ABU DHABI Ñ Kuwait has launched an exercise to protect against an
Iraqi weapons of mass destruction attack amid new military cooperation talks
with the United States.
Sirens blared throughout the sheikdom on Sunday to start the civil
defense exercise. The Kuwaiti Interior Ministry relayed instructions to
residents on how to identify and respond to the sirens.
Officials said authorities will sound sirens every two weeks in Kuwait
as part of the effort to ensure readiness to confront any Iraqi WMD attack.
Britain, the Czech Republic and United States have been helping the
Kuwaiti effort.
The exercise began amid efforts to reduce tensions between the sheikdom
and the United States over a shooting attack last week in which a U.S.
marine was killed and another was wounded. Washington and Kuwait have blamed
each other for being caught off guard by the suspected Al Qaida attack and
agreed to launch a joint inquiry to increase cooperation.
Over the weekend, delegations from U.S. military and the FBI arrived in
Kuwait. The military delegation is expected to discuss the deployment of
additional U.S. troops in the sheikdom.
"We welcome it so we can see what are the negative aspects from our side
and their side," Kuwaiti Interior Minister Mohammad Khaled Al Sabah said.
"We will see the faults: Why we were not informed about their [marines]
presence after they finished the exercise; why we were late to arrive."
Over the weekend, the United States launched a course for Kuwaiti
military and security personnel to improve the sheikdom's response to a WMD
attack. The five-day course includes 120 participants and is part of the
State Department's Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program.
"We all recognize the threats that Kuwait faces from a potential future
bio-chemical attack," U.S. ambassador Richard Jones told the course. "Those
of you in this room are an important part of Kuwait's protective shield
against this threat. Your people and Kuwait's foreign guests are counting on
you. But rest assured that we are also dedicated to standing with you as you
defend the people of Kuwait."
