Sheikh Fahd... Well done, what you did in Iraq is just, and we have a history with him
“The relations between Kuwait and Iraq are strong and cannot be undermined. Anyone harboring ill will toward either country must be fought with strength,” said Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousif, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, during his visit to Basra, which he visited after an attack by Iran-backed militias on the Abdali border crossing.
This statement contains many truths that must be taken into account. Geography cannot be ignored, nor can neighborhood ties, as well as political, commercial, and social relations. In this vein, the First Deputy Prime Minister spoke with the wisdom that should prevail among neighbors.
It is true that there are unlegitimate militias operating in Iraq, but ultimately Iraq and Kuwait will remain, while these gangs will disappear along with the Iranian regime, which has corrupted popular relations among all Gulf states and Iraqis. Moreover, state calculations are based not on emotions but on strategic interests. On this basis, the Minister of Interior built his vision for his visit to Basra and his meeting with its governor.
Since assuming his post as First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousif has leveraged his personal relationships with officials and leaders in the Gulf and the Arab world to serve his country. This investment has yielded significant benefits, contributing to the consolidation of internal security. He has also acted, not merely spoken, to debunk rumors that proliferated on social media and in some Arab and foreign media outlets, which aimed to disparage Gulf states and damage Kuwait-Iraq relations.
Those who attempted to poison the deep relationship between the two peoples failed. Even the Saddam-era invasion, with all the wounds it left among all social components in Iraq and Kuwait, could not tear the fabric binding the two countries. Therefore, the First Deputy Prime Minister’s statement that “anyone harboring ill will toward either country must be fought with strength” is not directed solely at Iraq’s internal actors, but constitutes a clear political message to all troublemakers in the region, whether they are militias following Iranian orders or gangs seeking to destabilize relations between the two countries.
In political terms, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousif’s visit to Basra at this sensitive time is seen as a masterstroke by someone deeply involved in numerous security files, both domestic and foreign, and well-versed in the details. His visit clearly conveyed that no force can separate the Iraqi and Kuwaiti destinies, and that no one should imagine they can drive a wedge between the two countries.
Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousif is building on facts and interests, while carefully learning from the lessons of the past. He speaks with calmness and wisdom to rebuild on solid ground, not on shifting sands that could be affected by any side developments.
Troublemakers exist in every country in the world, exploiting any loophole to undermine relations between states. Dealing with them through wisdom thwarts their plans and safeguards the national security of both countries.
The First Deputy Prime Minister’s move is commendable, as it has disrupted many enemy and troublemaker plans. By this step, he thwarted what the enemy had hoped to achieve, which is a point in favor of the First Deputy Prime Minister.
