US lawmakers urge stronger ties with Kurds
The gist
Democratic senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner told Rudaw the US should engage Erbil directly, not just Baghdad.
The remarks came a day before US midterm elections, with Warner on Virginia's ballot.
How it unfolded
- Nov 2, 2026Senator Tim Kaine told Rudaw the US should spend time in Erbil and Kurdish areas rather than just listen to whoever is in Baghdad, and said the US withdrawal from Iraq should not end economic support to Iraq or the Kurdistan Region.
- Nov 2, 2026Senator Mark Warner called Kurdish people in the Middle East America's most stalwart allies and said the US had not done enough to protect them, particularly around the Syrian situation.
- Nov 2, 2026Congressman James Walkinshaw praised Kurdish Americans' contributions to Virginia and the US and urged eligible Kurdish Americans to vote in Tuesday's election.