US Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski talks future of ties in conversation with Hiwa Osman

ERBIL — U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski engaged in a wide-ranging discussion at the MERI Forum 2024 in Erbil on Tuesday, delving into the complexities of U.S.-Iraq relations, Iraq’s stance towards regional tensions, and its unique relationship with Iran.

Moderated by 964media General Director Hiwa Osman, the panel focused on evolving diplomatic priorities and the balance Iraq seeks to maintain amid escalating regional tensions.

During the panel, Romanowski highlighted the U.S.’s goal to move beyond a security-focused relationship with Iraq to one that emphasizes economic cooperation, human rights, and governance. “We want to move the relationship that we have had for the past decades from a very heavily focused security relationship, to one that really puts equal weight, maybe even more weight, on things like trade and energy, human rights, governance, building a private sector”, she said.

Addressing recent claims that Israeli jets used Iraqi airspace for attacks on Iran, Romanowski firmly denied U.S. involvement, stating, “Iraq is a sovereign country.” She emphasized that the U.S. does not control Iraqi airspace, and said it remains committed to regional stability and preventing Iraq from being drawn into conflicts. “It’s been very much part of our political and diplomatic engagement to how we ensure that this region doesn’t find itself, either intentionally or unintentionally,” she added.

On economic matters, Romanowski acknowledged Iraq’s challenges with U.S. sanctions when trading with Iran. While there are humanitarian exceptions, she warned that attempts to circumvent sanctions could result in “real trouble” for those involved. She praised Iraq’s recent banking reforms as a positive step, enhancing Iraq’s integration into the international economy and its banking system’s compliance with global standards.

The session also covered the potential implications of a complete U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq. Romanowski emphasized that Iraqi and Kurdish security forces have made significant strides, but warned that ISIS remains a persistent threat. “ISIS is not down and out, as we have seen recently,” she noted, while stressing that Iraq’s security should ultimately be governed by Iraq itself.

On armed groups in Iraq that oppose U.S. relations, Romanowski emphasized the importance of Iraqi security forces being accountable to the Iraqi commander-in-chief. “Our discussions and our efforts with the government of Iraq are very much in line to ensure that the security forces answer to the commander-in-chief of this country,” she added. “The decisions about the security of Iraq are wholly owned by the government.”

“Iraq is a very important country that will contribute to the stability of this region. And the more we can be a partner in doing that, the better off Iraq will be in achieving its stability and its security, and frankly, its own sovereignty,” she said.

Osman then asked if the U.S. understands Iraq’s position of maintaining a close relationship with Iran while preserving ties with Washington. Recalling an anecdote from his time advising former Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Osman shared Talabani’s approach: “He [Talabani] had one message to both sides. He said we do not look at America with an Iranian eye, and we do not look at Iran with an American eye.”

In response, Romanowski acknowledged Iraq’s long standing connections with Iran, highlighting over 20 years of U.S.-Iraq cooperation “to make Iraq safe and stable, to make Iraq a democracy.” She also reiterated the U.S. commitment to shared goals with Iraq, including fostering a robust private sector and improving the business environment.

When Osman brought up Iranian missile strikes on Erbil, asking, “Weren’t you able to intercept these missiles as we saw [you could] when Iran was trying to hit Israel?” Romanowski replied: “We have always been defending U.S. personnel and U.S. facilities. But part of our future defense discussions are gonna be about how we build a strong defense for Iraq.”

Osman further inquired whether Washington had a specific Kurdish policy or viewed the Kurds as citizens of the states they inhabit, noting it has often been described as a “one-sided love affair.” Romanowski replied, “It’s a two-sided love affair.”

Commenting on the recent Kurdistan parliamentary elections, she praised the democratic process: “Iraqi Kurdistan has really demonstrated that democracy can be strong. Look, the elections that just happened, on October 20th, they were lively and spirited like most elections are. But at the end of the day, it was a huge turnout.”

Romanowski concluded, “We have an Iraqi policy and Kurdistan is part of Iraq. But it doesn’t mean that we also don’t have our relationship or special aspects of our relationship with Iraqi Kurdistan as we do with other parts of Iraq.”