KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION, MARCH 21: WAR IN IRAQ; POST-

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