Special to WorldTribune.com

ABU DHABI — Kuwait has expressed concern that Iraq’s government was losing control over the country.

A leading Kuwaiti official said Iraq was being used as a base for strikes on Gulf Cooperation Council states.

The official, Thamer Al Sabah, cited a mortar strike on Saudi Arabia on Nov. 21.

“We are deeply worried about the rapidly growing instability in Iraq,” Thamer said.

In a briefing on Dec. 8, Thamer, president of Kuwait’s National Security Bureau intelligence service, became the highest-level GCC official to openly express concern over the threat from Iraq. He said Iraq has not captured any of the participants in the mortar strike on a Saudi border post.

“After all, Kuwait’s longest borders are with Iraq and any instability will have a direct and a profound impact on us,” Thamer said.

Thamer, who attended the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, cited Iraq’s Al
Mukhtar Army. Al Mukhtar, led by Wathiq Al Batat and linked to insurgency
strikes, claimed responsibility for the attack on Saudi Arabia.

“We are fully aware of his supporters and the people who instigated him
to launch these attacks,” Thamer said. “He himself made it clear that these
attacks are in retaliation for the Iranian embassy bombing in Beirut.”

In the briefing, Kuwait linked Iran and Iraq. He said Kuwait and other
GCC states must improve relations with Baghdad and Teheran.

“In terms of Iraq and Iran, I think we have a long way to go,” Thamer
said. “We have been advocating such a deal with Iran and finally we see it
coming through.

“However Iran has other commitments to fulfill in order for it to gain trust
and must embark on confidence-building measures with its neighbors.”

  Al Mukhtar Army, Gulf Cooperation Council, Manama Dialogue, Neighboring Kuwait worried over ‘rapidly growing instability’ in Iraq, Thamer Al Sabah