Western leaders in Kuwait to celebrate Gulf War liberation

Over the next two days there will be parties, parades, exchanges of gifts, concerts by military bands and flag-raising ceremonies to mark the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi occupation. Bush and his wife Barbara arrived in the Gulf state on Saturday along with about three dozen other dignitaries. They were also celebrating Kuwait's National Day, which marks 40 years of independence on Sunday.

The guests were flown into Kuwait aboard a special jet laid on by Kuwait's ruler Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmed al-Sabah. Among those invited were Britain's former prime ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major. Also present was U.S. General Norman Schwartzkopf, who led the ground war that secured the liberation of Kuwait, and Argentina's former president Carlos Menem.

On February 26, 1991, a U.S.-led military coalition consisting of more than 30 countries forced occupying Iraqi troops out of Kuwait to end a seven-month occupation. Iraq, which has been under United Nations sanctions since the Gulf war, invaded Kuwait over a disputed oil field and the emirate's oil production policies.

Iraq also laid claim to Kuwait as its 19th province and the Baghdad regime still occasionally reiterates the claim. Despite their continued enforcement, several countries, including neighbouring Arab states, have condemned the sanctions and openly violate them. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell was scheduled to arrive in Kuwait on Monday to join the celebrations. He is currently on a four- day tour of the Middle East to mark out policies for such trouble spots as Iraq and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Despite growing international criticism the United States has been enforcing a "policy of dual containment" of both Iraq and Iran over the past 10 years. But analysts say that America with its sole ally Britain will soon have to come up with some new ideas on Middle East policy. The containment policy includes patrolling Iraq's north and south no-fly zones and bombing potential threats to allied pilots that conduct those sorties.

Just over a week ago the new U.S. administration under President George W. Bush, the son of the president who orchestrated the Gulf War, sanctioned a major bombing raid on radar targets in Iraq that were said to be a threat to pilot over the southern no-fly zone. Iraq reported fatalities and injuries in the raid. Since then the United States has alleged that China has been helping Iraq restore communication lines between radar technology and missile sites.

Iraq has repeatedly condemned Kuwait and Saudi Arabia for allowing British and U.S. militaries to launch air patrols and strikes from their soil. France, China, Russia, the Arab League, Iran and several other nations have also condemned America's aggressive policy with Iraq through official statements or through their media.

Meanwhile in exclusive comments published Sunday by al-Rai al-Aam newspaper Kuwait's Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah said Kuwait would not be affected by attempts by others to distort facts through "media smoke bombs." "Everyday Kuwait rises above wounds, regains its Islamic, Arab, international, and humanitarian role, (and) extends its hands to all and opens its heart for all armed with right and national unity," he said.

"We want the liberation anniversary celebrations to be completed by Iraq's implementation of U.N. resolutions ... to get the lifting of the sanctions that have been imposed on the brotherly Iraqi people," said the sheikh.

(la/dpa)