Kuwait breaks ranks on Saddam

Telegraph ^ | 9/2/02

[Ranger]

Kuwait became the first Arab state yesterday to signal support for a US-led military coalition against Iraq, in marked contrast to the caution shown by other countries in the region.

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."

The sheikh's comments serve as encouragement for a Washington administration struggling to convince the international community of the need for military action.

Saudi Arabia, which America used as a base during the 1991 Gulf War to drive Iraqi invaders from Kuwait, has so far refused to open its territory to American forces for a new war against Baghdad.

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."

Twelve years after the Iraqis invaded, Kuwait again looks like a prosperous Gulf emirate, but the trauma caused by the seven-month occupation remains, and with it the growing sense that the only way to achieve regional stability is through military action to remove the Saddam regime.

A spokesman for the deputy prime minister's office said: "The Kuwaiti people are tired of living under the constant threat of aggression from Iraq.

"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?"

Dr Masaad Shlash, of the department of sociology at Kuwait University, a prisoner in Iraq after the invasion, said: "Look at Saddam's treatment of his own people. He's the closest thing the Middle East has to Hitler."

[WaterDragon]

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

[WaterDragon]

ON!

[putupon]

The thing that bothers me is that I could post a thread saying that Kuwait is a piece of camel dung that we should nuke, and it would get 100 responses in agreement

Until the Kuwaiti Shiek/Prince/King/whatever made that official statement of support for us , I would have been one of the 100. Now I think Kuwait would not only be a good base for an attack against Iraq, it is also in a great geographical position for an attack against Saudi Arabia. And I don't care what statements the Saudis make from now on out, I want piece of their camel back located rear ends too.

[JohnHuang2]

[JohnHuang2]

This is huge ... a green light for other moderate Arab states in the region to back the U.S.

[Miss Marple]

Oh, thank you for the ping! I might have missed this!

This is a HUGE story, and will probably not make it into the American media until Fox picks up on it and covers it for about a week.

And it will never get covered in the New York Times.

[JohnHuang2]

Welcome =^)

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

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

I might point out that we saved the asses of the French, and they do not support us.

[maryz]

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

I don't think the "sand coalition" (nice phrase, BTW) has ever put anything ahead of self-interest.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

However, the War Against Iraq won't begin until December of this year.

My bet is on October.

[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

[jedwardtremlett]

"Kuwait is probably the least wretched country in the Middle East."

Spoken like a man who's never been to the UAE.

Drop by Dubai, sometime. It's a real eye-opener.

J

[Teacher317]

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.

Excellent point. They seem to only understand power.

[marvlus]

When I look at a map such as yours, it really boggles my mind that little ol' Israel can keep all of it enemies at bay!

[Teacher317]

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

There are going to be some REALLY interesting books to read in about 25 years.

[MeekOneGOP]

[Tom Bombadil]

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

The shadow of Mordor.

[MeekOneGOP]

This is huge ... a green light for other moderate Arab states in the region to back the U.S.

What's funny is this has NO coverage on the Dallas Morning News as of this
morning. (Of course, I'm not laffing). Or, they've buried it somewhere.

[JohnHuang2]

Not being posted on any of the wires, AP, UPI, Reuters, AFP, either.

[bert]

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

Pay attention all you Saudi bashers....