KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION, OCTOBER 26-29: ICRC HQ

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 004990

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, OCTOBER 26-29: ICRC HQ
BOMBING; AMERICAN FORCES IN THE REGION; WAR ON TERROR;
MADRID DONORS CONFERENCE; IRAN: NUCLEAR PROGRAM.



1. SUMMARY: The Foreign Minister and the Chairman of the
Kuwait Red Crescent Society both condemned the October 27
bombing of the ICRC offices in Baghdad. Amid opposition in
the National Assembly to Kuwaiti contributions to Iraqi
reconstruction, a former MP argues that, "a stable and
civilized Iraq is in the interest of those concerned with
the security and stability of Kuwait." A liberal writer
believes the US will force Kuwait to drop compensation
claims against Iraq "with or without the UN."

One commentator believes the US is using the Iranian nuclear
issue to distract from the "failure" in Iraq. A conservative
writer sees the war on terror as an "elastic mandate" for
action in the region, and calls for the departure of
American troops.

In the news, the death sentence of the Kuwaiti convicted of
murdering an American civilian defense contractor in January
2003 was commuted to life in prison by the Court of Appeals.
END SUMMARY.


2. News Stories: Al-Qabas reports that Kuwait's Foreign
Minister Dr. Mohammed Al-Sabah and the Chairman of the
Kuwait Red Crescent Society Barges Al-Barges denounced the
October 27 bombing outside the ICRC office in Baghdad.

Al-Qabas reports on its October 29 front page that the Court
of Appeals has commuted the death sentence against Sami Al-
Mutairi- convicted of the January 21 murder of American
civilian Defense Department contractor Michael Pouliot and
attempted murder of a second American contractor- to life in
prison.

On October 26, Al-Watan reports that five MPs have proposed
a bill that would prohibit relinquishing Kuwaiti claims to
compensations from Iraq.

Islamist MPs threaten a vote of no-confidence for the
Minister of Education before the end of Ramadan, Al-Seyassah
reports.

MP Jamal Al-Omar believes that the Amiri address to the
opening of the National Assembly on October 20 contained
threats to dissolve parliament, Al-Anba reports.

All newspapers report that Minister of Interior Sheikh Nawaf
Al-Sabah affirmed that all "Bidoon" (stateless) POWs killed
by the ousted Iraqi regime registered on the POW list will
be granted Kuwaiti citizenship. Al-Watan reports that an
"official source" has said there is no intention to
naturalize any "Bidoon" this year.

Kuwait National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khrafi expressed
full support to "sister nation" Syria in the face of "the
unjust Zionist campaign," Al-Qabas reports.

Editorials:


3. "Rumsfeld's Confidential Confession"
Dr. Yasser Al-Saleh wrote in independent Al-Rai Al-Aam
(10/28): "The memo sent by US Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld
to his senior officers on October 16 clearly demonstrates
the Pentagon's confusion in the so-called war on terrorism.
This memo creates great problems for him and the Bush
administration, in addition to damaging American credibility
in the international community. Rumsfeld must now confront
Congress for deceiving it which may lead to his expulsion,
unless the Zionists support him."


4. "Iranian Intelligence and the American Bull"
Salah Al-Fadli wrote in independent Al-Rai Al-Aam (10/29):
"I believe that Uncle Bush's administration hoped to see
Iran refuse to cooperate with the IAEA demands in order to
justify a replay of the same scenario it played in Iraq.
However, Iran was intelligent enough not to fall into the
American trap. It is certain that the American focus on the
`Iranian danger' is only an attempt to cover for its failure
in Iraq. It is also certain that America will attempt to
fabricate another crisis with Iran and the dispute will
continue between Iranian intelligence and the American bull
which has lost its sense."


5. "Unjustified Rush"
Former MP Ahmad Al-Rubei wrote in independent Al-Qabas
(10/27): "MPs who rushed into criticizing Kuwait's
contribution to Iraq during the donor's conference in Spain
are called on to exercise wisdom. Using the phrase `the
Iraqi enemy' is irresponsible. We must work together with
Iraqis to become friends and allies and to respect each
other. A stable and civilized Iraq is in the interest of
those concerned with the security and stability of Kuwait."


6. "America's Test Balloon"
Liberal Mohammad Al-Saleh wrote in independent Al-Qabas
(10/27): "America is used to deploying test balloons to
test popular and government reactions and then drawing its
policies based on those reactions. America's demands [that
Kuwait drop compensation claims against Iraq] can be
achieved through the UN or without it. America, with its
dominance over UN resolutions, has the capability to force
the UN Security Council to write off the compensations. I
believe the Kuwait's compensations will be called off with
America's blessing and approval, because UN resolutions are
not based on justice or rationality."


7. "Let Us Demand Their Departure"
Conservative Dr. Sami Khalifa wrote in independent Al-Rai Al-
Aam (10/27): "President Bush justified the presence of
American forces in the Gulf region in order to combat
international terrorism. This is an elastic mandate that
could be used to confront people who strive for independence
such as the Palestinians and the Iraqis, or to strike
against resistance movements in Palestine and Iran, or to
subjugate Islamic powers in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. We have
only one option which is to demand the departure of the
American forces from the region and to withdraw their
military bases in order to increase our independence and
freedom."


JONES