Lindsey Graham: A Courageous and Unwavering Friend of the People of Kurdistan

The People of Kurdistan received with profound sorrow and shock the news of the passing of United States Senator Lindsey Graham on July 11, 2026, following a brief and sudden illness. His death is a great loss not only to his family, colleagues and the American people, but also to the many nations and communities around the world that regarded him as a courageous defender of freedom, security and human dignity.

For the People of Kurdistan, Senator Graham was more than an influential American legislator. He was a principled and dependable friend who repeatedly raised his voice when Kurdish communities faced violence, abandonment or grave uncertainty. At critical moments, when remaining silent would have been politically easier, he chose to speak clearly and publicly in defence of America’s Kurdistani partners.

Throughout his long service in the United States Senate, Senator Graham demonstrated a deep understanding of the sacrifices made by Kurdistani forces in the struggle against terrorism. He recognised that the Peshmerga and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces stood on the front lines against ISIS, defended their communities, protected religious and ethnic minorities, and contributed decisively to regional and international security.

Thousands of Kurdistani fighters were killed or wounded in that shared struggle. Their sacrifices helped dismantle the territorial caliphate of ISIS, protected the wider world from terrorism and reduced the direct danger faced by the United States and its allies. Senator Graham consistently understood that such courage and loyalty created responsibilities that should not be forgotten once the immediate battlefield had changed.

His position was rooted in both strategic wisdom and moral conviction. He believed that the credibility of the United States depended in part upon its willingness to stand by those who had fought alongside it. Abandoning reliable partners, he warned, would damage America’s standing, weaken regional stability and embolden extremist and authoritarian forces.

One of the clearest expressions of this commitment was the bipartisan Save the Kurds Act, introduced by Senator Graham and Senator Richard Blumenthal on January 29, 2026. The legislation responded to attacks against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and proposed sanctions against Syrian officials, financial institutions and foreign actors providing military or financial support for such aggression. It also formally recognised the SDF’s contribution to the defeat of ISIS and sought to prevent conditions that could allow the terrorist organisation to regenerate.

Senator Graham declared that there was strong bipartisan support for protecting the Kurds in Syria and beyond because they had been reliable allies of the United States. He also warned governments and armed groups that believed they could attack Kurdistani without consequences that they were gravely mistaken.

These were not merely words of political sympathy. They represented an attempt to transform friendship into legislation, moral responsibility into public policy, and recognition of Kurdish sacrifices into meaningful protection.

Senator Graham’s support formed part of a broader and historic relationship between the United States and the People of Kurdistan. Successive generations of Kurds remember the important role of the United States in protecting the people of the Kurdistan Region after the 1991 uprising and humanitarian catastrophe, as well as the establishment of a safe haven that allowed displaced People of Kurdistan to return to their homeland.

The People of Kurdistan also remember American support for the emergence of the Kurdistan Region’s democratic institutions, the recognition of federalism in post-2003 Iraq, and the crucial partnership between the United States, the Peshmerga and the international coalition during the war against ISIS after 2014.

This relationship has never been based solely on temporary interests. It has been strengthened through shared sacrifices, security cooperation, political engagement and a common opposition to terrorism, dictatorship and persecution. Senator Graham understood that protecting this partnership served both Kurdish aspirations and American strategic interests.

His courageous positions were deeply appreciated throughout Kurdistan. In February 2026, a group of Kurdistani writers, academics, journalists, intellectuals and artists proposed erecting a statue in his honour or naming a prominent public place after him. Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw welcomed the initiative and confirmed that the city would honour Senator Graham in a manner worthy of his service and support for the People of Kurdistan.

That initiative reflected more than admiration for an individual American senator. It expressed the gratitude of a people who have endured genocide, chemical attacks, forced displacement, terrorism and repeated political betrayal, yet who have never forgotten those who stood beside them in difficult times.

The People of Kurdistan have a long memory. We remember our suffering, but we also remember our friends.

Senator Graham will therefore be remembered not only for the offices he held or the legislation he introduced, but for the courage and clarity of his positions. He understood that democracy and human rights cannot survive through statements alone. They require leadership, political will and a readiness to defend vulnerable communities when they are threatened.

He stood for the principle that alliances must carry obligations, that loyalty must be reciprocated, and that those who courageously defend freedom should not be abandoned after their sacrifices are no longer at the centre of international attention.

As we extend our deepest condolences to Senator Graham’s family, friends, colleagues, the people of South Carolina and the American nation, we respectfully appeal to his colleagues in the United States Senate and House of Representatives to continue the work he began.

The most meaningful way to honour Senator Graham’s legacy would be to preserve the bipartisan American commitment to the protection of the People of Kurdistan; advance the principles embodied in the Save the Kurds Act; prevent renewed attacks against Kurdish communities; and ensure that ISIS and similar extremist organisations are never permitted to exploit political instability and return.

We also call upon the United States administration and Congress to maintain their political, diplomatic and security partnership with the Kurdistan Region, the Peshmerga and Kurdish forces that have proved themselves reliable partners in the struggle against terrorism.

Continuity in American policy is essential. The People of Kurdistanshould not be treated as temporary partners whose value is recognised only during times of war. They are long-term allies whose stability, security and democratic development contribute to the security of Iraq, Syria, the wider Middle East and the international community.

The United States must continue to support the constitutional and federal status of the Kurdistan Region, the security and professional development of the Peshmerga, the peaceful resolution of disputes between Erbil and Baghdad, and the protection the rights of People of Kurdistan and communities throughout the region.

Such support would not constitute charity. It would be an investment in one of America’s most reliable partnerships in the Middle East and a reaffirmation that the United States does not forget those who stood beside it in the darkest hours.

Senator Lindsey Graham’s passing leaves a significant absence in Washington and among the People of Kurdistan. However, the principles for which he advocated must not disappear with him. His colleagues now carry the responsibility of ensuring that his commitment to America’s Kurdish allies continues through concrete policy and sustained engagement.

The People of Kurdistan will never forget Lindsey Graham’s courageous positions, his determined advocacy and his unwavering friendship. His name will remain associated with solidarity, loyalty and the defence of those who stood courageously for freedom, democracy and human dignity.

May he rest in peace, and may his legacy inspire future generations of American leaders to continue standing with the People of Kurdistan and with all communities struggling against terrorism, persecution and injustice.