FLOOD OF SUPPORT FROM KUWAITI POPULATION

UNCLAS KUWAIT 001075

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SOCI MOPS PREL KU
SUBJECT: FLOOD OF SUPPORT FROM KUWAITI POPULATION


1. At 7:45am March 25, Op Center Kuwait received a call from
a Kuwaiti woman expressing support for our role in the
military action in Iraq. She said her call was the result of
a text message she received on her cell phone telling her to
call the Embassy to let us know her opinion of the conflict
(pro or con). The message also instructed her to forward it
to all of her friends. The trickle of calls in the early
morning soon became a torrent, overwhelming the Embassy
switchboard, and all lines at the Op Center are now engaged
non-stop fielding phone calls from message recipients.
Between 9:30am and 4:30pm, the Embassy received 303 phone
calls supporting our actions in Iraq from people who received
the text message, and no/no phone calls opposed to the
conflict.


2. Post has no idea of the identity or motivation of the
person who began this message chain. There is no doubt that
the phone calls are genuine expressions of support from
people who feel strongly enough about the issue to take the
time to call in. Since the start of the war, even before
this call-in campaign, our contacts were typically starting
each phone call with expressions of support.
JONES