WORDS VS. DEEDS: KUWAITIS REACT TO PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SPEECH

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000571 SENSITIVE, SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP (BMASILKO),NEA/PPD (PAGNEW, DBENZE, ASOMERSET),R (WDOUGLAS) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAO SCUL SOCI KU ZR SUBJECT: WORDS VS. DEEDS: KUWAITIS REACT TO PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SPEECH TO THE MUSLIM WORLD ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: At an informal discussion held at the Ambassador's residence, a group of 13 Kuwaiti academics and political and media figures offered thoughtful commentary on President Obama's June 4 speech in Cairo. The overall theme was that this was a "good start" but the "proof was in the pudding" and the President is on the hook to follow up his nice words with actions, especially vis-`-vis Arab-Israeli peace and settlements. The Kuwaitis also acknowledged the need for the Arab world to accept the President's invitation to work together to make things happen. All were in agreement that President Obama's personal charisma not only made this speech possible but helped ensure Arabs and Muslims would listen. Though not mentioned at the Ambassador's Thursday night gathering, Kuwaitis were very cognizant of the President's non-mention of Kuwait's recent election of women to Parliament. When asked to give a score, the most popular answer was 8 out of 10, but the speech earned a few fives from skeptics -- words are the first half, deeds the second. The discussion also inspired a debate about the use of religious discourse in politics and the form and purpose of democracy. END SUMMARY. -------------- GOOD START . . . CALL FOR ACTION -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Thirteen Kuwait academics and media figures from across the political spectrum gathered at the U.S. Ambassador's residence on Thursday, June 4 to discuss President Obama's speech to the Muslim world from Cairo. The seven academics and six journalists and columnists -- ten men and three women -- including the Editors in Chief of two local Kuwait papers, offered a thoughtful and upbeat assessment of the speech. Their biggest concern was how the President would follow up his words with action, especially concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Apart from the discussion, the Ambassador and other officers were inundated with positive comment on the speech from Kuwaitis. The Ambassador received a text message from a member of the ruling family who said he hoped the President would not follow the "Kuwait model -- all talk and no action"; other comments were also along the lines of "What a great speech . . . what a leader . . . now the challenge is to follow up words with actions." �00A;¶3. (U) Kuwaitis praised Obama's "different way of communicating," and stressed that the President's message was made stronger by his own persona and charisma, saying people are "more willing to believe Obama." But, more than one Kuwaiti warned against inflating the impact of the speech. There was general agreement it went far, but not far enough to win over America's detractors. ¶4. (U) The Kuwaitis also heard the call in the President's message for Arab and Muslim allies and partners to work together with the United States on issues of political, economic, and social development. One participant said both the United States and the Arab world bear the responsibility to take action. He said the Arabs must accept the President's invitation to work together to make things happen. -------------- --- "STRAIGHT TO THE HEART OF THE ARAB/MUSLIM WORLD" -------------- --- ¶5. (SBU) One participant, a university professor, said President Obama was talking "straight to the heart of the Arab and Muslim world" and praised his use of seven verses from the Koran and placement of the Koran before the Torah and the New Testament in his closing. The group acknowledged that the President was taking a risk with his domestic constituency and reputation with this speech, saying "Muslims do not want to believe he's not Muslim" and this speech only strengthens this belief. Yet, one or two Kuwaitis present were afraid the speech could contribute to Islam being idealized to the point where Americans will overlook the difficulties facing the Muslim world: poverty, underdevelopment, political instability and reform. ¶6. (SBU) A secular, female participant was "frightened" by the use of religion in the speech and said she preferred less religion in political dialogue. Another woman, who was not present Thursday night, confided to an American officer that the religious discourse was disconcerting, saying "we have enough extremists." -------------- BOON TO EXTREMISTS? -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Some Kuwaitis voiced concern over the frequent invocation of 9/11 in the speech, worrying it would indicate to extremists that their actions were/are successful in forcing the United States to respect Islam. The pre-empting of the President's speech by Khamenei, Bin Laden, and Al-Zawahiri, was cited to prove the point. KUWAIT 00000571 002 OF 002 Discussion participants also said if the President does not deliver on the many promises read into the speech, or if he makes mistakes, these will be magnified and exploited by extremists. -------------- WHITHER DEMOCRACY? -------------- ¶8. (U) Some discussion participants voiced suspicion of an American "retreat" in its attitude toward democracy. While they agreed democracy should not be imposed, Kuwaitis see chaos in a world of "more than 50 types of democracy." This reaction is evidence of the value Kuwaitis place on their own democratic traditions, which they see as compatible with a Western model of democracy. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Kuwaitis, like the rest of the world, are waiting for the proverbial second shoe to drop. The speech was viewed very positively, but they want to see it followed up with serous action, and particularly with a tough stance toward Israel and settlement expansion. Editorial comment through the weekend and on June 7 (septel) reflected similar public sentiment. Post has also heard pique from several Kuwaitis, including government officials, over the omission of Kuwait's election of women to Parliament in the section of the speech on women's political success in the Muslim world. END COMMENT. JONES