US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT366

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000366 
 
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 - SIXTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIBERATION 
OF AUSCHWITZ; U.S. POLICY; DOMESTIC TERRORISM KUWAIT CITY;JANUARY 
25-26 
 
 
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Summary 
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1.  On the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, one 
commentator advocated equating all human suffering.  Other 
commentators wrote they expect little or no change in 
Administration policies during President Bush's second term. 
Writers were highly critical of GOK for having "miscalculated" 
extent of religious extremism in Kuwait.  End Summary. 
 
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Block Quotes 
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2.  Columnist Dr. Jassem Al-Fuhaid wrote in independent Al-Rai Al- 
A'am:  "January 27 will mark the sixtieth anniversary of the 
Holocaust.  Certainly, no one can deny the horrifying acts 
perpetrated by the Nazis...However, not all of those victims were 
Jews.  Perhaps Jews accounted for only one tenth of the total. 
Therefore, portraying the Jews as the only truly oppressed nation 
in the world is biased and negates countless of massacres 
perpetrated against other nations whose victims exceed those of 
the alleged Holocaust.  It is peculiar how the West allows their 
people to doubt, in the name of intellectual freedom, the 
existence of God and the absolutism of religion, but forbids any 
doubts on the subject of the Holocaust deeming it to be anti- 
Semitic." 
 
3.  Salafi columnist Dr. Wael Al-Hassawi wrote in independent Al- 
Rai Al-A'am:  "According to Richard Clark...successive American 
Administrations underestimated the extent of Al-Qaeda's terrorist 
planning and their direct link to numerous terrorist operations 
around the globe.  As for us here in Kuwait, the downfall of 
Saddam's regime was a blessing.  However, we might have hoped the 
United States would have learned from this experience and that 
wisdom and justice would characterize President Bush's second 
term.  We hope the United States will avoid unjustifiable clashes 
with large sectors in our country that reject terrorism.  Only the 
cooperation of all parties will eradicate this terrorist 
phenomena." 
 
4.  Salafi columnist Dr. Sajed Al-Abdali wrote in independent Al- 
Rai Al-A'am:  "I have no problem with President Bush's messianic 
ideology or with the wars he had waged and will wage under a 
Christian religious banner.  On the contrary, this is more 
appealing because it makes the whole issue predictable and easier 
to analyze.  However, I do have a problem with our politicians and 
journalists, who deny this fact and strive to convince the rest 
that the American Administration forms its foreign and military 
policies according to sheer political, economic, and secular 
principles.  President Bush will continue on his religious course 
and will continue his war against terrorism because he truly 
believes terrorism represents Islam and Muslims." 
 
5.  Columnist Hassan Al-Issa wrote in independent Al-Qabas: 
"Members of parliament who object to the government's proposal to 
collect arms are collaborating with the terrorists.  All the 
recent terrorist acts could have been avoided had the government 
dealt firmly with this issue.  It is too late to cry over spilt 
milk.  The government has ceded its most basic responsibility, 
which is keeping security.  Collecting weapons should be the 
government's highest priority." 
 
6.  Columnist Dr. Shamlan Al-Issa wrote in independent Al- 
Seyassah:  "Investigations into the recent terrorist acts are 
ongoing.  Kuwaitis will soon learn which political powers are 
supporting and financing terrorism.  They will also learn about 
the political powers, which genuinely oppose all forms of 
terrorism.  Kuwaitis will soon learn that the political parties, 
which advocate enforcing democratic values and respect for 
freedom, are the victims of our society.  The authorities here do 
not believe in the rule of law, do not respect the freedoms of 
citizens, or calls for more openness toward the rest of the 
world." 
 
LeBaron