Well, I am back there for just three days as part of a delegation of MPs. As you know, I am very supportive of the Kurds. They are a progressive Muslim people, who suffered terribly under Saddam Hussein (tortured and murdered in the hundreds of thousands), yet have emerged to build an independent, prosperous nation, with a free market, religious tolerance and the rule of law.
Yet, as with every new nation, there are birth pangs and occasional setbacks to democratic development. One academic we met today, described Kurdistan in Leninist terminology: taking 'two steps forward and one step back'.
For this reason, on this visit, we are meeting with Opposition Parties and spending time in the Kurdish Parliament.
This afternoon, we talked with senior US Reconstruction Diplomats. What came out from the discussion, was that the ruling parties needed to be more tolerant of Opposition foibles and that the Opposition needed to learn how to be more thoughtful and responsible.
We were also made aware of the growing influence of Iran. Whilst the Kurds have much in common with the Persians - both culturally and with language - there is little support for the Iranian fundamentalist regime of President Ahmadinejad. However, Iran is apparently supporting terrorist groups in Iraq and encouraging Islamists in Kurdistan. It is thought that Iran doesn't like Kurdistan's new found independence and strength and is seeking to control it - in one way or another.
P.S. The two pictures are of Erbil (the capital city) in the sunset and of a memorial dedicated to service men who lost their lives through 'friendly fire', during the first Iraq War.
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