Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
03KUWAIT2657 | 2003-06-17 12:47:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy Kuwait |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. |
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002657 |
1. SUMMARY: Kuwait's State Minister for Foreign Affairs condemned the June 10 attack by Israeli helicopters that injured senior Hamas leader Abdul Aziz Al-Rantissi as "terrorism." One conservative writer calls for Jihad as the only option for Palestinians in an editorial titled, "No Peace With Them." An Islamist writer cites recent Congressional hearings on possible civil rights violations after September 11 as proof of US hypocrisy: "America tries to demonstrate to the world the ideal vision of democracy and human rights while it holds inside ugly contradictions and shameful practices." Another commentator blames the US-led campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq for an "increase in terrorism" that has resulted in a "world living in a state of shock and terror." END SUMMARY. 2. News Stories: Al-Rai Al-Aam reports on June 15 State Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Sabah's strong denunciation of Israeli "assassination operations," saying such operations are a form of terrorism. On June 16, all dailies carry front-page coverage of the burial of the remains of the second identified Kuwaiti POW, Ahmad Al-Qallaf. The Minister of Information Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahd's comments on Al-Jazeera, accusing the satellite news channel of "unprofessionalism" and of broadcasting "false" information about Kuwait, appear on the front pages of all dailies on June 14. Al Anba reports on June 14 the Kuwaiti Minister of Interior Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khaled's visit to Iran will include discussion of reports that Iranian authorities have apprehended Al-Qaeda spokesman, Suleiman Bu Gheith, along with other Kuwaitis who have fled Afghanistan. On June 14, all newspapers report that Kuwaiti border patrols sabotaged two attempts by Iraqis to infiltrate across the border into Kuwait, one of which aimed at smuggling 14 kilograms of hashish into Kuwait. Al-Qabas reports on June 15 that two candidates for the July 5 parliamentary elections have withdrawn, reducing the total number of candidates to 274 for the fifty National Assembly seats. Editorials: 3. "No Peace with Them" Conservative Dr. Sami Nasser Al-Khalifa wrote in independent Al-Rai Al-Aam (6/14): "In his attempt to assassinate [senior leader of Hamas Abdul Aziz] Al-Rantissi, Sharon has proven that any so-called `peace' cannot be achieved unless the Palestinians surrender to the Zionist's will, or Arabs and Muslims are subjugated under the new `Road Map plan' . We have no choice but to resort to the Quran, because verses on Jihad mentioned in many Surras state that war should have one objective: boosting the Almighty's religion. In other words, war means to fight [for] a divine project." 4. "The Burned-Bodies Dialogue" Dr. Ayyed Al-Manna wrote in independent Al-Watan (6/14): "The religious and the political extremists on both sides, the Israelis and the Palestinians are engaged in the burned bodies dialogue. The Palestinians attack the Israelis with explosive belts while the Israelis respond back by attacking the Palestinians using the Apache helicopters and tanks. What is the aim of this dialogue? As long as both parties have not reached the point of exhaustion, then the burned- bodies dialogue will be seen as the most effective means to achieve the final goal." 5. "The American Terrorism" Abdel Aziz Al-Hindal wrote in independent Al-Qabas (6/14): "In Afghanistan, the US found out that most of the people who died during the war were civilians. As for Iraq, many Iraqi soldiers and civilian remained neutral, leaving the fighting to the Baathists. The result of both wars was that the leaders of those countries remained alive to respond against the US. Consequently, terrorism has spread throughout the world, and security authorities must be on alert at all times in order to confront any possible terrorist attack. The result of the two wars waged under the pretext of combating terrorism is an increased number of terrorist attacks. As a result of American polices, the world lives in a state of shock and terror." 6. "America is Violating Civil Rights" Islamist Adel Al-Qassar wrote in independent Al-Qabas (6/15): "On June 4, 2003, the American Congress held a session organized by a coalition of American civil rights organizations to listen to a number of victims whose civil rights were violated after September 11 attacks. US Congressman [Ted] Kennedy stated that many American laws include articles that are discriminatory and should be revised. It is regrettable that some people defend America more than the Americans themselves. America tries to demonstrate to the world the ideal vision of democracy and human rights while it holds inside ugly contradictions and shameful practices." 7. Radical Islamist Mohammad Al-Mulaifi wrote in independent Al-Seyassah (6/15): "Those who came under the pretext of providing freedom and liberation to the Iraqis have not found any Iraqi that deserves to lead the country according to the American wishes. In other words, they have not found a `new Karzai' on which the White House can depend. The US Administration has gone beyond the freedom of Iraq by appointing Noah Wildman, a Jew that holds American and Israeli citizenship, to prepare a new Iraqi constitution which will be the basis for establishing a new regime in an American Iraq." JONES |