US embassy cable - 04KUWAIT4370

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 004370 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, PGOV, KISL, IZ, KU 
SUBJECT: NEA DAS DIBBLE DISCUSSES COUNTERTERRORISM, 
US-KUWAIT RELATIONS AND REGIONAL POLITICS WITH GOK 
 
 
Classified By: DCM Matthew H. Tueller, Reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) Summary and Comment. NEA DAS Philo Dibble and DCM met 
with MFA Americas Division Chief Ambassador Khaled Al-Babtain 
on December 14. Billed as a courtesy call, the meeting 
covered the U.S-Kuwaiti bilateral relationship and a wide 
range of regional issues.  On terrorism, Al-Babtain said the 
GOK was using every available tool to combat extremism, but 
argued that engaging in dialogue was the only way to win over 
those with extremist thoughts before they turned to violence. 
 In a separate meeting, the National Assembly's Deputy 
Speaker offered praise for U.S. interventions to combat WMD 
proliferation and resolve foreign conflicts, although he 
acknowledged that his viewpoint does not reflect that of the 
Islamist-dominated parliament.  He observed that Islamist and 
pan-Arabist groups have used the Arab-Israeli conflict to 
their advantage, and cautioned that "constant" U.S. support 
for Israel has allowed its opponents to continue using the 
conflict as a rallying point.   Like Al-Babtain, Al-Anjeri 
said that dialogue was the key to reducing support for 
extremist groups.  Dibble urged the GOK to focus more closely 
on individuals directing and recruiting for extremist 
networks, and on the threat posed by returned jihadis.  End 
Summary. 
 
2.  (C) Comment: Al-Babtain's comments on terrorism are rife 
with inconsistency and indicate a disturbing and unrealistic 
belief in the ability of a moderate GOK to "reform" those who 
might engage in violent action against U.S. and/or Western 
targets.  Although Al-Anjeri was more introspective, he too 
seems to believe that talking to extremists is the most 
effective way to contain terrorism.  End Comment. 
 
Bilateral Relationship and Article 98 
------------------------------------- 
 
3. (S/NF) Ambassador Al-Babtain started by affirming that the 
state of the U.S.- Kuwaiti bilateral relationship was 
"excellent."  He noted that the Prime Minister had had 
successful talks with SecDef Rumsfeld during his recent visit 
to Kuwait and said the GOK was making progress on concluding 
a border MOU with coalition forces.  On Article 98, 
Al-Babtain said the government had referred the matter to the 
National Assembly and did not foresee any difficulties in 
getting the agreement ratified.  He added that Kuwait would 
not sign the Rome ICC Agreement, as it contradicted a number 
of Kuwaiti laws. 
 
Iraq 
----- 
 
4. (C) On Iraq, Al-Babtain said most of the country's Sunni 
population was in favor of postponing the upcoming elections, 
but this was not a wise action to take, as it could lead to a 
slippery slope of indefinite postponements.  He urged the 
U.S. to re-position its forces away from large cities, an act 
which he said would lessen anti-American feelings.  As for 
Iraq's neighbor's, he said that Syria needed to "change its 
attitude" and Iran should be urged against intervention in 
Iraq.  He said the problems in Iraq were political, rather 
than sectarian in nature; they had just been cloaked in 
religious and sectarian overtones. 
 
Iran 
----- 
 
5.  (C) Al-Babtain said Kuwait's relationship with Iran was 
"excellent" despite the ongoing GCC-Iran dispute over Gulf 
islands.  He agreed with Dibble that hard line elements in 
Iran will only become stronger once President Khatami 
finishes his term of office.  He noted that student elements 
have become increasingly hostile to Khatami, who they feel 
has been a disappointment to their reform efforts. 
 
Saudi Arabia 
------------ 
 
6. (C) Noting the similarities between the economic realities 
of Iran and Saudi Arabia, Al-Babtain turned his attention to 
developments in the KSA.  He said that Saudi Arabia had 
realized the extent of its problems, and was working within 
the confines of a very conservative society to slowly enact 
reforms.  He said that the Saudis sense that changes must 
take place, and are exerting themselves in an effort to drive 
reforms, rather than react to them. 
 
Stopping Extremists Before They Become Terrorists 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
7. (C) Turning to extremism and terrorism, Al-Babtain said 
frank conversation with extremists before they committed 
crimes was the only way to turn them from the path of 
violence.  He said that only ideas delivered by Muslims with 
theological knowledge -- in other words point-by-point 
rebuttals of extremists religious arguments -- could fight 
those being propagated and widely accepted by young people in 
the Muslim world.  Al-Babtain acknowledged that young 
extremists blindly accept what they are taught without 
critical analysis, but insisted it would still be possible to 
change their beliefs on a one-on-one basis.  He pointed to an 
increase in government-sponsored anti-extremist television 
shows in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as one way forward, adding 
that parents should also bear responsibility for ensuring 
their children did not develop extremist beliefs. 
 
8. (C) When pressed on the issue of Kuwaitis traveling 
through Syria to fight coalition forces in Iraq, Al-Babtain 
said the GOK was doing its best and "applying all measures" 
to stop this phenomenon and combat extremist thought in 
general.  He noted that Kuwait had cracked down on unlicensed 
charities and developed a special committee to more closely 
monitor financial transactions, but would not be able to stop 
all of these.  "We cannot defeat a black market," he said, 
"but our awareness of the danger of terrorism is strong." 
 
Appreciation for U.S. Role in Combating WMD and Extremism 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
9. (C) During a courtesy call on National Assembly Deputy 
Speaker Meshari Al-Anjari, Dibble expressed the U.S.,s 
appreciation for the GOK's continued support and cooperation. 
  Al-Anjeri said that he personally appreciates the U.S. role 
in preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass 
destruction, and urged the U.S. to make the 21st century an 
era of peace through development, justice and freedom, rather 
than one of struggle, jihad and violence.  Al-Anjari said 
that he believed most people worldwide support U.S. 
interventions, despite the best efforts of extremist currents 
in Muslim and Arab countries to foment opposition to U.S. 
policy.  He noted that Islamist and pan-Arabist groups have 
manipulated public opinion on the still-unresolved 
Arab-Israeli conflict to their advantage, and cautioned that 
"constant" U.S. support for Israel has allowed its opponents 
to use the conflict as a rallying point.  Dibble stressed 
that the U.S. views the change in Palestinian leadership and 
the upcoming Palestinian elections as an important 
opportunity. 
 
Nature of Islamist Movements in the National Assembly 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
10. (C) Dibble asked whether Al-Anjeri's perspective on U.S. 
foreign policy reflected opinion in the National Assembly. 
Al-Anjeri replied that it did not, since the Parliament was 
dominated by Islamists.  He described five variants of 
political Islam within the National Assembly:  the Shi,a, 
who are particularly close to Iran;  the Muslim Brotherhood, 
which he characterized as seeking to take over power; and 
three Salafi groups.  The first he deemed a traditional 
Salafi movement; the second, an offshoot of the first that is 
sympathetic to Usama Bin Laden,s philosophies; and the 
third, a "genuine" Salafi group, which is fundamentalist but 
opposed to terrorism because it is inconsistent with Islamic 
law.   Most older Kuwaitis, he said, were raised within this 
last tradition. 
 
Combating Terrorism Requires Time and Effort 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
11. (C) Dibble noted that several GCC interlocutors had 
expressed concern about how to deal with their young men who 
have fought in Iraq, Pakistan or Afghanistan in support of 
extremist groups, and then returned to their home countries. 
He asked Al-Anjeri what he thought was the best way for 
handling these men.  Al-Anjeri said that dialogue was the key 
to convincing people not to support extremist groups; this 
dialogue should be conducted by Muslims, and behind closed 
doors.  He also cited education, media attention, democracy, 
freedom, electoral change, and de-politicizing Islam as 
important factors.  Yet, he stressed, this would all take 
time and effort. 
 
12.  (C) DCM cautioned that it would not be possible to have 
a dialogue with returned fighters who, he added, present an 
immediate problem for their governments.  He asked Al-Anjeri 
how the U.S. could help its friends deal with those people 
with whom it is impossible to talk.  Al-Anjeri once again 
expressed the need for time and effort.  Dibble suggested 
that there needed to be three approaches:  one for those who 
are attracted to extremist ideologies but have not acted out 
violently; one for those who are directing and recruiting for 
extremist networks; and a totally different approach for 
those who have gone to fight and returned.  Dibble said that 
while much attention was given to the first approach, less 
was given to the second and third approaches.  He urged the 
GOK to focus more heavily on recruiters, financiers and 
returning jihadis. 
 
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