, you know, for example, for today's delegates who came, or is there, like, broad agreement?
AMBASSADOR CROCKER: I think there is broad international, as well as regional, agreement that what happens in Iraq affects everyone. It affects Iraqis, it affects the region, it affects the world. Therefore, there is broad agreement that the international community needs to do everything possible to support Iraq.
I was very pleased today to hear from the head of the European Union an appeal to all members of the European Union to move forward now to establish embassies, or re-establish embassies in Baghdad, in a security environment that permits it. I think that is very important.
All of that said, obviously not everyone does share the same view, or at least act in the same way. And in one of the things we saw, both in Basra and Baghdad, is these illegal extremist militias are getting their weapons and they're getting their training from next door, in Iran.
Similarly, there continues to be a problem with foreign fighters, suicide bombers, coming out of the region and moving into Iraq through Syria. Syria has taken some steps, but clearly they need to do more.
So, I think there are a lot of positive developments out there, but clearly there are still some difficulties in the neighborhood.
QUESTION: In terms of a change of American policy towards Iraq, do you see that coming? I mean, you've got, you know, the Presidential election in January 2009. Do you see, with a different President, a different approach to Iraq, or do you think that the momentum will still be maintained, despite a different President?
AMBASSADOR CROCKER: Well, clearly, in our system the President has the authority -- indeed, the responsibility -- to make his or her policy imperatives, and then to act on them.
That said, I think that come January, given the progress I have described in Iraq -- and which I expect to see continue -- I think any administration is going to want to do whatever it can to see that the direction remains positive.
Obviously, there will be different thinking, different approaches, but I think the broad commitment of the United States, and the broad interest of the United States, is going to be continuing to do what we can to help the Iraqis stabilize and develop their country.
QUESTION: My final question is about -- I mean, next month Kuwait's general elections are happening. What is your view on Kuwait's democracy and Kuwait's political process?
AMBASSADOR CROCKER: Well, it's -- first, let me just say it is great to be back in Kuwait. I was ambassador here from 1994 to 1997, and it’s wonderful to see so many old friends. And I remember again why I had such a happy time here in this country.
And part of that is the tremendous openness of Kuwaiti society and the role of the parliament, obviously, has a great deal to do with that, as well as all of those hundreds of little mini-parliaments that we call (inaudible).
So I think these elections are clearly important. Kuwait is a democracy, and it has pioneered the democratic experience in this part of the world. It now has a democratic partner to the north, with a democratic Iraq. And I was struck last month up in Erbil; I attended the opening of the meeting of the Arab Parliamentary Union. There were two serious parliaments in that room: Iraq and Kuwait.
And I congratulate the Kuwaitis on their attachment to democracy. We are all going to be watching this election. And while nobody can predict the outcome -- that's why you have elections -- I am pretty confident in saying that this is going to be another victory for democracy.
QUESTION: Thank you very much.
AMBASSADOR CROCKER: Thank you, Alison.
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