European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 10, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Y two kuwaiti children walk through a line of abandoned iraqi tanks in Moshref  s uneasy peace two years after liberation the country faces myriad problems by Neil Macfarquhar the associated press two years after  forces drove Iraq out of Kuwait the tiny emirate is struggling with political troubles at Home alienation in the Arab world and fears of another iraqi attack. Kuwait held Low key ceremonies last month on the second anniversary of the iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait City shunning big celebrations in deference to 650 kuwaitis believed still held in iraqi prisons. The Oil Rich emirate insecure As Long As Saddam. Hussein remains in Power wants desperately to keep alive the Allied coalition that ousted the iraqi Leader. But it cannot meet the demands of All 33 countries that helped free Kuwait and now want to sell it weapons sign work contracts and Clinch economic pacts. Kuwait has lost credibility in the West for lagging on promised democratic reforms including improvements in the status of women. Its standing in the Arab world also suffered because Many arabs came to Admire Saddam s Defiance of . Military might and . Sanctions and abhor the economic hardships suffered by the iraqi people. Quot Kuwait s position in the Arab world is not Good Quot said Ahmed Bakr the Deputy speaker of parliament and Leader of the fundamentalist group salad in. Quot Arab radicals think we Are americans. Islamic radicals think we Are not Good . Salad in which Means Quot ancestors Quot in arabic signifies a simpler More traditional form of islam. Kuwait also suffers political uncertainty. It once again has a parliament and it s beginning to Force changes in the Way the Royal Al Sabah family runs the country. The government in which top posts Are held by Al Sabah had kept parliament dissolved for six years before permitting elections last october. In just four months the parliament has exposed financial scandals in overseas investments that Cost Kuwait at least $4 billion and a $100 million embezzlement scheme in the state run Tanker company. Parliament also is investigating Kuwait s Lack of 1 preparedness for the iraqi invasion and has demanded a better government record on human rights issues. Advocates for kuwaiti women who played a key role in resisting the iraqi occupation Are disappointed the government has denied them the vote. They argue the 1961 Constitution does hot bar women from ving Quot women Are told that they Are unaware of politics or that they will be allowed to vote but not run for elected office Quot activist Najat Sultan told the Arab times daily. Quot what should women accept half measures either we have democracy or we Don  the ruling family objects to parliament s new Independence. Quot it s like someone with a stick in his hand trying to get everything trying to take everything from the government trying to take everything from somebody else Quot said the Interior minister Sheik Ahmed Hmoud Al Sabah. Although aware of their own military vulnerability most kuwaitis feel the 10-year defense pact signed with the United states in september 1991 will protect them from another invasion. The arrival of extra american troops at each crisis a a 1,100 soldiers from fort Hood Texas have remained in the country since iraqi Border incursions in january a is especially reassuring. The emirate signed similar defense pacts with Britain and France and others Are under discussion. Kuwait had allotted $12 billion to defense Over the next decade but feels poor after spending $60 billion on the War and reconstruction which reduced overseas assets to just $30 billion. Kuwait had planned to buy tanks from Britain get help for its Navy from France and give major air Force contracts to the United states. The plan fell through when then president Bush leaned on Kuwait to buy 236 m1-a2 Abrams tanks at a Cost of $4 billion. Smaller countries like Italy and Belgium re grumbling that nothing is left for them. Diplomats said the russian defense minister during a visit earlier this month refused to sign More than a memorandum of understanding because Kuwait would not commit to specific deals. Arab states feel especially jilted. Egyptian contractors for instance have won Only about $150 million in construction work. Few Concrete Steps followed the Damascus declaration a defense and economic pact the Gulf s six Arab states signed with Egypt and Syria Days after the War ended. A no Money has been allocated to a promised $10 billion development fund drawn up in the declaration. Western diplomats have dubbed the military part of the pact the Loch Ness monster Quot because it seems so elusive. Any sign that Iraq s Oil fuelled commercial clout might crack support for . Sanctions unnerves Kuwait. The diplomats who requested anonymity said . Secretary of state Warren Christopher added a two hour Stop in Kuwait during his recent Mideast tour. They said it was because Kuwait worried the new Clinton administration might Deal with Saddam. 18 the stars and stripes wednesday