ARAB NEWS Thursday, August 2, 2018 3

The Kuwaitis know how opened its hearts and borders. Dr. Hamdan Al-Shehri International affairs scholar Spotlight

28th ANNIVERSARY OF THE INVASION OF From rescue to resentment Analysts recall Kingdom’s sacrifices for Kuwait, and explain the current rise in anti-Saudi and anti-US sentiment

Siraj Wahab

On this day 28 years ago, Iraq invaded Kuwait. Months later, Saudi Arabia and the United States came to the rescue. Despite their sacrifices and efforts, anti-Saudi and anti- American sentiment is on the rise among many Kuwaitis today — analysts explain why.

Saddam Hussein’s men rapidly over- whelmed the Kuwaiti forces on Aug. 2, 1990. The emir of Kuwait, his fam- ily, other government leaders and a large number of Kuwaiti citizens made it to the safety of the Saudi bor- der, where they were offered protec- tion by King Fahd, who said: “Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are one. We live together and we die together.” The same day, the UN Security Council unanimously denounced the invasion and demanded the im- mediate withdrawal of Iraqi forces. Four days later, on Aug. 6, 1990, the Security Council imposed a world- wide ban on trade with Iraq. Saddam, meanwhile, amassed nearly 300,000 troops in Kuwait to thwart any at- tempt to drive out the occupiers. King Fahd was a resolute leader. He summoned his global allies and began planning for the liberation of Kuwait. He took grave risks. Many Arab coun- tries supported Saddam, including Yemen, led by Ali Abdullah Saleh. The Saudi king severed ties with Yemen and focused on ending the occupa- tion of Kuwait. The king and his advisers used all their diplomatic skills to marshal the resources of the world for what be- came Operation Desert Storm. “That was a golden period in the history of Saudi Arabia,” said Dr. Ham- dan Al-Shehri, an international affairs scholar in . “The whole world knows how Saudi Arabia stands by its friends, allies and brothers. The Kuwaitis know how Saudi Arabia opened its hearts and borders.” fastfactS Against this backdrop, it is sad to hear anti-Saudi and anti-American The man sentiments from some Kuwaitis, he behind the said, referring to Iranian and Hezbol- 300,000 coalition lah sympathizers, along with Muslim The number of troops Saddam between Brotherhood members. “They try to amassed to stop any attempt Saudi Arabia overlook the efforts to liberate Kuwait to drive out the occupiers. from the clutches of a brutal dictator and other nearly three decades ago. There are global states very few of these people and they are was the late in the pay of the Iranians.” 500,000 King Fahd. Al-Shehri added that the Number of troops the Kingdom Muslim Brotherhood has always been hosted before the liberation critical of Saudi Arabia. of Kuwait. “They have used Saudi Arabia’s dif- ferences with to raise a shrill cry,” he said. “They are upset because Saudi Arabia has exposed the Muslim Saudi columnist Fahad Al-Shoqiran Saudi troops on Al-Rashed wrote. “The Kingdom During an urgent Arab League ses- Brotherhood as being in league with echoes these sentiments. “Saudi Ara- the border with hosted half a million troops, including sion in Cairo, only a slight majority of the Iranians. A Kuwaiti man called bia played a pioneering role in Ku- Kuwait in 1990, 200,000 from the US. King Fahd is a 12 countries supported the Kuwaiti top; King Fahd Nasser Duwailah spits venom against wait’s liberation,” he said. “If it was (center) confers historic figure because he is the one cause. Despite objections, Egyptian Saudi Arabia on TV. He is not for Saudi Arabia, Kuwait would with Foreign who tolerated threats and managed president played a a Muslim Brotherhood sympathizer not have been liberated. Minister Prince the confrontation with Saddam.” significant role in rejecting attempts and his criticism of Saudi Arabia is “The man behind the coalition Saud Al-Faisal The king was keen to preserve the to confuse the issue, calling for a vote along predictable lines — he should between Saudi Arabia and the other during an Arab rule of the Al-Sabah family and its by a show of hands instead of trying summit in 1990, know the role that Saudi Arabia states was the late King Fahd, thanks above; a dead unity as a symbol of Kuwait’s legiti- to reach a consensus. played in liberating his country.” to his personal relationships. This Iraqi soldier at macy. He allowed the Kuwaiti gov- “King Fahd risked his country’s Former MP Abdulhameed Dashti, is documented in the words of (the the end of the ernment in exile to operate in the stability, given that the chances of lib- who is also considered to have con- then) US President George Bush and war in the Kuwait city, and helped to revive the sym- erating Kuwait were slim, that there desert, above nections with the Iranians, also regu- other important figures, such as for- might not be a war, or that it would right; Allied bols of Kuwait by issuing the dinar larly criticizes Saudi Arabia. mer secretary of state James Baker, forces in Saudi and publishing daily newspapers, last a long time, like the Iran-Iraq “People like him are ungrateful,” during press conferences and inter- Arabia in 1990, among other things. Kuwaiti military war,” wrote Al-Rashed. “There was said Al-Shehri. “They deny historical views. They stressed that had it not right. personnel gathered in Saudi Arabia the possibility of defeat, of an incom- facts and only repeat what they are been for Saudi Arabia, and particu- Getty Images as King Fahd supported the resis- plete victory, of Saddam not entirely AFP told by the regime in Tehran, which larly King Fahd and his administra- tance. leaving Kuwait, or Saudi Arabia not is, of course, inimical to the interests tion, Kuwait’s tragedy would have According to Al-Rashed, King coming out of the war safe. of the Arab and Muslim world. continued.” Fahd’s most risky decision was invit- “King Fahd could have copied (Qa- “Saudi Arabia always stood by its Saudi columnist Abdulrahman Al- ing US troops to the Kingdom. “This tar’s) Sheikh Hamad and bargained Arab allies. When was faced Rashed wrote last year that Saudi Ara- was a huge personal responsibility,” with Saddam in exchange for Kuwait, with grave danger from Iran, it was bia viewed its support for Kuwait as he wrote. “Several high-ranking Sau- but he did not. He was a brave leader Saudi Arabia that sent its forces to honoring its pledges, respecting the di royals asked him whether he was who made a historic decision to stand quell the Iranian-inspired insurrec- principles of the GCC and protecting sure of his decision, and if he would by Kuwait; we are all proud of this. tion in 2011. When the Iranian-allied states from chaos. It was in Riyadh’s be able to get them to leave later.” As such, it is surprising to hear some Houthis started challenging the Ar- interest to defeat Saddam, but the less As troops arrived, Saddam’s support- Kuwaitis supporting Qatar today, in- abs, Saudi Arabia took the lead in neu- risky option would have been to find a ers protested. Led by Hassan Al-Turabi stead of condemning its actions that tralizing the Houthi terror machine. way to coexist with him, he said. in Sudan and Rached Al-Ghannouchi threaten the security and existence of How can any fellow Arab blame Saudi “It would not have been possible in Tunisia, the Muslim Brotherhood four countries. Arabia for coming to the aid of Arab to confront the invasion without launched incitement campaigns, “Kuwait has a moral debt to repay, countries?” Saudi Arabia’s desire and approval,” accusing the Kingdom of apostasy. and we expect it to do so.”