KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - IRAN'S POLICIES AND HEGEMONY

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000649 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 - IRAN'S POLICIES AND HEGEMONY Block Quotes -------------- Tuesday, May 01, 2007 -- Conservative Islamist Dr. Wael Al-Hasawi penned in moderate Arabic daily Al-Rai under the title "The Arab-Persian Gulf" (05/01): "We have seen how Iran's interference in Iraq destroyed the country and caused sectarian strife amongst its people.... We are stunned that Iran does not see the lesson of history -- Saddam Hussein himself walked the same path that Iran is taking today. The consequences that befell him should be a lesson." -- Under the title "And From Her People Came forth a Witness" (A verse of the Quran) Abdulla Al-Hadlaq commented in conservative Arabic daily Al-Watan (05/01): "Iran's official statements about its intention to annihilate Israel and fulfill act on its nuclear ambitions leave no doubt that the extremist Iranian regime wishes to push the region into a cycle of Jihadi violence, religious extremism, and terrorism." -- Editor-in-chief of the pro-government Arabic daily Al-Seyassah Ahmad Al-Jarallah editorialized on the front page under the title "Iran's Dreams Are Bird Dreams" (05/01): "The Iranian regime should wake up from its dream and not purport to control the Gulf. It does not control the region and never will. Moreover, we will not allow such evil elements to play a leading role in the region or in the world." ********************************************* * 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