US embassy cable - 02KUWAIT5418

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 005418 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/FO AND NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, SOCI, KU 
SUBJECT:  SADDAM'S SPEECH RALLIES KUWAITIS AGAINST HIM 
 
1.  SUMMARY. Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's December 7 
speech to "the sons of the People in Kuwait" has inspired 
Kuwaitis to rally around their leadership and reaffirm their 
gratitude for the U.S. military presence, by reminding them 
of the existential threat he poses to their country.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2. Saddam's address to "the sons of the people in Kuwait," 
read on Iraqi television December 7, was billed as an 
apology but was in fact filled with insults, threats, and 
incitement.  To the extent that it was aimed at Kuwaitis, it 
has backfired, reminding the Kuwaitis of his pronouncements 
leading up to the Iraqi invasion in 1990. This has prompted 
the Kuwaiti people to rally around their leadership and 
reaffirm support for the American military presence in 
Kuwait. 
 
3. In a special session held December 14, members of the 
Kuwaiti National Assembly from all political currents 
categorically rejected the speech and its attempts to drive 
wedges between Kuwait's people and leadership, and between 
the Kuwaitis and the U.S.  Many speakers noted that the 
speech was a flagrant violation of the Security Council 
resolutions and of Beirut Arab Summit.  The following 
remarks were typical of the session: 
 
MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun (independent frequently at odds with the 
Government): "whoever says that there is a popular rejection 
of the American presence is lying." 
 
MP Fahd Al-Hajiri (pro-government): "We, as representatives 
of the Kuwaiti people, support the presence of the friendly 
troops on our land and we proudly open our hearts for them 
and they are dear guests." 
 
MP Mezyid Al-Deehani (pro-government): "Foreign troops in 
Kuwait came to protect our borders in the framework of 
security agreements. Let Saddam know that the American 
presence is welcomed by the Kuwaiti people." 
 
MP Meshari Al-Osaimi (liberal): "Saddam's speech is inciting 
the people against their leadership and the allying troops." 
 
MP Khamis Iqab (independent): "I request the government to 
take care of the security agreements. We are not colonized 
and the American presence came as per agreements and 
treaties and as per our request." 
 
MP Mubarak Al-Duwaila (Islamist): "The foreign presence in 
Kuwait came to protect Kuwait after the sisterly states 
proved to be unable to help protect the sisterly country 
from another sisterly country. It came with the approval of 
the entire people." 
 
MP Eid Hathal (pro-government): "We hold the foreign 
presence in high esteem and respect; without it Kuwait would 
have been wiped out at the hands of Saddam and his clique." 
 
MP Mubarak Snaidih (Islamist): "We affirm our keenness to 
protect the American and friendly troops in Kuwait and we 
have to provide them with what they want." 
 
MP Mohammed Al-Khalifa (pro-government): "Foreign troops are 
present in Kuwait as per the will of the Kuwaiti people and 
we welcome them." 
 
MP Abdul Wahab Al-Haroun (liberal): "If there have been 
individual operations (against the foreign troops) this does 
not mean that they express the feelings of the "Kuwaiti 
Street" nor that of the Islamic currents which have openly 
expressed their opinion in today's session." 
 
MP Abdul Aziz Al-Mutawa (independent): "The Iraqi regime 
should know it is we who have invited the foreign troops to 
Kuwait within the framework of agreements and treaties to 
protect Kuwait." 
 
4.  At the beginning of the session, the First Deputy Prime 
Minister/Foreign Minister Shaykh Sabah Al-Ahmad delivered 
the government's statement in which he said:  "The foreign 
troops did not enter Kuwait as invading or occupying troops 
but rather as the troops of allied countries which are 
present in Kuwait - and welcomed by the Kuwaitis - pursuant 
to agreements and conventions concluded between the 
government of the State of Kuwait and the governments of 
their countries, ratified by the National Assembly. Thanks 
to these troops, after God Almighty and with the involvement 
of sisterly states, for the liberation of Kuwait from the 
heinous barbaric occupation. We hold on to these agreements 
and the necessity of activating them as the Iraqi regime is 
still threatening aggression, expansion and violation of 
sanctities." 
 
5.  Kuwaiti NGOs and unions held a rally the evening of 
December 14 to express their categorical rejection of the 
speech and their support to their legitimate leadership. 
Poloff and Pol FSN represented the Embassy on short notice 
and were given special importance and a warm welcome.  The 
Chairman of the Kuwait Bar Association, who was one of the 
speakers at the rally, switched to English to express thanks 
to the American troops who led the coalition in the 
liberation of Kuwait. 
 
JONES