‘Region fears tussle fallout’
Will Iran shut Hormuz?
“THE mind of the Kuwaiti street is gripped with the demonstrations being held by the people of Safwan area in Basra Province. These demonstrations have conduced to the closing down of the only border outlet between Kuwait and Iraq,” columnist, professor at Kuwait University’s Political Science Department and Assistant Undersecretary
for Legal Affairs at Ministry of Information Dr
Hayla Hamad Al-Mukaimi wrote for Al-Nahar daily.
“However, the demonstrations were aimed at fighting corruption in Iraq and demanding for the improvement of state services as well as allocating part of the revenues of the border outlet for this purpose.
“Al-Basra Province, in the last one week, witnessed overwhelming public protests. They resulted in the death of a young Iraqi man and injuries to three others, as well as the reluctance of the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi to visit the province.
“Nevertheless, these demonstrations have raised many questions, particularly since some of them had been organized near the Kuwaiti frontiers, and resulted in the concerned authorities taking the decision to close down the sole border outlet between the two countries.
“Besides, the timing of these protests coincides with the escalation of the media war between the United States of America and Iran. Therefore, one cannot help but wonder if these demonstrations can be deemed as an extension of the AmericanIranian struggle.
“We say the above because some people insist that these demonstrations are not spontaneous but they represent Iran’s response to the American sanctions against Iran, as though these demonstrations are aimed to send the message that the price for any obstacle likely to be placed in the path of Iranian oil export will be paid by all.
“The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, during his recent visits to Switzerland and Austria, issued a statement in which he said, “The United States of America works on reducing the Iranian oil output to the zero point. This indicates that they are not thinking about the prospective outcomes.”
“He went on to say, “The prevention of Iran from exporting its oil but allowing others in the region to do so seems meaningless. However, we would like to tell them - Carry out your threat if you can but be prepared to see the relevant consequences.”
“The Iranian threat seems certain, especially since many officials had talked about the prospective closing down of Hormuz Strait by Iran. In the past, the closing down of this strait was something that was completely ruled out because such an action would negatively affect the Iranian oil output. However, under the will of the current American administration which is mainly targeting the Iranian oil output, one wonders whether the talks about closing down Hormuz Strait will be translated into reality or will be ruled out.
“Carrying out the pertinent action requires an integrated program that will include a joint system as well as a huge set of systems that are capable of implementing the relevant task efficiently before the United States of America takes any action towards foiling the Iranian ability and getting the latter dismantled.
“Such being the case, it would be difficult for Iran to hasten towards closing Hormuz Strait, unless Tehran resorts to using advanced equipments for carrying out the same through remote control.
“The difficulties that Iran could face in terms of carrying out its threat of closing down Hormuz Strait, are likely to result in it resorting to its traditional role in terms of spurring its sleeper cells in the Arab and Gulf countries for destabilizing the security and stability in this part of the world, supporting demonstrations that would be organized in certain locations, carrying out sabotages under several slogans such as fighting corruption, redistribution of the ports’ revenues and so on, and eventually depicting these events as internal issues of those countries even though these events are likely to be wars instigated by a third party for serving international and regional struggle in the Gulf region.”
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“In the wake of Iraq’s heathenish invasion of our country, the political leadership of the State of Kuwait will no longer hesitate or be involved in any form of courtesy when it comes to the safety and the stability of the homeland,” columnist Mubarak
Mazyed Al-Maosharji wrote for Al-Rai daily. “His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (We pray Almighty Allah will protect and support him), during his recent visit to China, had signed a series of economic, strategic and investment agreements with the People’s Republic of China. These agreements are deemed necessary because maintaining strong economic and investment relations with great countries is not of less importance in terms of its might than that of military might.
“The allocation of hundreds of billions of dollars in the form of investments, commercial agreements, establishment of new ports, and opening of water passages for huge tankers with a big country like China is essential, especially as this state managed to fill the security vacuum that had resulted from the withdrawal of Western troops.
“As a matter of fact, the agreements that had concluded between Kuwait and China actually represent a support for the existence and frontiers of Kuwait. Therefore, these agreements have met the satisfaction and appreciation of the Kuwaiti people, and those who had showed their resentment towards the same are actually following a foreign agenda.
“It does not seem strange for some people to be involved in criticizing these agreements, particularly those who would like to see Kuwait being hijacked through opinions and in the decision-making process, and eventually become a follower of some policies in which the country has no interest.
“Following the fall of the Arab League’s role and the differences the broke out among some member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the talk about national interests had begun. Also, the talks about Arab issues and the liberation of Palestine had changed into talks about “Deal of the Century” and reconciliation with Israel.
“However, Kuwait was the only Arab country which did not stand in the queue for making peace with Israel. If the reconciliation seems inevitable, then the latter should be with the Muslim neighbor Iran because we have to resort to the mind, not to the emotion.
“Therefore, the Gulf states should not pay the American President Donald Trump’s war invoice with the Iranian regime as requested by him.”
“It seems the Syrian war is nearing completion, and the Assad regime has won over the revolution of the Syrian people. This victory came as a result of an American-Russian-Israeli understanding to end this conflict and get out of the Syrian quagmire,” Abdulmohsen Hamada wrote for Al-Qabas daily. “The biggest losers in this war are the Syrians. Many were martyred and many others were displaced from their homes. Cities and villages were destroyed, as well as the economy of Syria. The head of the regime who caused these disasters and calamities still remains, and the Syrians will be forced to accept him and be satisfied with him.
“As for the US President Donald Trump, who described the Syrian regime as criminal and murderer of the Syrian people, and said the regime does not deserve to remain one day in power but should be tried at the international courts for crimes committed against her people, turned a blind eye to those crimes. The Syrian file will be discussed in his meeting with Putin in Helsinki on July 16.
“As for Israel, which was not satisfied with the presence of Iranian forces and militias near its border with Syria, we see it has become silent concerning the presence of those forces that stormed the cities of southern Syria with the Assad army after Russia convinced Israel that Iran and its militias came to preserve the survival of the Assad regime. Russia has pledged to remove these forces not only from the south Syria but from all Syrian territories.
“Like this we see that this bloody destructive war, which continued for the past many years, is on the verge of coming to an end. We hope this bitter experience witnessed by Syria will be a harsh lesson from which the people of this region particularly Syrians should learn.”
“The whole world expressed admiration for Kuwait’s foreign policy conducted by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (May Allah protect him),” Talal Al-Saeed wrote for
Al-Seyassah daily. “The journey of achievements of Kuwait’s foreign policy has been successfully ongoing since the independence of Kuwait. It has reached the latest port represented by the signing of a historical agreement between Kuwait and China. Many countries did not manage to achieve such an agreement but the leadership of Kuwait thought of it, planned it and accomplished it.
“If the agreement was undeserving, the whole world would not have claimed it to be a fantastic one. Only those who call themselves “opposition” rejected the agreement. Actually, they are not really the opposition. They are just mere groups that include convicted individuals who escaped from Kuwait prior to the issuance of court verdicts. Ironically, they still claim that they are heroes.
“Even more ironical is that there are some who admire what these have done and clap their hands for them, granting ranks that they do not deserve at all. Catastrophically, they doubt the importance of the agreement signed between Kuwait and China, without even exerting at least some efforts to study the agreement and evaluate it objectively.
“It is just blind hatred that pushes them forward to despise great achievements. They wish the state could stay idle until they return to the political arena. However, if we compare only one clause of the agreement, we will realize that it is much more worthy than what these people have achieved throughout their lives.
“Their achievements comprised of nothing more than marching on the streets and instigating people to insult, offending personalities and throwing accusations as well as destroying state properties. They were so arrogant that they thought they control everything and are powerful enough to take final decisions. The young ones among them were tasked with tear the photographs of figures while their seniors were tasked with call for the fall of Kuwait in front of cameras. The result was just dominating chaos.
“They also managed to deceive a section of the community. They are not the real opposition that works hard with the aim of meeting the country’s interest. They are nothing more than power seekers who are executing foreign agendas. Their real champion was revealed when they decided to escape from court verdicts.
“We call upon those who supported and still support them to get up and stop dreaming. They have to join the train of the nation as this train will not wait for long.”
“Kuwait has taken a giant stride through the wisdom of the ‘Humanitarian Leader’ and ‘Amir of Diplomacy’ His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad placing the country in the heart of the world,” columnist Abdul-Rahman Al-Awad wrote for
Al-Sabah daily. “As a result, Kuwait has reaped many benefits, among them global support for its worthy cases amid lofty position attained regionally and globally, in addition to the fast pace economic development. Among the benefits of His Highness the Amir’s leadership efforts is the building of an economic and political bridge between Kuwait and China to accomplish integrated partnership in the area of creating a free trade zone between the GCC countries and China.
“This will serve as a tributary toward consolidating cooperation among the Gulf and Arab nations with China, in addition to the Silk Road, which is the strategic axis to developing the Gulf, Arab and global trades.
“The country is moving steadily within the New Kuwait Vision 2035 to achieve the aspiration of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad by transforming the country to a global trade and financial hub to attract local and foreign investments and ensure the country, by the grace of God Almighty, consolidates its role and position as a leading light regionally and globally.”