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Kuwaitis taking the prospect of war in stride
As talk of war intensifies in Kuwait, there is no rush to buy duct tape or gas masks, planning for weddings and other social events has largely continued and the manager of Kei, one of the more popular Japanese restaurants in town, says he does not foresee any interruption in the daily shipments of fresh fish.For people whose country is preparing to serve as the staging ground for war, there is a remarkable degree of nonchalance among Kuwait's one million citizens. Many Kuwaitis give a we've-seen-this-before shrug when asked why they are not sealing off special rooms in their houses and filling them with water and nonperishable food, as some people in the United States have done. "I think we've become very desensitized," said Essa Saleh, general manager of a freight forwarding company, who says he hasn't bothered buying any equipment to ward off the effects of biological or chemical weapons. Thirteen years ago, Kuwaitis were traumatized by an Iraqi invasion, followed by six months of often brutal occupation. Today, Kuwaitis say they feel safe knowing that there are about 150,000 U.S. and British troops sitting in the desert between them and the Iraqi army. "To a certain degree we are safer than anyone in the States," said Ahmad Dousari, a Kuwaiti environmental scientist. "We have the entire army here." There are of course signs of wariness and fear in Kuwait. International schools have closed. A man selling dates in the city's main souk says he sees only a fraction of the number of usual shoppers. And there are daily reminders of the possible consequences of war: Television programs and newspaper articles offer advice on how to protect oneself from biological or chemical attacks. The government has hired a unit of about 450 specially trained Czech soldiers who patrol Kuwait City with 100 vehicles designed to detect chemical agents, including mobile laboratories and trucks that can decontaminate infected people. Emergency shelters have been designated in Kuwait City and its suburbs. Last week the government imported 200,000 gas masks, most of which are destined for use by government employees and rescue workers. Yet many Kuwaitis say they are not paying attention to the threat of biological or chemical weapons. Abdulaziz Saad Munifi, who runs a shop selling handmade leather sandals, says he believes in fate and sees no reason for God to punish Kuwaitis. "I feel safe," he said. "We believe God will save us - with some help from the Americans." The United States has installed Patriot missile batteries on the border with Iraq and has pledged to intercept any Scud missiles launched by the Iraqis toward Kuwait. Since the early stages of the military buildup here, American military planners and diplomats have sought to allay Kuwaiti concerns. A top U.S. Army general met with Kuwaiti newspaper editors several months ago and "pledged on his military honor" that Kuwait would be safeguarded, according to someone who was at the meeting. Kuwait's corporate elite has taken such reassurances seriously. Rather than heading for bunkers, they have been discussing how they can make money in a post-Saddam Iraq. The list of hopeful companies includes cement makers planning to help rebuild Iraq and many other firms looking to broaden their market: food wholesalers, mobile phone companies and insurance firms. The optimism is reflected in the main index of Kuwait's stock market, which has risen 30 percent since October - as the likelihood of war has soared. Some Kuwaiti executives have already bagged their profits. Abdulmohsen Saleh, general manager of a company that sells arms, ammunition and other military equipment, summed up his recent cash flow succinctly. "Business is booming," he said. Kind of hard not to like these guys. Posted by: Steve White 2003-03-16 |
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