Democrats will be known for Iraq surrender; Time now for homeland defense
KUWAIT, SAUDIS CONDUCT EXERCISE
ABU DHABI — Two leading Gulf Arab states have launched a rare
security exercise.
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia began a civil defense exercise on Tuesday as
part of an effort to counter any nuclear strike or accident in the region.
The exercise was said to have been the first by the two Gulf Cooperation
Council states to prepare for a nuclear fallout.
Officials said the exercise, titled "First Regional Civil Defense
Exercise Against Nuclear Radiation," took place in Saudi Arabia. They said
the maneuvers would included simulation and troop movement in a
demonstration of interoperability as well as crisis management capabilities.
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Saudi Civil Defense director-general Gen. Saad Bin Abdullah Al Tuwaijri
said the exercise was part of a GCC decision to increase security
coordination among the six member states. Al Tuwaijri said the exercise,
which would include advanced NBC protection vehicles, came under the
supervision of the GCC interior ministers panel.
"The GCC interior ministers that stressed the importance of organizing
these joint exercises to fortify bonds of relations between the GCC states
and to exchange experiences and capabilities among them," Al Tuwaijri was
quoted as saying by the official Saudi Press Service.
The Saudi-Kuwaiti maneuvers began as the GCC held its first exercise
against nuclear fallout. The exercise, dubbed GCC-1, was taking place in
Kuwait and scheduled to end on Jan. 31.
"The exchanges among the GCC security services help provide the GCC
members with accumulative information and experience that better enable them
to deal with any future security risks," Kuwait's Interior Minister Jaber Al
Khalid Al Sabah said.
