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Kuwait breaks ranks on Saddam
Telegraph ^ | 9/2/02

Posted on 09/01/2002 5:43:08 PM PDT by 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."


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To: jedwardtremlett
Problem is you need to make a quarter million a year to really enjoy Dubai :P

Seriously, the wife and I like Bahrain and Dubai (even Qatar now) for our 'every 6 weeks liquor run'. Kuwait has the restaurants and shopping, but I do miss the beer.

Hopefully we make it down to Dubai for the Spring Softball tourney.

Freeguards

81 posted on 09/02/2002 6:55:51 AM PDT by KKing
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To: JohnHuang2
Not being posted on any of the wires, AP, UPI, Reuters, AFP, either.

I guess they are too busy crying in their beer over the LAT Poll and this?......

82 posted on 09/02/2002 7:06:49 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
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To: VRW Conspirator
Do I sense a crack in the "sand coalition"?

Since the physical stick-slip properties of sand can emulate a quasi-liquid phase, it might be better to characterize the chasm as a "shift" in the sand coalition, rather than a crack... Even though this would be cliche..... (Just drinking lotsa coffee this morning...)

83 posted on 09/02/2002 7:20:51 AM PDT by sam_paine
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To: MeeknMing
I guess they are too busy crying in their beer over the LAT Poll and this?.

hehe, or figuring out what 'spin' to put on it...

84 posted on 09/02/2002 7:23:40 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
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To: MeeknMing
Thanks for the heads up!
85 posted on 09/02/2002 7:26:26 AM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: section9
Agreed. Kuwait would not have said anything if we hadn't told them the party was on.

Interestingly, Kuwait had been expecting the return of archives and presumably prisoners from Iraq a few weeks ago. I guess neither happened. Curious. Iraq had been running around the world cutting trade deals on favorable terms with all the players that have spoken up in support of it. Kuwait, it stiffed, and now look at the situation.

86 posted on 09/02/2002 7:36:07 AM PDT by Ranger
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To: Ranger
"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.

87 posted on 09/02/2002 7:43:43 AM PDT by NotJustAnotherPrettyFace
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To: KKing
LMAO!

Well, my wife and I don't make that much, but we get by : )

Have a safe and pleasant trip whenever you come next.

J
88 posted on 09/02/2002 7:45:06 AM PDT by jedwardtremlett
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To: Texasforever
Maybe there is a small pocket of honor left in that God forsaken region afterall

Where? Certainly not in Kuwait.

89 posted on 09/02/2002 7:48:07 AM PDT by Demidog
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Have you put a date and time down on the Iraqi invasion thread?
90 posted on 09/02/2002 7:51:33 AM PDT by Rocko
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To: Right To Life; All
Check out the Attack on Iraq Betting Pool
91 posted on 09/02/2002 7:55:22 AM PDT by Momaw Nadon
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To: Demidog
You've lived here in Kuwait?
92 posted on 09/02/2002 8:04:24 AM PDT by KKing
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To: Ranger
...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.

93 posted on 09/02/2002 8:28:28 AM PDT by Illbay
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To: Ranger
...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.

94 posted on 09/02/2002 8:28:35 AM PDT by Illbay
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To: Southack
Believe it or not, that's actually on the table.

Based upon Bush's "take them at their word" philosophy, Iraq is in a very weak position.

You see, when Iraq invaded Kuwait it declared that Kuwait was a legitimate provice of Iraq.

By that reasoning, Kuwait could be given complete control of Iraq after the next war. After all, Kuwait is Iraq, per Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi Parliament. By their own words Kuwait could be pointed to as the legitmate heir to lead Baghdad. Kuwait is Iraq. Iraq is Kuwait. With Kuwait on our side, an invasion of Iraq essentially amounts to a mere quelling of a rebellion and a return to legitimate rule, since such an invasion would unite Kuwait with Iraq.

You are brilliant!!

Absolutely....when the new borders are drawn, Kuwait will be larger........

95 posted on 09/02/2002 8:29:36 AM PDT by CROSSHIGHWAYMAN
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To: Dog Gone
It certainly won't be with regard to the "nuke 'em all" crowd.

Those people have few working neurons. They hope that a sudden increase in background radiation levels will kick-start their brainstems.

96 posted on 09/02/2002 8:30:36 AM PDT by Illbay
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To: Yehuda
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.

Interesting it took 10 years to get any action on this "post-Gulf War plan"...

IMHO, I wouldn't consider this a "bribe"...I'm presuming the planes are already built, and what do suppose Saddam's reaction might be to Kuwait's now-declared support of the U.S.? They're going to need them, methinks, and expect they weren't about to agitate Saddam until the "deal" was done...

97 posted on 09/02/2002 8:31:59 AM PDT by 88keys
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To: Ranger
Kuwaitt will now be attacked by Iraq and we can move in for the ultimate kill.
98 posted on 09/02/2002 8:32:20 AM PDT by Mixer
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To: MrJingles
...they ousted our military a little less than a century later.

There was no such "ouster." It was in the best interests of the U.S. to leave; the bases there were expensive to maintain, and increasingly without a real mission.

The Filipino politicians may have made noises about being glad the U.S. left, but the population--especially near the bases, were FRANTIC to prevent it.

99 posted on 09/02/2002 8:33:17 AM PDT by Illbay
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To: MrJingles
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.

Maybe the Emir wants to be promoted to King of Iraq and Kuwait.If he could be a constitutional monarch,that wouldn't be too bad.

100 posted on 09/02/2002 8:34:55 AM PDT by Captain Shady
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