US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT4990

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 004990 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, PA, INR/NESA, 
IIP/G/NEA-SA, INR/B 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH, PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA 
CINCCENT FOR CCPA 
USDOC FOR 4520/ANESA/ONE/FITZGERALD-WILKS 
USDOC FOR ITA AND PTO/OLIA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KU, KDMR 
SUBJECT:  KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION, OCTOBER 26-29: ICRC HQ 
BOMBING; AMERICAN FORCES IN THE REGION; WAR ON TERROR; 
MADRID DONORS CONFERENCE; IRAN: NUCLEAR PROGRAM. 
 
 
1.   SUMMARY: The Foreign Minister and the Chairman of the 
Kuwait Red Crescent Society both condemned the October 27 
bombing of the ICRC offices in Baghdad. Amid opposition in 
the National Assembly to Kuwaiti contributions to Iraqi 
reconstruction, a former MP argues that, "a stable and 
civilized Iraq is in the interest of those concerned with 
the security and stability of Kuwait." A liberal writer 
believes the US will force Kuwait to drop compensation 
claims against Iraq "with or without the UN." 
 
One commentator believes the US is using the Iranian nuclear 
issue to distract from the "failure" in Iraq. A conservative 
writer sees the war on terror as an "elastic mandate" for 
action in the region, and calls for the departure of 
American troops. 
 
In the news, the death sentence of the Kuwaiti convicted of 
murdering an American civilian defense contractor in January 
2003 was commuted to life in prison by the Court of Appeals. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  News Stories: Al-Qabas reports that Kuwait's Foreign 
Minister Dr. Mohammed Al-Sabah and the Chairman of the 
Kuwait Red Crescent Society Barges Al-Barges denounced the 
October 27 bombing outside the ICRC office in Baghdad. 
 
Al-Qabas reports on its October 29 front page that the Court 
of Appeals has commuted the death sentence against Sami Al- 
Mutairi- convicted of the January 21 murder of American 
civilian Defense Department contractor Michael Pouliot and 
attempted murder of a second American contractor- to life in 
prison. 
 
On October 26, Al-Watan reports that five MPs have proposed 
a bill that would prohibit relinquishing Kuwaiti claims to 
compensations from Iraq. 
 
Islamist MPs threaten a vote of no-confidence for the 
Minister of Education before the end of Ramadan, Al-Seyassah 
reports. 
 
MP Jamal Al-Omar believes that the Amiri address to the 
opening of the National Assembly on October 20 contained 
threats to dissolve parliament, Al-Anba reports. 
 
All newspapers report that Minister of Interior Sheikh Nawaf 
Al-Sabah affirmed that all "Bidoon" (stateless) POWs killed 
by the ousted Iraqi regime registered on the POW list will 
be granted Kuwaiti citizenship. Al-Watan reports that an 
"official source" has said there is no intention to 
naturalize any "Bidoon" this year. 
 
Kuwait National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khrafi expressed 
full support to "sister nation" Syria in the face of "the 
unjust Zionist campaign," Al-Qabas reports. 
 
Editorials: 
 
3.  "Rumsfeld's Confidential Confession" 
Dr. Yasser Al-Saleh wrote in independent Al-Rai Al-Aam 
(10/28):  "The memo sent by US Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld 
to his senior officers on October 16 clearly demonstrates 
the Pentagon's confusion in the so-called war on terrorism. 
This memo creates great problems for him and the Bush 
administration, in addition to damaging American credibility 
in the international community. Rumsfeld must now confront 
Congress for deceiving it which may lead to his expulsion, 
unless the Zionists support him." 
 
4.  "Iranian Intelligence and the American Bull" 
Salah Al-Fadli wrote in independent Al-Rai Al-Aam (10/29): 
"I believe that Uncle Bush's administration hoped to see 
Iran refuse to cooperate with the IAEA demands in order to 
justify a replay of the same scenario it played in Iraq. 
However, Iran was intelligent enough not to fall into the 
American trap. It is certain that the American focus on the 
`Iranian danger' is only an attempt to cover for its failure 
in Iraq. It is also certain that America will attempt to 
fabricate another crisis with Iran and the dispute will 
continue between Iranian intelligence and the American bull 
which has lost its sense." 
 
5.  "Unjustified Rush" 
Former MP Ahmad Al-Rubei wrote in independent Al-Qabas 
(10/27):  "MPs who rushed into criticizing Kuwait's 
contribution to Iraq during the donor's conference in Spain 
are called on to exercise wisdom. Using the phrase `the 
Iraqi enemy' is irresponsible. We must work together with 
Iraqis to become friends and allies and to respect each 
other. A stable and civilized Iraq is in the interest of 
those concerned with the security and stability of Kuwait." 
 
6.  "America's Test Balloon" 
Liberal Mohammad Al-Saleh wrote in independent Al-Qabas 
(10/27):  "America is used to deploying test balloons to 
test popular and government reactions and then drawing its 
policies based on those reactions. America's demands [that 
Kuwait drop compensation claims against Iraq] can be 
achieved through the UN or without it. America, with its 
dominance over UN resolutions, has the capability to force 
the UN Security Council to write off the compensations. I 
believe the Kuwait's compensations will be called off with 
America's blessing and approval, because UN resolutions are 
not based on justice or rationality." 
 
7.  "Let Us Demand Their Departure" 
Conservative Dr. Sami Khalifa wrote in independent Al-Rai Al- 
Aam (10/27):  "President Bush justified the presence of 
American forces in the Gulf region in order to combat 
international terrorism. This is an elastic mandate that 
could be used to confront people who strive for independence 
such as the Palestinians and the Iraqis, or to strike 
against resistance movements in Palestine and Iran, or to 
subjugate Islamic powers in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. We have 
only one option which is to demand the departure of the 
American forces from the region and to withdraw their 
military bases in order to increase our independence and 
freedom." 
 
 
JONES