Iraqi Kurdish President Complains West Not Giving Him Enough Arms

Wants More Helicopters, Artillery to Use on ISIS

Massoud Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Iraq, today complained that the weapons provided by the US and other western nations aren’t nearly enough for a “decisive blow” against ISIS.

Insisting the West knows the Kurds are a “vital bulwark” against ISIS, Barzani insisted that the nations needed to provide far more heavy weaponry, including attack helicopters, armored personnel carriers, and artillery.

Most of the weapons provided to the Kurdish Peshmerga so far have been machine guns and anti-tank weaponry, along with body armor and the like. Barzani’s comments suggest that they’re more eager to be awash in advanced vehicles than just having guns for their infantry.

The Peshmerga have launched a new offensive against ISIS today, aiming to retake the towns of Saadiya and Jalula. The towns are west of the city of Kirkuk.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.