WASHINGTON
Despite a top U.S. general saying that the partition of Iraq may be the “only solution” for the war-torn country, the State Department said Thursday that Iraq should remain united.
“That certainly is not our policy and not our view and not the future that we seek for Iraq,” spokesman John Kirby said. "I'm not going to speak to the general's personal views. That's for him to speak to."
Outgoing Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Ray Odierno told reporters at the Pentagon Wednesday that the partition of the country could be the only real solution for Iraq, which finds itself in the midst of a devastating Daesh insurgency, and a northern Kurdish region that has sought greater autonomy, if not full partition, from Baghdad.
“It might be the only solution, but I'm not ready to say that yet,” Odierno said, referring to the possible partition of the country. “I think that is for the region and politicians to kind of figure out, diplomats to figure out how we want to work this, but that is something that could happen.”
The highly decorated general was head of U.S. operations in Iraq from late 2006 until U.S. troops withdrew in 2010, and was one of the chief architects of Washington’s “surge” in the country.
He leaves office on Friday.
Washington has long argued that Iraq's territorial integrity should not be jeopardized depite the country's long-running conflicts that often break down along sectarian lines.
