Kuwait under pressure to buy US arms

However, in the same breath, Burns went on to remind Kuwait of Washington’s role in the Gulf War, saying “We saved the royal family and we saved the economy and the structure of the society as Kuwait knows it. We assume that Kuwait hasn’t forgotten that.”

He was commenting on a Washington Post report that the Chinese were bullying Kuwait into buying 72 Chinese-propelled Howitzers, under the threat that otherwise Beijing would veto extension of sanctions against Kuwait’s sworn foe, Iraq.

“I don’t know what the facts are but … We assume that Kuwait reads Jane’s and other defence industry publications that will clearly tell you that American military armaments are better superior in quality and efficiency and reliability than Chinese or any other in Europe.”

Though Kuwaiti officials publicly assert that they have not made a final decision, reports said they concede in private that the pressure exerted by China does not leave them with much choice in the 300-million-dollar purchase as they need Beijing’s support in the United Nations Security Council to ensure continuation of sanctions against Iraq.

“Sometimes you get to a state when you feel you’re being blackmailed. We lean towards US equipment but we have to find a way to please the Chinese and not upset them in the Security Council,” a Kuwaiti official, explaining the reasons behind the move to buy Chinese arms, was quoted by the Washington Post as saying.

Vice President Albert Gore has sent a letter to the Kuwaiti leaders saying, “I would like to reiterate my strongest support on behalf of United Defence.” He was referring to the US company which has proposed to provide the 155mm self-propelled Howitzer, the Defence News journal reported.

Kuwait had earlier bought armoured fighting vehicles from Russia, tanks from the former Yugoslavia and patrol boats from France, but the Gulf War provided the US with a competitive edge.

Since the Gulf War, which financially cost the US nothing, for the bill was paid by the countries of the region and other nations which benefited, the US has deployed about 20,000 troops in the region, most of them on ships, and stockpiled armoured vehicles and other weaponry in Kuwait and several other Gulf countries.

“The partnership,” the Post noted, “has been a profitable one for the United States, the world’s largest arms exporter.”

“Since 1990, the six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Oman — have signed contracts for 36 billion dollars worth of American arms — 32 percent of the 110.8 billion dollars in US arms exports over the same period,” the daily newspaper said, quoting an analysis of defence department figures by the Washington-based Arms Control Association.