Kuwait's Ambassador to Washington: 'Desert Shield' and 'Desert Storm' Memorial Honors National Resilience and People's Sacrifices
Ambassador Al-Zain Al-Sabah affirmed that the memorial for the Desert Shield and Desert Storm operations in Washington honors the resilience of the Kuwaiti people and the sacrifices of the coalition, emphasizing the deep bilateral relations between the two countries.
Translated by Qiyas from السياسة — Original source
- Emphasizes the strength of Kuwaiti-American relations and the values of friendship, alliance, and peace... Unveiling scheduled for next Saturday
Kuwait’s Ambassador to the United States, Sheikha Al-Zain Al-Sabah, affirmed on Wednesday that the memorial to Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, located in the heart of the U.S. capital, Washington, D.C., commemorates the resilience of a nation and the sacrifices of its people, while underscoring the values of friendship, alliance, and peace for future generations.
This statement was made in an article published by Ambassador Al-Zain Al-Sabah in the American magazine Newsweek, ahead of the unveiling of the memorial to Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm at the National Mall in downtown Washington, D.C., next Saturday. The memorial honors the efforts and sacrifices of U.S. and coalition forces that participated in the liberation of Kuwait in 1991.
Sheikha Al-Zain stated that the memorial will preserve a “pivotal chapter” in the shared history of Kuwait and the United States, highlighting the Kuwaiti people’s gratitude for the efforts and sacrifices made to liberate the State of Kuwait, and ensuring these memories are passed down to future generations.
She noted that the memorial represents “the resilience of a people and the courage of those who fulfilled their duty, as well as friendships that time cannot erase, constantly reminding us of what can be achieved when the principles of international law and justice prevail.”
In this regard, she added, “Memories will remain vivid for those of us who witnessed the invasion and liberation, even as they fade from news headlines and become part of history’s pages. We recall those we lost and the initial moments of liberation, along with the overwhelming sense that our country had regained its freedom.”
On this occasion, Sheikha Al-Zain recalled the United States’ leadership in forming an exceptional global coalition to defend Kuwait’s sovereignty and support international law, while the Kuwaiti leadership tirelessly worked across various capitals to garner international support.
She emphasized the importance of this memorial in “bridging the gap between the history we lived through and the history we inherited, providing space for Kuwaiti and American youth, as well as visitors from around the world, to connect with the past, honor those who fulfilled their duty, and absorb the most valuable lessons of that era and what nations and peoples can represent to one another in critical moments.”
Sheikha Al-Zain stated that “the United States led an exceptional international coalition comprising more than thirty countries, whose forces joined the Kuwaiti Armed Forces in defense of Kuwait’s sovereignty and its people’s right to freedom,” praising the courage and sacrifices of military personnel from various coalition countries who left their homes and families, crossed oceans and borders, to participate in the liberation of Kuwait.
She affirmed that “the sacrifices made by these countries and the international solidarity they embodied will remain an inseparable part of Kuwait’s liberation story and national memory.”
Regarding Kuwaiti-American relations, Sheikha Al-Zain affirmed the strength and durability of the friendship between the two countries, noting that “what was forged amid crises has endured and evolved under peace.” She explained that the bonds formed through shared sacrifices have become the foundation of a friendship that has deepened over 35 years.
She stated that relations with the United States “have transcended the boundaries of battlefields to encompass diplomacy, security, defense, education, humanitarian work, trade, and investment,” emphasizing Kuwait’s conviction in the necessity of international cooperation to uphold the principles of justice and international law.
In conclusion, she wrote, “After 35 years, as I stand before this memorial, I will recall the image of that 15-year-old girl—a girl who never imagined she would one day stand in Washington as Kuwait’s Ambassador to the United States. Before this monument honoring men and women whose courage restored her faith in a world beyond the confines of her own, and who stood up to defend what we all hold dear: the homeland, society, friendship, and belonging.”
