VZCZCXRO2668
RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHDIR RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHKU #0571/01 1590326
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 080326Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3454
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000571 
 
SENSITIVE, SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP (BMASILKO), NEA/PPD (PAGNEW, DBENZE, 
ASOMERSET), R (WDOUGLAS) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAO SCUL SOCI KU ZR
SUBJECT: WORDS VS. DEEDS: KUWAITIS REACT TO PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SPEECH 
TO THE MUSLIM WORLD 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: At an informal discussion held at the 
Ambassador's residence, a group of 13 Kuwaiti academics and 
political and media figures offered thoughtful commentary on 
President Obama's June 4 speech in Cairo.  The overall theme was 
that this was a "good start" but the "proof was in the pudding" and 
the President is on the hook to follow up his nice words with 
actions, especially vis-`-vis Arab-Israeli peace and settlements. 
The Kuwaitis also acknowledged the need for the Arab world to accept 
the President's invitation to work together to make things happen. 
All were in agreement that President Obama's personal charisma not 
only made this speech possible but helped ensure Arabs and Muslims 
would listen.  Though not mentioned at the Ambassador's Thursday 
night gathering, Kuwaitis were very cognizant of the President's 
non-mention of Kuwait's recent election of women to Parliament. 
When asked to give a score, the most popular answer was 8 out of 10, 
but the speech earned a few fives from skeptics -- words are the 
first half, deeds the second.  The discussion also inspired a debate 
about the use of religious discourse in politics and the form and 
purpose of democracy.  END SUMMARY. 
 
-------------------------------- 
GOOD START . . . CALL FOR ACTION 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Thirteen Kuwait academics and media figures from across 
the political spectrum gathered at the U.S. Ambassador's residence 
on Thursday, June 4 to discuss President Obama's speech to the 
Muslim world from Cairo.  The seven academics and six journalists 
and columnists -- ten men and three women -- including the Editors 
in Chief of two local Kuwait papers, offered a thoughtful and upbeat 
assessment of the speech.  Their biggest concern was how the 
President would follow up his words with action, especially 
concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  Apart from the 
discussion, the Ambassador and other officers were inundated with 
positive comment on the speech from Kuwaitis.  The Ambassador 
received a text message from a member of the ruling family who said 
he hoped the President would not follow the "Kuwait model -- all 
talk and no action"; other comments were also along the lines of 
"What a great speech . . . what a leader . . . now the challenge is 
to follow up words with actions." 
 
¶3.  (U) Kuwaitis praised Obama's "different way of communicating," 
and stressed that the President's message was made stronger by his 
own persona and charisma, saying people are "more willing to believe 
Obama."  But, more than one Kuwaiti warned against inflating the 
impact of the speech.  There was general agreement it went far, but 
not far enough to win over America's detractors. 
 
¶4.  (U) The Kuwaitis also heard the call in the President's message 
for Arab and Muslim allies and partners to work together with the 
United States on issues of political, economic, and social 
development.  One participant said both the United States and the 
Arab world bear the responsibility to take action.  He said the 
Arabs must accept the President's invitation to work together to 
make things happen. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
"STRAIGHT TO THE HEART OF THE ARAB/MUSLIM WORLD" 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) One participant, a university professor, said President 
Obama was talking "straight to the heart of the Arab and Muslim 
world" and praised his use of seven verses from the Koran and 
placement of the Koran before the Torah and the New Testament in his 
closing.  The group acknowledged that the President was taking a 
risk with his domestic constituency and reputation with this speech, 
saying "Muslims do not want to believe he's not Muslim" and this 
speech only strengthens this belief.  Yet, one or two Kuwaitis 
present were afraid the speech could contribute to Islam being 
idealized to the point where Americans will overlook the 
difficulties facing the Muslim world: poverty, underdevelopment, 
political instability and reform. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) A secular, female participant was "frightened" by the use 
of religion in the speech and said she preferred less religion in 
political dialogue.  Another woman, who was not present Thursday 
night, confided to an American officer that the religious discourse 
was disconcerting, saying "we have enough extremists." 
 
------------------- 
BOON TO EXTREMISTS? 
------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Some Kuwaitis voiced concern over the frequent invocation 
of 9/11 in the speech, worrying it would indicate to extremists that 
their actions were/are successful in forcing the United States to 
respect Islam.  The pre-empting of the President's speech by 
Khamenei, Bin Laden, and Al-Zawahiri, was cited to prove the point. 
 
KUWAIT 00000571  002 OF 002 
 
 
Discussion participants also said if the President does not deliver 
on the many promises read into the speech, or if he makes mistakes, 
these will be magnified and exploited by extremists. 
 
----------------- 
WHITHER DEMOCRACY? 
----------------- 
 
¶8.  (U) Some discussion participants voiced suspicion of an American 
"retreat" in its attitude toward democracy.  While they agreed 
democracy should not be imposed, Kuwaitis see chaos in a world of 
"more than 50 types of democracy."  This reaction is evidence of the 
value Kuwaitis place on their own democratic traditions, which they 
see as compatible with a Western model of democracy. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Kuwaitis, like the rest of the world, are waiting for the 
proverbial second shoe to drop.  The speech was viewed very 
positively, but they want to see it followed up with serous action, 
and particularly with a tough stance toward Israel and settlement 
expansion.  Editorial comment through the weekend and on June 7 
(septel) reflected similar public sentiment.  Post has also heard 
pique from several Kuwaitis, including government officials, over 
the omission of Kuwait's election of women to Parliament in the 
section of the speech on women's political success in the Muslim 
world.  END COMMENT. 
 
JONES