KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - LEBANON FALLOUT

UNCLAS KUWAIT 003379 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, NEA/PI, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA LONDON FOR TSOU PARIS FOR ZEYA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO XF KU MEDIA REACTION SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - LEBANON FALLOUT Block Quotes -------------- Sunday, August 20, 2006 -- "Kuwait and the Zionist War on Lebanon" was the title of Dr. Jalal Mohamed Al-Rashid's piece in moderate Arabic daily Al-Rai Al-Aam in which he commented (8/20): "Kuwait presented an honorable example by many of its MPs, thinkers, academics, writers, student and professional syndicates, all its parties, and many citizens who filled the streets demonstrating and protesting in support of Lebanon against the fascist Zionists. Also, the contribution of many families of a portion of their income to help the Lebanese was an important part of the Kuwaiti-Lebanese relationship. It is all part of returning the favor during Kuwait's calamity." -- In "Hezbollah and the University Kings," Ahmed Mohamed Al-Fahd wrote in moderate Arabic daily Al-Watan that (8/20): "The Minister of Education should enforce the law to put an end to the disparagement of the university's kings and Caesars, excuse me, I meant professors, governing their relationships with the students. One of these [professors] placed a sign on his office door bluntly saying 'Taking into consideration the psychological state of my students resulting from the war in Lebanon and to exalt Mr. Hassan Nasrallah and his heroes' legendary achievements in modern Arab history, every student will receive a 10% increase of their final grade. I wish you success and victory to Hezbollah.'" -- Under the title "Israel Won," lawyer Rashid Al-Radan penned in moderate Arabic daily Al-Watan (8/20): "Yes, Israel pulled out of Lebanon with a sense of regret and defeat. Yes, the Lebanese resistance stood against the assault and inflicted massive losses and casualties on the enemy. Yes, everyone praised the firmness of the Lebanese government despite the constant Israeli bombings. What is happening today in Lebanon is a pointless discussion and internal dissimilitude, especially after the Syrian president's speech." -- In his piece titled, "Crushing Hezbollah is a Prelude to Humiliating Iran," Abdullah Al-Hadlaq wrote (8/20): "Marvel at Syria's little Asad [meaning lion], who is controlled by the old guard, how he speaks of victory while his army does not dare fire a single bullet to liberate the Golan. He speaks of Hezbollah's glory and lashes at others to prove that Syria is the second side in the terror triangle after Hezbollah. For the triangle to be completed, the Persian president should have raised his voice from the capital of Persia to claim victory and make threats forgetting that his coffin is being made in Washington, London and in the hallways of the United Nations." ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * LEBARON