why won't we delay elections to allow idps to come back, as you mentioned 2..6 million in these camps and want to vote. so the questions were great. so let's talk -- let's look at the visuals. prime minister abadi had a great stage to -- he looked -- we use the term in the united states he looked presidential. he looked in charge of a country and had he the legitimacy of 64 countries backing him up by being there. and also the private sector companies. but there was also an air of what are we getting ourselves into of what are we get ourselves into if we do these things. not only defense contractors that are very familiar with a kickback. i set an example in 2018 when we were work with the administration of ministry to try to get an electric contract in baghdad, but because ge didn't offer a kick-back in went to simmons and simmons was only able to produce a third of that capacity. again, i say this in 2008. that's because it was of at surge, of it alkwied as decimated, after we built the sunni resistance and the awakens. after we allowed for political accommodation and reconciliation

if your idp and the kurdistan region how he going to be able to vote for your representatives? >> thanks, that's two questions. over here. >> i'm only going to take three. sorry to the rest of you. please, short question. >> you alluded to earlier -- my name is fred, also a goldstar dad, and you alluded when we left iraq did not cause the iraqi people to then take responsibility for their own heavy lift? and in the end turn out to be the thing that most united them? would it be the same if we were still there that whole time doing heavy lifting? >> down here in the back. all the way in the back. that's our last question. >> yes, stephen from the catholic church in iraq. this question is to mr. ambassador. could you speak just briefly in the time we have about the importance of cultural pluralism, , especially as it affects religious minorities to the social reconstruction as opposed to just the physical infrastructure. it's a topic spoken before but for the record if you could speak regarding the iraqi government's view on that. thank you very much. >> i will let you start. any

tens, hundreds of thousands living in idp camps.nd those are the ones who haven't fled across the country's borders into the neighbouring states. that is what i'm telling. this is a report. but what i can tell you. of course there are people in uganda, there are people in ethiopia, there are people who are in kenya and in sudan, because of the war that we had in 2013 and also in 2016. and what we are doing... of course, propaganda is there. people are being told that if you do not leave, the government is coming to kill you. all we are doing now and the people are coming back because we are actually telling them that actual dialogue. peace will come within our cities. minister, i have to confess i'm shocked that you say these reports of the crisis continuing are nothing but propaganda. we know that even in the last year, your country has been at risk of mass famine because of the insecurity across the country. and more than half of all your people, according to the independent international aid agencies, are living with hunger right

nation, there are people who have fled in fear of their lives, tens to hundreds of thousands living in idpthose are the ones who have not fled into the neighboring states. that is what i am telling you, of course there are people in uganda, people in ethiopia, people who are in kenya and sudan because of the war that we had an 2013, and also in 2016. what we are doing, propaganda is there, people are being told that if you leave, the government will kill you, but well you're doing now, people are coming back because we are telling them the national dialogue, we can discuss oui’ national dialogue, we can discuss our issues, because people will —— peaceful, that our cities. our issues, because people will —— peaceful, that our citieslj our issues, because people will —— peaceful, that our cities. i have to confess i am shocked that you say these reports of the crisis continuing are nothing but propaganda. we know that even in the last year, your country has been at risk of mass famine because of the insecurity across the country. and more than one half of your people, according to the indepe

nervous about going back there, so when i have a bad day and things seem to be spiralling out of control, idpnot too long away from ending up back where i was long away from ending up back where iwasa long away from ending up back where i was a few years ago. -- is that. and we can hearfrom a i was a few years ago. -- is that. and we can hear from a concert last year, when you were playing chopin, andi year, when you were playing chopin, and i suppose this is the dayjob. yes. it is awful, watching that. it is like hearing your own voice on an answering machine. no one watching this will know what an answering machine is, will have voice mail now, but do you remember when you we re now, but do you remember when you were a kid annuity your own voice and you would go a god? what do you think? probably the same thing that you think when you see yourself on tv or what journalists you think when you see yourself on tv or whatjournalists think when they are reading articles they have written, it is just slightly uncomfortable. when you are actually paying its? that is the best, time just disappears

sullivan, its budget request to help refugees and idps within afghanistan? and how does the administration strategy account for the dramatic number of afghan refugees in pakistan and then how that destabilizes the region and how that humanitarian challenge continues to be a contributor to conflict? >> that last point you raise, senator, is very significant. and was brought up with almost every interlocutor i had in discussions in kabul last week. the potential for pakistan to send back the huge number of afghan refugees that are now in pakistan would be very destabilizing. and it's one area where we credit the pakistani government for what they have done in supporting those refugees. and it's part of our complex relationship with pakistan. we've got on the one hand our concerns with their lack of action to eliminate terrorists from these safe havens. but on the other hand, they have provided this support to all of these refugees, which if they didn't, if they went back into afghanistan, would be a huge burden for the afghan government. president ghani is ver