Barham Salih, prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, says a democratic, federal Iraq "may well represent a very viable option for the Kurds of Iraq." (Associated Press)
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates walks on the tarmac after meeting with Kurdish Regional Government President Massoud Barzani on April 8 at the airport in Irbil, Iraq. Mr. Gates recently told lawmakers that a special funding measure contains $159 billion that is “not related to war," according to Arizona Republican Rep. Jeff Flake, who is looking for budget “pork” to cut. (Associated Press)