US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT1022

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 001022 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, PA, INR/NESA, 
IIP/G/NEA-SA, INR/B 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH, PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA 
CINCCENT FOR CCPA 
USDOC FOR 4520/ANESA/ONE/FITZGERALD-WILKS 
USDOC FOR ITA AND PTO/OLIA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KU, KDMR 
SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION, MARCH 21: WAR IN IRAQ; POST- 
SADDAM IRAQ; MISSILE ATTACKS ON KUWAIT 
 
1.   SUMMARY: Kuwaiti commentators who have viewed the end 
of Saddam's regime as a fait accompli for months look in 
greater detail at issues in post-Saddam Iraq. Pushing aside 
any thought of generous gestures, one writer states that 
Kuwait should not waive the financial compensation it has 
coming from Iraq as it demands the return of its POWs and 
National Archives.  The writer also calls for the 
implementation of an "Iraqi educational curricula that 
includes Iraqi recognition of the State of Kuwait." 
 
In a striking departure from the pervasive Sunni perspective 
on Kuwait's editorial pages, a Shia'a columnist with "Al 
Watan" discusses the liberal tradition of thought associated 
with the Shia'a religious center in the Iraqi city of Najaf, 
and suggests that the US should support this school as a 
counterbalance to the highly politicized, conservative 
religious interpretations emanating from Iran "if America 
wants liberal government in Iraq." 
 
One commentator expresses concern that some US-supported 
Iraqi dissidents "have good relations with the Zionist 
lobbies." Another sees "the true goal" of the US as the 
domination and exploitation of Iraq. 
 
Prompted by reports of bread shortages and stockpiling by 
residents, one writer urges people to remain calm and 
confident. On the news pages, the Kuwaiti Stock Exchange has 
suspended trading, and the Kuwait phone system suffered 
outages in the wake of missile attacks on Kuwait on March 20 
due to the volume of calls. END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  News Stories: Kuwait television carries statement by 
Kuwaiti Ministry fo Defense that Kuwait's armed forces have 
shot down two Iraqi Scud missiles launched against Kuwait. 
 
All newspapers are carrying comments by the Dean of Kuwait 
University's College of Sharia and Islamic Studies, Dr. 
Mohammed Al-Tabtabaie, that the Kuwaiti military and their 
fellow Muslims are fighting on the "path of Allah," and 
their aim is to defend against the aggression of the 
"tyrannical Iraqi regime's army." 
 
On the front page of Al-Qabas, Acting Prime Minister Sheikh 
Sabah Al-Ahmed received a phone call from President Bush to 
thank him for Kuwait's support and to update him on the 
latest developments in the region. 
 
Al-Watan's front page carries a report that Kuwaiti troops 
apprehended an Iraqi family that fled to Kuwait by boat, and 
handed them over to American forces. 
 
Sales at local cooperatives (grocery stores) on March 20 
were three times what they were on the previously record 
day, March 17, President Bush's ultimatum to Saddam's 
regime, Al Watan reports. 
 
In an interview with Al-Watan, Retired former Chief-of-Staff 
General Ali Al-Moumen, Director of the Humanitarian Aid 
Operations Center in Kuwait, announced that refugee camps 
will be set-up in southern Iraq, but not in Kuwait. 
 
All newspapers report that the Kuwaiti communications 
network suffered a series of outages on March 20 when the 
mobile network and international lines were swamped. 
 
Military sources confirmed to Al-Watan that Iraqi civilians 
are already fleeing towards the Kuwaiti border and that 
members of the Iraqi military are hiding among them. 
 
According to Al-Anba, Ministry of Defense spokesman Colonel 
Yousef Al-Mulla denied there were any clashes between 
Kuwaiti and Iraqi troops on March 20. 
 
Al-Rai Al-Aam reports on its front page that the Director 
General of the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) announced that 
all KSE transactions will be halted until further notice. 
 
Al-Rai Al-Aam and Al-Seyassa dailies report that liberal MP 
Ahmed Al-Rubie, in an interview with Saudi Okaz newspaper, 
warned that "sleeper cells" in Kuwait are waiting for the 
"zero hour" of a full-scale US attack in Iraq to execute 
sabotage activities in Kuwait. 
 
Editorials: 
 
3.  "Our Interest First" 
Opening editorial for independent Al-Anba (3/21): "We have 
to take into consideration Kuwait and Kuwait's interests in 
the post-Saddam era. [These] interests can be summarized in 
six points: 1) Any elected Iraqi Council must first 
apologize to Kuwait for the occupation of Kuwait in 1990; 2) 
This Iraqi Council must formalize written recognition of the 
Kuwaiti-Iraqi border; 3) The transitional Iraqi government 
must provide full support in searching for POWs, under UN 
supervision; 4) The transitional Iraqi government must 
return the Kuwaiti National Archive; 5) The transitional 
Iraqi government must commit itself to compensation to 
Kuwait for damage due to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait; 6) 
The UN must be involved in formulating the Iraqi educational 
curricula which should include Iraqi recognition in the 
State of Kuwait. We Kuwaitis must demand that our 
government. not adopt the slogan, `let bygones be bygones.'" 
 
4.  "The Republic of Drought and Graveyards"" 
Fouad Al-Hashem in independent Al-Watan (3/21): "[Kuwait] 
completed a project for a water pipeline which runs from one 
of the water desalination stations in Kuwait to our Iraqi 
brothers who live only a few meters away from the Shatt Al- 
Arab river in Umm Qasr. This is the same river from which we 
brought fresh water to Kuwait [more than a century ago], but 
because of Saddam's tampering with the Iraqi marshes, the 
level of the river dropped and became saline. Mr. President 
[Bush], can you or the Arabs, believe that Kuwait, a dry 
country, would give water to the Iraqi people? . We and the 
Iraqis are the victims of one person and we were saved by 
one man and his son, so thank you very much." 
 
5.  "Saddam and the Third Picture" 
Awad Al-Mutairi wrote in independent Al-Qabas (3/21): 
"After few days, Saddam will be gone-- either killed or 
defeated. Saddam will be remembered as a person who only 
loved himself, and who suffered from an ego complex. 
Throughout his leadership in Iraq, he attempted to make 
himself a historical figure. He presented himself to the 
world as a knight and an intellectual, but he was not 
successful in presenting both of these images. Therefore, we 
advise Saddam to leave Iraq and to apologize to the Arab 
nations and the Iraqis for all the crimes he has committed 
against them." 
 
6.  "Without the Last Mulberry Leaf" 
Dr. Yasser Al-Saleh wrote in independent Al-Rai Al-Aam 
(3/21): "It is very obvious that the American administration 
has lost credibility among the people of the world. The 
problem of the American administration and Prime Minister 
Blair is that their goal for the war on Iraq has no ethical 
justification. because they failed to get UN approval. They 
failed to prevent the media from revealing their true goals, 
and their suspicious connections with the Iraqi regime, oil 
companies and international contractors." 
 
7.  "Why the Need to Stockpile Food Supplies?" 
Ali Al-Mahdai wrote in independent Al-Watan (3/21):  "What 
need is there to stack food supplies and water? There is no 
need to do so. Kuwait today is different than Kuwait in 1990 
when we were invaded by Iraq. Food supplies, water and other 
consumable products are available and plenty for all the 
people and the expatriates. There is no need to panic at 
this difficult time. We should also not heed any rumors, 
which are aimed at sowing sedition in our society because 
our country is protected. Let the people of Kuwait be 
assured that Kuwait is safe and there is no need to fear 
anything." 
 
8.  "The Dangers of the Next Stage in Iraq" 
Basil Al-Naqeeb wrote in independent Al-Watan (3/21):  "What 
is really worrying us is the US support for some Iraqi 
opposition who are only concerned about the removal of 
Saddam. For example, there is the Iraqi oppositionist Ahmad 
Al-Jallbi who says he has visited Israel on many occasions, 
and that he has good relations with the Zionist lobbies. We 
have to realize that people like Al-Jallbi were the ones who 
supported the Kurds to be separated from Iraq.  They are 
people who have no problems with extorting the Gulf 
countries to reach a balance in the region. If we keep 
silent about them, the US will take our silence as 
acceptance. Therefore, there is the chance for Arab 
countries to express their opinions before a new government 
is formed." 
 
9.  "Washington Between the Hoza in Najaf and the Hoza in 
Qum" [A "hoza" is a Shiite scholarly center] 
 
Shiite Fakher Al-Sultan wrote in independent Al-Watan 
(3/21): "We believe that after the toppling of Saddam, the 
US will strengthen and enforce its relations with the 
religious scientific centers in Najaf in Iraq in order to 
support the non-political religious movements. In its goal 
to change the region, Washington will work hard to implement 
their liberal project by separating religion from politics. 
It is a project consistent with the ideology adopted by the 
religious scientific centers in Najaf in Iraq, which support 
the toppling of Saddam and the establishment of a liberal 
government in Iraq. Morever, the religious scientific 
centers in Najaf will not object to any influence that will 
weaken their [more conservative ideological] competitors in 
the religious scientific centers in Qum [in Iran]. 
Therefore, if Washington wants a liberal government in Iraq 
it has to support this ideology which separates religion 
from politics, and which exists in the religious scientific 
centers in Najaf." 
 
 
JONES