US embassy cable - 90KUWAIT4875

S E C R E T KUWAIT 04875 
 
E.O. 12356 DECL:OADR 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KU, 
SUBJECT: TFKU01: CHEESEBURGERS AS SYMBOLS OF RESISTANCE; WATER AS A 
WEAPON OF WAR 
 
1.  CANADIAN EMBASSY LAST NIGHT, AUGUST 27, LEARNED IN A MOST 
TANGIBLE WAY OF THE STRENGTH OF THE KUWAIT RESISTANCE, AND THE 
IMPACT EMBASSIES' DEFIANCE OF IRAQI ORDERS TO CLOSE HAS HAD ON THE 
LOCAL KUWAITI POPULATION. 
 
2.  IN THE LATE EVENING, THE SMALL BAND OF CANADIAN DIPLOMATS SEALED 
INTO THEIR EMBASSY HEARD ROCKS BEING PELTED AT THEIR WINDOWS. 
FEARING THE WORST -- THE MUCH RUMORED RENT-A-MOBS -- THEY GINGERLY 
LOOKED OUT THEIR WINDOWS.  THERE, ON THE SIDEWALK OUTSIDE THEIR 
CHANCERY, WERE TWO VERY FRIGHTENED KUWAITI BOYS.  IN THEIR HANDS 
WERE A PLATTER OF CHEESEBURGERS, PICKLES, A CASE OF SODAS AND A 
COOLER OF ICE.  AS THEY PLACED THE FOOD DOWN BY THE GATE, THEY 
SHOUTED OUT "THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STAYING", AND SCAMPERED OFF.  A 
FEW MINUTES LATER, ANOTHER YOUNG, SCARED BOY CAME TO THE GATE, 
PUSHED A BOX OF TABLE CANDLES THROUGH, AND RAN OFF. 
 
3.  CHEESEBURGERS BY CANDLELIGHT WILL NOT END THE IRAQI OCCUPATION 
OF KUWAIT.  THE WILLINGNESS OF THESE THREE BOYS, AND THEIR FAMILIES, 
TO DEFY THE SEALING (THE CANADIANS ARE NOT AS GUARDED AS OTHERS) BY 
BRINGING FOOD AND LIGHT IS, HOWEVER, A SIGN THAT THE KUWAITIS HAVE 
NOT GIVEN UP YET, AND SEE OUR COLLECTIVE DIPLOMATIC WILLINGNESS TO 
TOUGH IT OUT ON THEIR BEHALF AS A PORTENT THAT KUWAIT WILL 
ULTIMATELY PREVAIL.  THE HAMBURGERS WERE EVEN HOT AND PROPERLY DONE. 
 
4.  IN A LATER CONVERSATION, CANADIAN CHARGE INFORMED US THAT IN THE 
COURSE OF THE MORNING, THE IRAQIS HAD RETURNED TO HIS CHANCERY AND 
DUG A LARGE DITCH, THEREBY PERMANENTLY CUTTING OFF THEIR WATER. 
BOWDEN ASSURES US (AND WOULD LIKE HIS GOVERNMENT INFORMED) THAT THEY 
HAVE AMPLE SUPPLIES.  BOWDEN WOULD LIKE INFORMATION WE CAN PASS TO 
HIM ON WHAT OTTAWA IS DOING TO RETALIATE AGAINST THE IRAQI EMBASSY 
THERE. 
 
 
HOWELL