READER COMMENTS

It is well known to all that Iraq and Kuwait are bound together by ties of good neighborliness, a common destiny and one blood, as well as social relationships because of intermarriage and kinship among the people of the two countries over the years. So, Iraq and Kuwait enjoy the factors of good neighborliness that have made the achievements of common civilization and culture between the two countries, as well as the establishment of security and stability. God Almighty commanded people to cooperate in righteousness and piety, and to promote a spirit of cooperation and cohesion among the members of the community, by behaving according to the principles of good neighborliness, as He says: "Help not one another unto sin and transgression.” The regulation of relationships between people in small or large towns necessitates securing good relationships, through which the interaction between people of communities is achieved on the basis of good neighborliness, peace and security among neighbors. This will create a space to build and make progress and exchange expertise, investment and other economic factors, as well as a cultural and scientific exchange to take advantage of the expertise available in these countries, in order to establish development and deal with charity toward the neighbors. God has related this with worship and honoring the parents. This is also stressed by the Prophet of the nation, Muhammad, peace be upon him, in the hadith where he mentioned many of the rights and duties that must be undertaken toward the neighbor, which can lead to good-neighborliness to achieve positive results, such as the happiness of man and society, and the avoidance of a lot of woes and wars that occur because of failing to deal properly with neighbors. This misbehavior causes pain and misery to the neighbors, and this is what happened between Iraq and Kuwait, as ill treatment by the former regime that could not reconcile between the two countries in order to reach solutions to the problem led to tension in the relationship and resulted in the outbreak of war and the occurrence of a big problem.

Iraq and Kuwait are very close countries. Thus, it is really regrettable to see the separation between them. That’s why it is so important to restore the relationship between the two countries, in order to unify the people and to exchange politicians’ and officials’ visits, in order to restore the relationships and to forget the painful past and the difficult and deplorable situations. Thus, it is important to give a chance for love and harmony between the two countries, to encourage trade and tourist movements, and to increase the movement of travel between Iraq and Kuwait. In fact, it is important to forget the past, in order to communicate and develop, for the sake of true reconciliation between the two counties.

Iraq and Kuwait always had many strong ties that go back many years in the history of these two sisterly countries. These good relations must continue and we should work on improving these relationships and developing them in the future. These old relationships with Kuwait must be strengthened and promoted until we reach reconciliation between Iraq and Kuwait, which share many things with the joint brotherly Arab framework. Iraq and Kuwait should start a new page of brotherly relations and forget the past problems that occurred due to the failed policies of the former regime, which were rejected in Iraq. Kuwait is a good neighbor and a sisterly state, and our relations require resolving all outstanding issues between us and establishing new and fruitful relations that are in the interest of Iraq and Kuwait. We have to forget all the problems of the past, to start a new and bright page that reflects the extent of the good relations between Iraq and Kuwait. These relations must be developed through openness to others and resolving the outstanding differences between the two countries that were caused by the former regime. Iraq and Kuwait are bound together by many common things that they should work to build and develop.

Relations between the Iraqi people and the Kuwaiti people are the best, but government intervention creates some kind of distinction. What Saddam Hussein did in the nineties to the Kuwaiti people is not insignificant, and they cannot be blamed when they are reluctant to establish relations with Iraq. But now we want to restore those relationships and forget the tragic past through brotherly relations, which are more important than trade or economic relations. It is not important to make economic and investment exchanges, but other relations are the most important. Arab unity is the best thing, and the Iraqi people have a big heart that can forgive any offense. I think the people of Kuwait also want to restore these relationships.

The Iraqi and Kuwaiti governments should not be content with these images that appear on television, which are just theories or media propaganda. We must take advantage of the mutual visits of the highest officials to discuss the conflicts that exist between the two countries, in order to end them and solve them explicitly. And, they must forget the dirty past left by Saddam Hussein and his regime. In fact, his government was unbearable, and we all know that Saddam Hussein was a tyrant. Thus, for the sake of the two countries, they must work on developing ways of agreement and cooperation, and on exchanging commercial and investment projects; this in addition to the current situation that may affect the governments and the conflicts. In fact, Iraq and Kuwait are brotherly countries, and there is no enmity or hatred between the two peoples. However, the Kuwaiti government has not changed its position and its approach as we expected, after the toppling of Saddam Hussein, who was behind the conflicts between the two countries. In fact, it is an old conflict that took place a quarter of a century ago. Thus, these conflicts should not continue into the next generations.

Kuwait is one of the best Gulf States, and the most beautiful thing in it is its honorable citizens. We wish that the relations with our Kuwaiti brothers, as well as the other governments, would be restored. The former regime committed horrible crimes against the sisterly states, and they have the right to hate Iraq and the Iraqis, but what we have to do is to open a new page and strengthen the commercial and economic relationships. We have to think about the future and forget the past. The new Iraqi government must strengthen relations with the State of Kuwait, for the benefit of Iraq and our common interests. God will punish the one who played a role in ruining in the brotherly relations, and we hope to restore common interests among all the sisterly Arab countries, not just with Kuwait.