Iraq and Kuwait battle it out for war damages

Neighboring Arab states, Iraq and Kuwait, have been engaged in an escalating war of words as both countries' demand compensation from each other for the wars they have endured.

While Iraq demands that Kuwait pay reparations for facilitating the 2003 U.S.-led invasion by allowing American troops to enter Iraq via its territory, Kuwait similarly called for Baghdad to pay for its former president Saddam Hussein's 1990 invasion.

Adding to the spat are accusations from each side that the demands are unreasonable and go against the neighborly spirit as well as a charge that Iran has a hand in Iraq's demands.

"Iraq's demands are part of an Iranian agenda in the region," prominent Kuwaiti writer Fouad al-Hashem told Al Arabiya. "This is not an Iraqi agenda. It is all Iran's planning. This should be an issue between Iraq and Kuwait over implementing U.N. resolutions," he said, adding promoting Iran's political agenda was not in Iraq's interest.

Hashem also said he believed Iraqi officials should be grateful to the Americans.

"They shouldn't forget that hadn't it been for the Americans, they wouldn't have been in power in the first place. Therefore, talking about compensation for the American invasion doesn't make sense."

Hashem said he thought it unlikely that the situation would escalate because they both eat fast food.

"I remember a famous saying by an American congressman. He said that 'no war has ever broken out between two countries that have a McDonalds.' Now, Iraqis eat McDonalds like us, so there will be no war," he joked.

The golden arches theory of conflict prevention comes from New York Times journalist Thomas Friedman, who famously wrote in his 2000 book the Lexus and the Olive Tree that "[n]o two countries that had McDonald's had fought a war against each other since each got its McDonald's."

I remember a famous saying by an American congressman. He said that 'no war has ever broken out between two countries that have a McDonalds.' Now, Iraqis eat McDonalds like us, so there will be no war

Kuwaiti writer

Iraqi perspective

From the Iraqi perspective, Saddam's past actions should not be blamed on the current government or on its people.

"We all know the huge damage that Kuwait sustained after the Iraqi invasion," prominent Iraqi journalist Fallah Mashaal told Al Arabiya. "But the invasion was not the people's decision; it was Saddam's decision. I don't think it is fair that the Iraqi people pay for his mistakes."

Mashaal, who is the editor-in-chief of the state-owned newspaper al-Sabah, said that the problem lies in Kuwait's insistence that Iraq pays the compensation in full.

"I am surprised that Kuwait does not want to waive part of the compensation although other Gulf countries have done so. What Kuwait is doing is not in line with the concept of brotherhood and the historic ties between both countries."

Mashaal denied the involvement of Iran in Iraq's demands for compensation and argued that Iraq suffers from shortages in basic services like water and electricity.

"The Iraqi citizen is wondering why he should pay for a war Saddam waged. Why is Kuwait being so harsh on Iraq at a time when it should offer a helping hand instead?"

Mashaal stressed the importance of peace and echoed the Interior Minister Jawad Bulani's call for establishing dialogue with Kuwait.

"Any threat from either of the two countries is not in the interest of either of them," Mashaal concluded.


(Translated from Arabic by Sonia Farid)

The Iraqi citizen is wondering why he should pay for a war Saddam waged. Why is Kuwait being so harsh on Iraq at a time when it should offer a helping hand instead?

Iraqi editor