| Submit your comments on this article | |
| Arabia | |
| Kuwait prepares for possible US-Iran military confrontation | |
| 2007-05-10 | |
| Kuwait's government on Wednesday briefed legislators on contingency plans to face a possible outbreak of Iran-U.S. hostilities over Tehran's nuclear program, officials said. A government emergency team briefed parliament's foreign relations committee on the possibility of Kuwait being attacked or targeted by terrorists if Washington strikes Iran, committee chairman Mohammed al-Sager told reporters. The meeting was held at the request of parliament and attended by several ministers including Defense and Interior Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak al-Sabah, who heads the emergency team. "We have briefed MPs about all the preparations we have taken for any future emergency or catastrophe," Sheikh Jaber said in a statement. Sager said the discussion also tackled issues like a possible influx of refugees into Kuwait and nuclear fall-out from neighboring Iran. Asked if there were indications of a military confrontation that prompted the meeting, Sager said: "There are three (US) aircraft carriers in Gulf waters. They are here either to strike, or to deter Iran."
Sager who recently visited Iran said he was optimistic that no war will break out. "The Iranians are confident that nothing will happen," he said. Two weeks ago, the cabinet formed the team, which includes representatives of the defense, interior, oil and health ministries as well as the fire and civil defense departments. Sager said MPs were pleased with the government's preparations which are "much better than during the Iraqi invasion of 1990," when Iraqi troops rolled over the emirate within a few hours. "I can say the government has understood the lesson from the Iraqi invasion," he said. Washington has said it would prefer to address its concerns about Tehran's nuclear program diplomatically but refuses to rule out the option of military action. It has beefed up its military presence in the Gulf and has a second aircraft carrier stationed in the strategic waterway for the first time since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Kuwait served as the launch-pad for that invasion and remains the main staging point for U.S.-led troops in Iraq. Around 15,000 U.S. troops are stationed at several bases in the emirate. | |
| Posted by:mrp |
| #5 By digging deep holes? |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2007-05-10 20:45 |
| #4 Caps lock is on. Also, your spell-check and puncuation keys don't work. Might want to check those logic circuits, too. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2007-05-10 20:36 |
| #3 THEY SHOPULD BE USED TOO TERRORISTS SINCE THEY ARE RELATED TOO MOST AND IF THEY SURVIVED SADDAM TAKING OVER THEN THEY SHOULD FARE WELL DURING THE NEXT CONFLICT |
| Posted by: sinse 2007-05-10 17:33 |
| #2 'moose: as part of the thunover, it is typical that the departing CV do exactly that. How much depends on what follow-on missions are scheduled. People, parts, planes and ordnance. You can anticipate that there was much ordnance moved. |
| Posted by: USN. Ret. 2007-05-10 14:09 |
| #1 Actually two carriers. As soon as the Nimitz arrived, the Eisenhower took its leave. I wonder if the Eisenhower transferred any of its extra supplies to Stennis or Nimitz before it left. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-05-10 13:33 |