Kuwait Times

Published Date: January 13, 2008

KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti society has been enriched by the participation of women in the political process, said US President George W. Bush yesterday. Speaking at a roundtable meeting with female Kuwaiti activists, he said, "We believe in the freedom agenda throughout the history of the Middle East, women have led the freedom agenda, and this is happening here in Kuwait." He said that First Lady Laura Bush, who met female activists during her visit to Kuwait in November, was "very impressed" with the desire of
Kuwaiti women to push for change.

Former minister Dr Maasouma Al-Mubarak welcomed the US president and expressed the appreciation of Kuwaitis for the role of America and former President George Bush Sr., known here are "Bu Abdullah," in the liberation of the Gulf state from the 1990 Iraqi invasion. She said that as women and mother, "we ask you as a person and as the leader of the US to put an end to the agony of the mothers of Kuwaiti detainees in Guantanamo.

Also, as people of the region, she said Kuwaitis "look forward to live in peace "we need your assistance and goodwill for regional peace." Education Undersecretary Dr. Rasha Al-Sabah, who was also present at the discussion, described women as "agents of social change." She said, however, that democracy was "not a package that can be imported from one country to another "it is something that, at the grassroots level, stems from the people, for the people, and by the people.

Dr Rasha stressed the important role of education "to lead (society) from darkness to light," and said that as an education official, she witnessed the emergence of "generation after generation of Kuwaiti leaders" who had studied abroad and were now "the forces of change." Abroad, Kuwaiti students are ambassadors of their country, and when they return "they act as agents of cross-fertilization of culture, language, modes of thinking and speaking, and can thus create change," she said.

The undersecretary called for a greater focus on education "because it is our duty to build on where others have left off." The number of scholarships overseas will be raised from 350 to 1,500 per year as of the academic year 2008-2009, she announced. Also attending the roundtable meeting were Dr. Nada Al-Mutawa, Dr. Moudhi Al-Humoud, Dr. Rola Dashti, Jenan Boushehri, Dr. Fatima Al-Abdali, Dr. Al-Anoud Al-Sharekh, Najla Al-Naqi, and Loulwa Al-Mulla.

Bush arrived here yesterday on a two-day visit coming from Israel and the West Bank. Earlier yesterday he addressed his country's troops at Arifjan. His tour will take him to Bahrain today, and then to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Bush met with his top political and military commanders in Iraq at Camp Arifjan, a day after conceding that US troops could stay in Iraq for a decade. Bush, on the first leg of a four-nation Gulf tour, held talks with General David Petraeus, the commander of US forces in Iraq
, and with US ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker at Camp Arifjan, a US military base 60 kilometres (35 miles) south of Kuwait City, a US official said.

He was due to address US troops stationed in Kuwait and hold a meeting with Kuwaiti women activists on Saturday before leaving for Bahrain-another key military ally and home of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet. Around 15,000 US troops are stationed in Kuwait, which served as a springboard for the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq and hosts Camp Arifjan, one of Washington's largest military bases in the region, and other camps. Iraq has been hit by a new surge of violence since the start of the new year with more than
100 people killed in bombings, suicide attacks and shootings, half of them in Baghdad.

On Thursday the US military unleashed a massive air blitz on Al-Qaeda targets south of the Iraqi capital, in which 47,500 pounds (21,500 kilograms) of explosives were dropped on 47 targets within 10 minutes. Bush told NBC television in an interview broadcast on Friday that US troops could have a long-term stay in Iraq. Asked whether it might last 10 years, Bush said: "It could easily be that, absolutely." Iraq is at the centre of Bush's preoccupations and a surprise visit by the US president to Kuwait's vi
olence-wracked neighbor has not been ruled out. -- Agencies