[Ranger]

A little good news for a change.

[VRW Conspirator]

A Kuwaiti government official said: "If America asks for support Kuwait will give it. I expect the same response from all Gulf states. There may be the need publicly to be anti-war, but under-the-table deals are being struck."

Do I sense a crack in the "sand coalition"?

[Straight Vermonter]

I wonder if a few "terrorist" attacks in the other Islamic countries would change their minds?

[self_evident]

Seems to be a pretty clear signal that the defence of Kuwait has been put in place. By the end of the war, the same people that are now complaining about our action will be complaining that we should have acted sooner.

[MrJingles]

It's about time somebody showed us little gratitude. Good for Kuwait! But, I seriously doubt anybody else will be returning our favors anytime soon. I'm looking at you, France, the U.K., Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Denmark, Greece, Panama, South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Nicaragua, Norway, Egypt, Morocco, Cuba, the Phillipines, ect, etc, etc. I'm wondering if Dubya may have promised Kuwait a little slice of that Iraqi pie once the war's over, in exchange for their support? Just a thought.

[mhking]

"Here come the planes...
They're American planes
Made in America.
Smoking?
Or non-smoking..."

[Dog Gone]

There was never any doubt, as far as I was concerned. You'll see similar statements coming out of Qatar within a few weeks.

I'm not sure I credit it to these arab states being statesmenlike. I think they'll want to end up on the winning side, and the more we act determined, the more friends we'll suddenly have.

[Lady In Blue]

It sure is some good news.And we can use some today! Thanks for posting it.

[Maynerd]

Some give Kuwaiti foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed Sabah Salem al-Sabah, a drink !

[PoorMuttly]

It begins.

[Thumper1960]

Kuwait.

The raped determined to see the rapist dangle by a rope.

[desertcry]

If the saudis, and the rest of the arab countries have felt
saddam's brutality as the Kuwaitis have, they too will be in our side.

[Texaggie79]

I'd pay good money to see what went on behind closed doors for this to happen.

[Yehuda]

"Kuwait to seal $2 bln Boeing Apache deal
Reuters, 08.30.02, 7:45 AM ET"

Coinkidink?

http://www.forbes.com/markets/newswire/2002/08/30/rtr709070.html

By Ashraf Fouad
KUWAIT, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Kuwait said on Friday it will sign on Saturday an arms deal, possibly worth some $2 billion, for 16 Boeing Co. AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters.

"We will sign the deal in Kuwait on Saturday," Kuwait's Defence Minister Sheikh Jaber al-Hamad al-Sabah told Reuters by telephone on Friday.

"It is a government-to-government deal," he said in reference to the U.S. Foreign Military Sales programme which governs agreements between Washington and some of its allies. The deal, originally worth $1.2 billion, has been in the making since the U.S.-led 1991 Gulf War ended the seven-month Iraqi occupation.

Differences on specification and release of advanced systems to Kuwait led to repeated delays.
The United States agreed to meet Kuwaiti requirements and earlier this year notified Congress of the sale.

The Longbow variant links a wide range of electronic sensors and weapons into one fully integrated fire control system, including Hydra rockets.

The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Kuwait also was seeking four spare General Electric Co. T-700-GE-701C engines, Lockheed Martin Corp. Hellfire air-to-ground missiles plus associated equipment, training and services.

Since coming to office in February 2001, Sheikh Jaber has concluded and revived several deals as part of a $12 billion post-Gulf War plan to rearm and upgrade the small country's military that was devastated by the Iraqi invasion.

Kuwait still has a long shopping list which includes a state-of-the-art command and control system worth some $2.1 billion and a major plan for additional fixed wing warplanes.

"The C4I (first phase) is not completed yet but we are close, we are getting there," Sheikh Jaber added in reference to the command, control, computers, communications and intelligence system.

The programme is part of a wider plan to set up an integrated defence shield covering the entire Arabian peninsula by linking command and control systems in all six Gulf Arab states.

The C4I programme is split into four phases, with the first phase worth some $270 million.

An alliance between Britain's BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin of the United States is in talks with Kuwait for the first phase, officials have said.
Copyright 2002, Reuters News Service

[jwalsh07]

[Senator_Palpatine]

'War is hell...we all know that and to borrow the words of the Great General Douglas MacArthur,"the soldiers hate the war because they are the ones who suffer the most when it comes." But history tells us that to prevent the destruction of nations and it's people,wars were fought countless of times since the world began.Wars are sometimes fought to prevent more wars,as in this case....'

"BEGIN LANDING YOUR TROOPS"

[Lucas1]

Umm well Kuwait better support us...I mean we saved their asses. What choice do they have...lol

[Lucas1]

Umm well Kuwait better support us...I mean we saved their asses. What choice do they have...lol

[section9]

Which can only mean one thing.

We've told the Kuwaitis that the party is on. That's the only reason why the Kuwaitis, normally so cautious, would come out like this.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Stultis]

And so it starts, and before it's over the Arabs will be falling all over each other to approve the "Great Satan"'s coalition. Arab support for Saddam may be a mile wide, but (excepting maybe Syria -- only because it's next on the list) it's an inch deep.

[bootless]

"While Saddam Hussein continues to keep Kuwaiti prisoners of war, and continues to televise threats against Kuwait, we consider the war against Iraq to have never ended. {snip} He's the closest thing the Middle East has to Hitler."

This man gets it.

[greasepaint]

Is any other news source carrying this story?
g.

[WaterDragon]

Great news!America doesn't forget her friends. Nor do we forget our sworn enemies.

[JohnHuang2]

[jedwardtremlett]

This IS interesting. I was really weirded out when they said previously that they couldn't support it: when even KUWAIT doesn't want him gone, how much of a threat to the region is he?

But here they've said "m'okay."

I have the suspicion we'll see more folks either agree to it, or shut up about it, in the next few weeks. That doesn't mean they'll help, of course - just register no real objection.

The wheel might be turning...


J

[Tom Bombadil]

"The Kuwaiti people are tired of living under the constant threat of aggression from Iraq.

The shadow of Mordor.

[bert]

....I expect the same response from all Gulf states...

Pay attention all you Saudi bashers....

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

"Those people who say that sending weapons inspectors into Iraq may be a solution to the current crisis are not those who are living within reach of his missiles and his chemical weapons. How can we feel safe with Saddam Hussein next door?"

No fooling. You'd think these people putting all their faith in the UN would understand this.

[Illbay]

...administration struggling to convince the international community of the need for military action.

The only 'struggle' of this kind that I see is that concocted by the media. I see no such 'struggle' in the administration itself. By many accounts their timetable is already set.

Oh, what handwringing there'll be at the NYT and WP when the attack comes.

[Illbay]

...administration struggling to convince the international community of the need for military action.

The only 'struggle' of this kind that I see is that concocted by the media. I see no such 'struggle' in the administration itself. By many accounts their timetable is already set.

Oh, what handwringing there'll be at the NYT and WP when the attack comes.

[Mixer]

Kuwaitt will now be attacked by Iraq and we can move in for the ultimate kill.

[GretchenEE]

A little good news for a change.

Indeed.

While I believe the time has not yet become ripe for this war, it is coming, and two things seem uppermost in my mind. 1) there is tremendous opposition (natural and spiritual) from the forces which side with Saddam, and those afflicted with Chamberlainitis, to permit the war; 2) it has been good for the eventual cause that some nations are holding back at this time, since it has not yet been time to proceed.

But the blockade on action needs to be lifted when it is time, and the statements from Kuwait seem just right in their timing and purpose.

[anniegetyourgun]

I'm sure they do say these kinds of things to their U.K. press friends....but what do they tell their own people?

[Reborn]

The Kuwaiti foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed Sabah Salem al-Sabah, told The Telegraph: "While Saddam Hussein continues to keep Kuwaiti prisoners of war, and continues to televise threats against Kuwait, we consider the war against Iraq to have never ended."

"...WE CONSIDER THE WAR AGAINST IRAQ TO HAVE NEVER ENDED."

Way to go Kuwait!! Give 'em the southern no fly zone as a reward for having the guts to come out openly and say this. Bye bye Saddam!

[elfman2]

Bingo! There's NO WAY to stop us with Kuwait as an access port and loading zone. All the domino's will now fall!

That just made my day!

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Maybe, just maybe, some Kuwaitis sat down and thought real hard about their recent history. Maybe it occurred to them that it is just a bit silly to support the guy that rolled tanks into your country, raped/tortured/murdered your cittizens, stole BILLIONS of dollars cash and assets, and set your oil wells on fire before retreating, while cursing the USA that ran out the invaders and sent you billions of dollars to rebuild. Just a thought....

[hchutch]

Kuwait's helping us in our hour of need, as we helped them in theirs. We owe them big for this.

[Republic]

A little good news for a change.

Thanks ranger, for posting this tidbit...a welcome flash in the weird war debate going on in our nation!

[Grampa Dave]

Sand Dunes will shift to accomodate the most powerful force in that area.

The non insane Arabs understand which country has the power to destroy other countries versus the Bravo Sierra of the Islamakazis.

Also, the rape and pillaging of Kuwait by the Iraqi Islamakazis has been played down by our left wing media. What the Iraqi Islamakazis did after they invaded Kuwait before several hundred thousand died on the highway of death was revolting even for Islamakazis.

This is the first real step of real payback. When this is over Kuwait will not be a rich little country. It will be a rich good sized country. They and Turkey will have control over vast areas of what is now Iraq.