US embassy cable - 04KUWAIT1934

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001934 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, PA, INR/NESA 
STATE FOR IIP/G/NEA-SA, INR/B 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH, PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
USDOC FOR 4520/ANESA/ONE/FITZGERALD-WILKS 
USDOC FOR ITA AND PTO/OLIA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KU, KDMR 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION KUWAIT JUNE 19-21:  IRAQ; TERRORISM. 
 
1.  SUMMARY: In a rare show of near-unanimity, Kuwaiti 
commentators joined together in near-total condemnation of the 
beheading of Paul Johnson and terror in general. Some still found 
a way to blame Zionism. And others cautioned the Kuwaiti 
government not to allow such a home-grown terror movement to 
blossom here: Dr. Shamlan Al-Issa wrote in independent Al-Seyassah 
(6/19): "our youth were found to be involved in Jihad operations 
in Fallujah.  Unless they get killed in Iraq, these new Jihadists 
will return to Kuwait and follow in the footsteps of their Saudi 
counterparts." END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  "Unaware" 
Dr. Shamlan Al-Issa wrote in independent Al-Seyassah (6/19):  "How 
come the security authorities are not aware that our youth are 
actively involved in Jihad operations? Why does the Ministry of 
Interior claim that it is following the movements of terrorists 
when in fact it does not?  We would have hoped that the security 
authorities learned the lessons of 9/11, and prior to that, about 
our youth who were involved in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Chechnya. 
However, no one seems to have learned their lesson. Instead, our 
youth were found to be involved in Jihad operations in Fallujah. 
Unless they get killed in Iraq, these new Jihadists will return to 
Kuwait and follow in the footsteps of their Saudi counterparts, 
while our government is 'extremely busy' in setting up pre- 
conditions for holding public concerts." 
 
3.  "Journey Of Tears" 
Mohammed Musaed Al-Saleh wrote in independent Al-Qabas (6/19): 
"The way the United States was founded is identical to the way the 
Zionist entity was founded.  In America, Native Americans were 
forcibly driven away from their homes. Israel in 2004 is doing the 
same thing by forcibly expelling Palestinians from the West Bank, 
east of Jerusalem and Gaza.  According to author Muneer Al-Akesh, 
America's idea of exchanging a nation and a culture with another, 
through forcible evacuation and unjustified explanations, is in 
fact Israel's historical raison d'etre.  While Sharon is in 
Palestine, Bush is in Iraq.  There is no difference." 
 
4.  "Killing Is The Answer" 
Khaled Al-Adwa wrote in independent Al-Watan (6/19):  "The way Al- 
Zarqawi's group exclaimed the name of God while at the same time 
beheading the American captive was horrifying.   Where was this 
group when the tyrant Saddam annihilated thousands of Kurds with 
chemical weapons?  Yet another American hostage humiliatingly 
blindfolded and threatened with death within seventy-two hours. 
Can there be anything more distorting to Islam and to the culture 
of Muslims?" 
 
5.  "Democracy... Not Murder" 
Mohammed Musaed Al-Saleh wrote in independent Al-Qabas (6/20): 
"There is popular Arab opposition toward the policies of the 
American administration in Palestine, opposition toward the 
occupation of Iraq and opposition toward establishing American 
military bases in Arab countries.   This opposition is legitimate, 
because every citizen has a right to express himself as part of 
the democratic process.  However, such opposition must not turn 
into murder.  Killing innocent civilians, such as the American 
hostage Paul Johnson, who has been living in Saudi for the past 
ten years, is illegal and will not solve any problems. The 
terrorists who committed his murder must ask themselves if this 
would change the U.S.'s policy.  The killers should have called 
for justice, freedom and democracy, instead of killing innocent 
people and damaging the way the world looks at us." 
 
6.  "Torture By Proxy... Civilization Or Ignobility" 
Adel Al-Qassar wrote in independent Al-Qabas (6/20):  "Because it 
would infringe upon its values of freedom and damage its 
democratic image, the United States resorted to her Middle Eastern 
allies to carry out the torture of people accused of terrorism. 
American interrogators admit they have employed the method of 
torture by proxy, claiming that grave consequences may ensue if it 
is perpetrated inside America.  How humiliating for Arab leaders, 
who caved in at American pressure to implement political and 
economic reforms through the GMEI, to have become tools for 
perpetrating illegal deeds.  America has found puppets, who open 
their prisons and fortresses so they can implant and express the 
concept of partnership verbatim." 
 
7.  "Terrorism Serves Zionism" 
Faisal Abdel Aziz Al-Zamel wrote in independent Al-Anba (6/20): 
"To justify the beheading of the American hostage in Saudi as a 
message intended to target foreigners is totally rejected. 
Despite our strong condemnation of such crimes, that does not mean 
we cannot denounce American support toward Zionism ... To combine 
these two issues only serves the enemies of our nation, and 
validates the West's unlimited support toward Israel.  The 
criminal elements committing such atrocities in Iraq and Saudi are 
linked.  They are guided by an evil plan carried out by criminals, 
and executed by nave persons who have caused damage to their 
religion and lives." 
 
8.  "Terrorism" 
Rashed Al-Rada'an wrote in independent Al-Watan (6/21):  "We want 
from the American press, which has been vilifying the Saudis for 
years as a society that keeps hatching terrorists, to carefully 
observe events in the Kingdom.  The Saudis are making a great 
effort to eradicate terrorism.  Since terrorism occurs in every 
country, it is incorrect to describe one half of a society, such 
as the Saudis, as exporters of terrorism.  Because, if that were 
the case, then most of the terrorists are Europeans, as modern and 
ancient history can attest, beginning with Hitler, and ending with 
Castro and others who have committed genocide against their 
peoples." 
 
 
URBANCIC