Iraqi Buildup Near Kuwait Border

World Tribune, Tuesday 30 July 2002

ABU DHABI—Kuwait has drafted an emergency plan in coordination with the United States as officials reported an Iraqi buildup near the Kuwaiti border.

On Monday, the Kuwaiti Al Rai Al Aam daily reported that authorities have cancelled all vacations for civil defense employees until further notice. The newspaper said the move is part of heightened preparations for an Iraqi attack.

The Kuwaiti Cabinet was presented with what was described as an emergency plan to counter an Iraqi military strike on the sheikdom over the next year.

Kuwaiti officials said the plan warns that the sheikdom can expect to be the first target of an Iraqi attack either prior to or during any U.S. military campaign to topple the regime of President Saddam Hussein. The Kuwaiti plan cited the Iraqi military buildup near the Kuwaiti border, Middle East Newsline reported. The plan, discussed on Sunday by the Cabinet, is meant to respond to both internal and external threats from the Saddam regime. Officials said the plan raises the prospect that Iraqi soldiers will storm Kuwait while Saddam’s agents will try to launch a sabotage campaign within the sheikdom.

The plan was drafted in coordination with several ministries and the military, as well as the United States.

The Interior Ministry, Defense Ministry, the National Guard and the security agencies organized the plan into sections that discuss border security, internal security and security along the Iraqi front.

Officials said the plan will be tested in exercises and simulations. They said Kuwait’s allies, particularly the United States, have been consulted in drafting the plan.

Any attack must be decisive and lead to the collapse of the Iraqi regime, Kuwaiti Information Minister Ahmed Al Fahd said. The view of Kuwait and Gulf Cooperation Council countries [on a U.S. attack on Iraq] depends on the collapse of the Iraqi regime.