DATE=11/16/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-241756
TITLE=IRAQ / KUWAIT REACT (L ONLY)
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=KUWAIT CITY
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE RESIDENTS OF KUWAIT ARE TIRED OF THE RECURRING CRISIS
WITH IRAQ OVER U-N WEAPONS INSPECTIONS. MANY KUWAITIS ARE
EXPRESSING FRUSTRATION AND SAY THE REPEATED CONFRONTATIONS WILL
NOT GO AWAY UNTIL THE REAL CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM IS ADDRESSED.
V-O-A MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB REPORTS FROM KUWAIT
CITY.
TEXT: MANY RESIDENTS OF KUWAIT HAVE ALREADY DISMISSED AS HISTORY
THE LATEST CRISIS WITH IRAQ, AND -- LIKE A MAN NAMED BADR -- VIEW
THE PROBLEM AS ONE BETWEEN IRAQ AND THE UNITED NATIONS, NOT
KUWAIT.
A BUSINESSMAN NAMED JASSIM AGREES, SAYING KUWAIT AND THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE IRAQI PEOPLE.
/// ACT JASSIM - IN ARABIC - FADE UNDER ///
JASSIM SAYS THE PROBLEM IS WITH IRAQI PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN,
BECAUSE HE REFUSES TO ABIDE BY THE DECISIONS OF THE UNITED
NATIONS.
A METEOROLOGIST NAMED JAMAL IBRAHIM SAYS THE LATEST CRISIS IS BUT
A REPEAT OF PREVIOUS CONFRONTATIONS. HE SAYS THERE IS NO END
IN SIGHT UNLESS PRESIDENT SADDAM IS REMOVED.
/// JAMAL ACT ///
I THINK THE BEST SOLUTION IS TO TAKE SADDAM OUT. THIS
IS THE THING, BECAUSE IF YOU CANCEL SADDAM, YOU CANCEL
ALL THIS HEADACHE.
/// END ACT ///
A PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KUWAIT,
GHANIM AL-NAJAR, SAYS THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT IS WEAKENING AND, AS A
RESULT, IT HAS NOTHING TO GAIN FROM MAINTAINING THE EXISTING
SITUATION. HE ADDS THAT PRESIDENT SADDAM'S ONLY REMAINING POWER
INTERNATIONALLY IS THE POWER TO REFUSE TO COOPERATE WITH THE
UNITED NATIONS.
/// GHANIM ACT ///
IF HE (MR. SADDAM) FEELS THAT THE HEAT IS COMING, THEN
HE WILL BACK UP. BUT HE WILL CONTINUE CREATING THIS
CRISIS. IT COSTS HIM NOTHING. THE COST WILL BE THE
BURDEN OF THE U-S AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
WHO'S GOING TO PAY THE ONE-BILLION AND A HALF EVERY TIME
THAT THIS CRISIS TAKES PLACE? SO I'M SURE THIS IS A
CONTINUOUS CRISIS. IT'S NOT GOING TO END.
/// END ACT ///
PROFESSOR GHANIM NOTES THAT THIS MONTH'S IRAQI CRISIS DIFFERS
FROM THE ONE LAST FEBRUARY. HE SAYS AT THAT TIME, THE U-S
GOVERNMENT WAS NOT PREPARED MILITARILY TO ATTACK IRAQ.
PRESIDENT CLINTON WAS UNDER GREATER DOMESTIC PRESSURE BECAUSE OF
THE LEWINSKY SCANDAL, AND THE INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE WAS NOT
UNITED BEHIND A STRIKE AGAINST IRAQ.
/// OPT // 2ND GHANIM ACT ///
I THINK THE PRESSURE ON THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AT THE
MOMENT IS MUCH LESS THAN IT USED TO BE. THE ALLIANCE
WHICH USED TO BE (WAS) DISMANTLED AND DISINTEGRATED IN
THE FEBRUARY CRISIS NOW SEEMS TO BE MUCH MORE IN PLACE
THAN WHAT IT USED TO BE. I THINK PEOPLE ARE FED UP WITH
THE SITUATION, CRISIS AFTER CRISIS.
/// END ACT // END OPT ///
PROFESSOR GHANIM SAYS ANOTHER CHANGE IS THAT INTERNATIONAL
OPINION IS NO LONGER UNITED BEHIND THE ISSUE OF ECONOMIC
SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ. HE NOTES THAT THESE ARE THE MOST SEVERE
SANCTIONS EVER IMPOSED. HE SAYS MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE THEY HAVE
NOT SUCCEEDED, BUT RATHER HAVE SERVED ONLY TO HURT THE IRAQI
PEOPLE.
AS A RESULT, HE ECHOES THE SENTIMENT OF MANY HERE WHEN HE SAYS
WAYS MUST BE FOUND TO HELP THE IRAQI PEOPLE AND PUNISHMENT OTHER
THAN SANCTIONS MUST BE FOUND TO CONTAIN THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT.
(SIGNED)
NEB/SB/JWH/JO
16-Nov-98 12:06 PM EST (1706 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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