KUWAITI NATIONAL SECURITY BUREAU OFFICIAL: U.S.

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 003565 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV KU SUBJECT: KUWAITI NATIONAL SECURITY BUREAU OFFICIAL: U.S. POLICIES PROVIDING "AMMUNITION" FOR EXTREMISTS REF: A. KUWAIT 3447 ¶B. KUWAIT 3167 ¶C. KUWAIT 2883 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Matthew Tueller for reasons 1.4 (b) an d (d) ¶1. (C/NF) PolChief met September 4 with Shaykh Thamer Al-Sabah, the Office Director of Shaykh Ahmed Al-Fahd Al-Sabah, the President of the National Security Bureau (NSB),to deliver additional cleared DIA information on Hizballah activities and missile capabilities, as requested by Shaykh Ahmed in his August 18 meeting with the Ambassador (ref A). ¶2. (C/NF) Asked about the upcoming GCC and Arab League Summits, Shaykh Thamer reported that Iran and Lebanon would dominate the agendas. On aid to Lebanon, he complained that Kuwaiti and other GCC aircraft flying to Lebanon were forced to land in Jordan for inspections before being allowed to continue to Beirut. Noting that American and European aircraft were not subject to the same requirements, he asked, "Why are Arab countries being discriminated against?" He argued that these types of policies reinforce Arabs' perception of a U.S.-Israeli conspiracy and give "ammunition" to extremists. Shaykh Thamer added that the failure to solve the Israeli-Palestinian issue and the continued detention of inmates at Guantanamo were similarly used by extremists to rally people to their cause. ¶3. (C/NF) Shaykh Thamer said regional events had "changed the mood in Kuwait" and cautioned that the Ambassador might not receive as warm a welcome as usual during his traditional Ramadan diwaniya (traditional salon) visits. He noted that recent Kuwaiti criticism of the U.S. was across the board and claimed "Shi'a, Sunnis, Hizbollahis, Bedouin, and U.S.-educated Kuwaitis" had all participated in the mid-July protests against the U.S. (ref C). "The change we have had in Kuwait is that we no longer know who is going to speak out against the U.S.," Shaykh Thamer said. Citing the Ministry of Awqaf's new moderation program (ref B),he emphasized that the Kuwaiti government was doing its best to combat extremism and encourage tolerance. ********************************************* * 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/ ********************************************* * Tueller