US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT3562

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 003562 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/PPD, NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MARR, MOPS, PGOV, KPAO, PHUM, KDEM, KU, Public Diplomacy 
SUBJECT: NAVY MEDIA TRIP EARNS POSITIVE COVERAGE FOR 
NORTHERN GULF NAVAL OPERATIONS 
 
1. SUMMARY: A three-day trip to two Coalition ships and an 
Iraqi oil platform by a team of Kuwaiti reporters earned 
three days of positive media coverage for Coalition 
maritime security operations in the Northern Arabian Gulf. 
Of particular value to post PA efforts were sidebar stories 
on the cooperation between the Iraqi, Kuwaiti and Coalition 
navies, the discipline and warmth of U.S. Navy personnel, 
and the active religious life of a Palestinian-American 
Muslim sailor onboard the ship. END SUMMARY. 
 
2. With coordination and logistical support provided by 
public affairs elements of NavCent in Bahrain, two 
reporters and a photographer from Arabic-language daily Al- 
Qabas (circulation 65,000+), accompanied by post's FSN 
press specialist, departed Kuwait on July 30 via U.S. 
military helicopter for the U.S.S. Normandy, conducting 
maritime security operations in the Arabian Gulf. The 
reporters returned on August 1 after visiting not only the 
Normandy but also an Australian Coalition ship, the HMAS 
Newcastle, and Iraqi oil platforms in the Northern Gulf. 
 
3. The reporters described their trip in detail, richly 
illustrated with numerous color photographs, in two-page 
spreads that appeared in the "Investigative Reports" 
section of Al-Qabas for three consecutive days, August 6-8. 
The length of time spent by the journalists with the 
sailors, and the opportunities and command-level interviews 
arranged by the NavCent PA staff, enabled the reporters to 
offer their readers a wide range of both hard news "policy" 
stories and colorful features. 
 
4. The media delegation focused much of its efforts on the 
cooperation between Coalition, Kuwaiti, and Iraqi naval 
forces. The August 6 report included an interview with 
U.S.S. Normandy Capt. Steven Hampton, in which he described 
security meetings between the Coalition, Kuwaiti and Iraqi 
elements, and the strong, friendly working relationship 
that they all enjoy. In the August 7 report, the newspaper 
quoted Commodore Steven Gilmore, the Australian commander 
of the task force to which the Normandy belongs, discussing 
the progress of the Iraqi forces and coalition plans to 
soon turn over their duties to the Iraqis. During a visit 
to an Iraqi oil platform reported in the August 8 
installment, Al-Qabas quoted an Iraqi officer, who said, 
"We work closely with the Kuwaiti Naval force and the 
cooperation is continuous." 
 
5. Interspersed with these reports, the delegation 
described the more mundane details of life on board what 
they called "the floating city." The report expressed 
admiration for the discipline of the sailors and their 
regimented days, which, the reporters noted, began with 
wake-up bells at the un-Kuwaiti hour of 6 a.m. They 
described the efforts of the sailors to cope with the heat, 
showed how they spent their free time reading, playing 
games and watching movies, and marveled at the ship's 
single, cramped smoking room. 
 
6. Two interviews conducted by the delegation offered a 
rich, multicultural picture of life in the U.S. Navy, a 
portrayal in perfect accordance with post's missions to 
portray American society as tolerant, warm and open, and to 
show U.S. uniformed service members in a positive light. 
The Normandy's chaplain told the reporters that it was his 
duty to provide religious guidance and the proper religious 
environment for all faiths, including Muslims, on board the 
ship. And a Palestinian-American Muslim sailor proved this, 
telling reporters that he was a practicing Muslim, was free 
to worship the Koran, and faced no discrimination in the 
U.S. Navy because of his background or beliefs. 
 
7. The members of the Al-Qabas delegation and their editors 
at the paper were overjoyed at the opportunities and access 
they received on their trip, evidenced by the 
overwhelmingly positive coverage of the excursion. Other 
Kuwaiti dailies have asked PAS for the same trip. PAS 
anticipates, thanks to the opportunities and support 
offered by NavCent PA, an ongoing series of stories 
favorable to Coalition maritime security operations and 
Coalition service members. 
 
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Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
 
You can also access this site through the 
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website 
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LEBARON