US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT3604

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 003604 
 
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, AUGUST 2-4: ANNIVERSARY OF 
IRAQI INVASION; GUANTANAMO DETAINEES; 9/11 REPORT; AMERICAN 
AMBASSADOR TO KUWAIT 
 
REF: Kuwait 03267 
 
1.   SUMMARY: Some commentators see the August 2 anniversary 
of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait as a reminder of Iraqi 
reparations still due to Kuwait and the POWs still 
unaccounted for, while others evince a desire to move 
forward with reforms and national development now that this 
external threat has been lifted. 
 
All newspapers report a statement by the Minister of Foreign 
Affairs, Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Al-Sabah that the U.S. and 
Kuwait are holding talks on Kuwaiti detainees at Guantanamo 
Bay. One Islamist commentator demands greater government 
efforts to win the release of the detainees. Another 
Islamist sees "Zionist lobbyists" as behind the 9/11 report 
that reflects an "American campaign against Saudi Arabia." 
 
A conservative writer directs another in a series of 
critical comments (reftel) against American Ambassador to 
Kuwait Richard H. Jones, accusing the Ambassador of 
"unjustifiable interference in our affairs in a repugnant 
and provoking manner" through the Ambassador's attendance at 
local social events and his newspaper interviews. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2.   News Stories: All newspapers report on August 4 
statements by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Dr. 
Mohammad Al-Sabah that Kuwait and the US are holding talks 
regarding the Kuwaiti detainees held at Guantanamo Bay. 
 
Al-Anba reports on August 3 that "a number" of RPGs were 
fired from the Iraqi side of the border into Kuwait. No 
casualties were reported. Al-Anba also reports that eight 
"spies" have been arrested in recent days as the result of 
intelligence gained from captured Iraqi documents. 
 
On August 4, all newspapers report that the remains of two 
more Kuwaiti POWs found in Iraq have been identified. All 
papers also report that a team will begin searching for 
remains of Kuwaiti POWs that may have been buried in Kuwait 
during the Iraqi occupation of 1990-91. 
 
Al-Seyassah reports that Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al- 
Ahmad has asked the Minister of Interior to prepare a list 
of "bedoons" (stateless residents in Kuwait) that should be 
considered for naturalization. 
 
The President of Kuwait University, Dr. Nader Al-Jallal, 
states that the university is on the way to fully 
implementing gender segregation in all its colleges, Al- 
Qabas reports. 
 
Editorials: 
 
3.  "August 2, 1990 is Like No Other Date" 
Editor-in-chief of independent Al-Rai Al-Aam, Jassim Boodai, 
opined (8/2):  "August 2, 1990 was a day that changed the 
lives of Kuwaitis and caused an earthquake in the region. 
This has changed since April 9, 2003, because Iraqis are 
living a different life now. As for Kuwait, our priorities 
must also change. We demand to put an end to our political, 
economical and psychological suffering because it is not 
appropriate any longer to hold on to our obsession with 
security to the detriment of other issues. We should benefit 
from the fall of Saddam by launching major political reforms 
that could lead Kuwait to assume a high role in 
international relations." 
 
4.  "This Memory is Behind Us" 
Editor-in-chief of independent Al-Qabas, Waleed Al-Nesf, 
opined (8/2): "For the first time ever, August 2, 1990 is 
behind us. Nevertheless, we still have many lessons to 
learn, and most of our problems have not yet been solved. 
Now that the Iraqi regime has ended, we have to turn a new 
page by focusing on our economic development and other 
important issues. 
5.  "In Order Not to Forget" 
Editor-in-chief of independent Al-Anba, Bibi Al-Marzouk 
opined (8/2): "We will not forget [the Iraqi invasion of 
1990] because our demands are still on the table, awaiting 
an Iraqi government. We will only forget if the Iraqis begin 
to recognize our borders and sovereignty. We demand a change 
in their educational curricula because Iraqi students still 
believe that Kuwait is part of Iraq. We will only forget if 
they fully compensate us [through reparations as a result of 
the invasion] because this is our right. We will only forget 
once we know the fate of our POWs. We will only forget when 
the Iraqi government apologizes for the crimes committed 
against us. Once all these terms have been met, then we will 
forget." 
 
6.  Conservative Dr. Sami Khalifa wrote in independent Al- 
Rai Al-Aam (8/2):  "I am astonished at the American 
Ambassador who intervenes in our internal affairs by 
ignoring all diplomatic norms and traditions which he should 
respect. He does not miss an opportunity to participate in a 
press interview, diwaniya calls, cultural forums, or social 
events and unjustifiably interfere in a repugnant and 
provoking manner. Will the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have 
a word with this Ambassador?" 
 
7.  "[National Assembly Speaker] Al-Kharafi Exploded in the 
Face of Americans" 
Islamist Mohammad Al-Awadi wrote in independent Al-Rai Al- 
Aam (8/2):  "Not too long ago, the government unjustifiably 
retracted its efforts to demand the return of our detainees 
from Guantanamo despite Kuwait's role in supporting the 
Americans in the war to liberate Iraq. Kuwait opened its air 
space and its land, and exposed itself to many dangers for 
the America forces as a result. The Kuwaiti government must 
exploit this situation by demanding from Washington the 
release of our detainees in Guantanamo." 
 
8.  "The Secret Behind the Attack on Saudi Arabia" 
Islamist Dr. Wael Al-Hasawi wrote in independent Al-Rai Al- 
Aam (7/31):  "I do not know the reason for the American 
campaign against Saudi Arabia and I do not know on what 
grounds reports are being published alleging the Kingdom's 
involvement in the September 11 attacks. Reason and logic 
indicates that it would be impossible for Saudi Arabia to 
hurt the US. Moreover, the Saudi-American relationship has 
been strong since the establishment of the kingdom. I don't 
have an answer, except to look to the Zionist lobby which 
controls State Department policy and thinks differently from 
how sensible Americans think." 
 
9.  "Is America Going to Stay in the Gulf?" 
Dr. Hisham Al-Awadi wrote in independent Al-Watan (8/1): 
"[T]he absence of Saddam and the achievement of stability in 
Iraq my raise complicated questions over the future of the 
American existence in the region. Iraqis have raised these 
questions openly, while the people of the Gulf are asking 
the same questions secretly. The justification for an 
American presence is gradually disappearing. Unless the US 
justifies its presence in the region, one can expect this 
part of the world to enter into a new period of security 
tensions." 
 
JONES