IRAQ SHOCK FOR KUWAIT (We have a problem here)

Gulf Daily ^

[bogdanPolska12]

IRAQ SHOCK FOR KUWAIT

BAGHDAD:

Iraq could consider territorial claims over Jordan and Kuwait in the future, the current president of the interim Governing Council said yesterday. "We need our Arab brothers around us. Now, we cannot discuss this matter with them at all, but in the future, we'll see," said Mohsen Abdel Hamid.

Consultative council member Shaza Hadi Al Obeidi had asked him about the status of territories, once linked to Iraq, such as Jordan and Kuwait, at an extraordinary meeting of the 37-member council.

Jordan government spokeswoman Asma Kohdr said Amman would demand an explanation of Abdel Hamid's comments.

Iraq invaded Kuwait under Saddam Hussein in 1990 and annexed the emirate, before his troops beat a hasty retreat seven months later in the US-led 1991 Gulf War.

Meanwhile, the US administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, said it will not be possible to hold elections for a year to 15 months.

[Arkinsaw]

So somebody tell me, is the one bringing this up Shiite or Sunni? Sounds like somebody likes invasion and wants to experience another.

[WhiteGuy]

I guess Iran wants to be on the "300 Billion Dollar rebuilding plan" list.

[GeronL]

ruh roh

[Vigilanteman]

One thing I've questioned all along is the obession with keeping Iraq's borders intact. The Kurds basically have earned their own independent state in the north. In fact, with minimal U.S. supervison, they could hold elections tomorrow.

The Shiites in the south of the country, while not pro-U.S., could move into a transitional type state simply by separating them from Iran with some device such ass an international (screw the UN, make it British or coalition occupation) occupation zone around the coastal area of Basra. The zone would be mainly to control trade. Want a crappy Islamic state? Fine, as long as it doesn't harbor terrorists or anti-western Madrassas, the zone remains open and trade and your lifeline will flow. Screw with us and the spigot closes.

The central so-called Sunni Triangle remains the biggest question mark and source of unrest. Two options remain insofar as I can see:

1. Sandwiched between two hostile Shiite and Kurdish states, it can be marginalized and possibly eventually tamed.
   
2. The Michael Savage approach-- cordon it off and turn it into a giant box of kitty litter.

[bogdanPolska12]

My opinion on this is somewhere between

1} either to intimidate nationhood with out no reason (kind of help us out or you are out)
2) Iran intimidation and provocation from with in. Democracy in Iraq spells doom for most of dictatorship in Middle East
3) Greed and egotism on part of person who may never become a president or elected governor in Free Iraq
4) He is foolish thinking that for what we sacrifice we will allow some other maniac to attack their neighbors.

[Cronos]

Kuwait was a Kingdom created by the British in 1949. Actually speaking Iraq has claims to it. We didn't want Saddy to get his hands on it, but now....

[Cronos]

Too simplistic. A Kurdish state would cause Turkey to invade -- they've got a huge chunk of Kurd territory in the east of their country that would want Anschluss. Ditto for Iran (it's got a small part). The Shias, Sunnis, Kurds aren't the only groups -- what about the Christian Arabs like Tariq Aziz? They're a few million. Also you've got Assyrians who want part of southern Kurd territory. And, you've got Persians in the east of the country.

[Vigilanteman]

Simply spin it and call it the Iraqi confederation. As for the Turks invading, one need only point out that the largest minority in Iran is Azeris. There are three times as many Azeris in Iran as in Azerbaijaan. The creation of an independent Azerbaijan state (as opposed to a confederation) sparked neither agitation among Azeris in Iran nor response from Iran, a wacko fundamentalist state which Turkey is not.

[Arkinsaw]

Kuwait was a Kingdom created by the British in 1949. Actually speaking Iraq has claims to it. We didn't want Saddy to get his hands on it, but now....

Kuwait is a non-Shiite city-state next to Shiite southern Iraq. I don't see how it would be good for Iraq to get hold of Kuwait no matter who is ruling Iraq.

[Cronos]

Kuwait is not a city state. It's got quite a lot of territory -- mostly desert.

[Cronos]

Simply spin it and call it the Iraqi confederation.

That may work. The difference between the Azeris and the Kurds is that there wasn't that much agitation between Iranis and Azeris (who are in any case Irani peoples) as there are between Turks and Kurds (a Persian people)