Kurds for Obama attend rally preceding the US presidential debate in Nashville

The presidential candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, arrived in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday to participate in one of three debates where they would mainly discuss the U.S. economy among other concerning issues for Americans. For Kurdish-Americans, however, the interest in the presidential race has been tightly focused around foreign policy and which candidate will likely bring the best possible outcomes in dealing with pressing issues involving Iraq, Turkey and Iran.

"By supporting Senators Obama and Biden, we are saying that we support a foreign policy that will help build a stronger and federalized Kurdish state in Iraq," said young Kurdish-American voter, Halmat Qazi, as he held signs with other Obama supporters.

Halmat and other members of an organized movement called, "Kurds for Obama", believe that Senator Biden's foreign policy experience is precisely what Iraq needs. Last year, Senator Biden introduced a bill that called for a U.S. foreign policy that advocates the decentralization of the government in which the federal states assume most of the power. Opponents of the bill called it a plan that would divide Iraq while advocates said it is the only plan that would keep Iraq together while being fully compatible with the Iraqi constitution.

Kurdish supporters said it was their aim to raise awareness while also expressing support for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. One representative from the Kurds for Obama movement, Chira Bamarni, said, "It is imperative for us within the Kurdish community to make our presence known and be heard especially during this historic election."

In the past, Kurdish-Americans have criticized themselves for being unable to effectively get their interests heard in the United States while Kurds exist as an important component of many of the countries that American leaders deal with in the Middle East. Now, Kurdish-Americans are aiming to change that.

Still, for many Kurdish-Americans, their concerns for the United States may be just the same as any American. "Obama understands we are are hungry for change. [He] will lead us out of this tough time and make America a beacon of hope to the world again," said a young Kurdish community-member, Akhink Omer, referring to the U.S. economy and the diminishing image of America around the world.

There are several Kurdish communities across the United States with the largest of them in Nashville. While a major concern for Kurdish-Americans remains for the events that unfold in the Middle East, many are also concerned with what happens in their communities in the United States as well.

There was an overwhelming number of American Obama supporters at the rally in Nashville before the debate. Kurdish-Americans alongside other Americans held Obama signs and cheered as they awaited the start of a historic debate.

More information about the "Kurds for Obama" movement can be found on the Barack Obama website at

http://illinois.barackobama.com/page/group/kurdsforobama or by contacting kurdsforobama [at] gmail.com