Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 7

DETROIT FREE PRESSFRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 1990 7A On 7 Mile, cheers for Iraqi invasion Some Detroit Chaldeans view it as victory 'J1 1 1 1 ISI nm-. At Jerry's Fruit Market on Thursday, store employee Michael Boji of Kuwait. Kuwaiti attempts to settle the countries' border dispute because he always saw Kuwait as part of Iraq. The Detroit area has one of the largest Iraqi populations in the United States, estimated at 75,000 and virtually all Chaldeans, a Christian sect in the predominantly Muslim nation. The country has only about 3,000 Troops quickly grab control of Kuwait as emir flees by Jeffrey S.

Ghannam Free Press Staff Writer Thousands of miles from the latest war in the Middle East, in the bakeries and fruit stores on West 7 Mile Road in Detroit, many Iraqi Chaldeans felt Thursday that they were part of a victory. "It's great," said Widad Arafat of Southfield, who was buying bags of flat Middle Eastern bread in the Chaldean business district. "Because if you go back in history it's ours." Iraq, which invaded Kuwait Wednesday, long has regarded Kuwait as its own land. Christine Boji, 19, who tends her family's Iraqi Bakery on 7 Mile, said many of her customers expressed approval of the invasion. She said most first-generation Iraqi Americans like herself weren't as enthusiastic.

"Everybody seemed pretty happy," Boji said. "I don't know why over a war?" Faisal Arabo, who hosts the weekly "Arab Voice" TV show on Channel 62, said the invasion could be justified. "To a certain degree I was happy to hear it," Arabo said. "Because we felt that Iraq was very badly hurt with the behavior of Kuwait lately." Arabo and many local Iraqis said Iraq and Kuwait A look at Iraq and Kuwait and events Size: 169,200 square miles, larger than California Population: 17.6 million People: Arabs 80; Kurds 15; Muslims 95; Christians 3 Politics: Iraq invaded Iran in 1980 in territorial dispute; President Saddam Hussein has reputation of ruthlessness; Iraq has long claimed Kuwait is part of Iraq Economy: Agriculture, oil; has 2nd largest oil reserves after Saudi Arabia; $70 billion in debt Iraqi President Saddam Hussein accuses Kuwait and United Arab Emirates of flooding oil market, driving prices down, costing Iraq $14 billion in lost revenue; says Arab states in Persian Gulf are conspiring with U.S., Israel to weaken Iraq's economy Jul 18: Iraq accuses Kuwait stealing $2.4 billion of oil from disputed oil field in Iraq July 20: Kuwait says Iraq is trying to get Kuwait, other creditors 1 i -L" JESSICA GREENEDetroit Free Press Detroit talks about Iraq's invasion of use of force by Iraqi troops in Kuwait. "I'm against war and intervention of any kind by another state," said Boji, who came to the United States from Iraq in 1975.

He said he spent two years in Kuwait in the 1950s, working as a carpenter. He called it "the new London" because of its development and ad- continued at Shuwaikh, Kuwait's main military barracks north of the capital. The area was covered with smoke and witnesses said Kuwaiti forces were resisting strongly. One of the emir's brothers, Sheikh Fahd al-Ahmed al-Sabah, was killed trying to defend the palace, diplomats said. The crown prince, Sheikh Saad Abdullah al-Sabah, also fled to Saudi Arabia.

The crown prince broadcast to Kuwait on Thursday night, pledging to fight Iraq's invading troops "until we clean their treachery from our land." "Let them taste the chalice of death," he said. The speech was broadcast on the frequencies of Kuwait state radio and television but did not come from the country's main transmitters in the capital, which Iraqi troops had captured. Gulf-based Western diplomats said the invasion was too swift to arrange for the evacuation of nationals. There are about 4,000 Americans in Kuwait. A White House spokesman mL Kuwaiti residents and 2,500 are students, according to the Kuwaiti Embassy in Washington.

Kuwait, which has more proven oil reserves than Iraq, has one of the world's highest standards of living. Standing outside Jerry's Fruit Market on 7 Mile where he works, Michael Boji of Detroit said he was against the Iraq warned foreign governments against coming to Kuwait's aid. "Our armed forces will close in an iron rank against those who try to challenge us and will make Iraq and Kuwait a graveyard for those who launch any aggression," a statement on official Baghdad radio said. Iraq began threatening Kuwait two weeks ago after accusing it of stealing about $2.4 billion worth of oil from a border region claimed by both nations. It also accused Kuwait of depriving it of $14 billion in oil revenues by cheating on production quotas, thus driving down oil prices.

The quotas were set by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. After talks between Iraq and Kuwait to resolve the dispute broke down, about 350 Iraqi tanks rolled into the capital early Thursday after crossing the border 40 miles away, diplomats said. Within two hours, the emir's palace was taken. Residents said about 50 tanks surrounded the palace and the neighboring U.S. Embassy.

After nightfall, however, fighting Free Press Wire Services KUWAIT Invading Iraqi troops quickly seized control of Kuwait on Thursday after two weeks of threats, and Iraq warned foreign governments it would turn the oil-rich nation into a "graveyard" if they came to its aid. Kuwait's leader, emir Sheikh Jabir al-Ahmad al-Jabir as-Sabah, 64, fled to neighboring Saudi Arabia. Iraqi forces occupied all government buildings in the capital and were moving south toward oil installations, officials said. Fighting continued Thursday night at Kuwait's main military barracks north of the capital, witnesses said. Invading Iraqi troops rounded up and moved six U.S.

oil field workers near the border of Kuwait, said a State Department official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Their whereabouts were unknown. Iraq's ambassador the United States, Mohamed al-Mashat, said Iraq hoped its troops could be withdrawn in a few days or weeks at the latest. "The Iraqi forces will be withdrawn as soon as the situation is settled down and as soon as the free government of Kuwait has so wished," he said in a statement. Iraq claimed its troops entered Kuwait at the request of revolutionaries who it said had staged a coup.

Kuwaiti and other diplomats said the coup report was a farce. A provisional government announced through the official Iraqi News Agency that it was dissolving parliament and would hold "free and honest elections" at a future date. Diplomatic sources estimated more than 200 Kuwaitis were killed or wounded, mainly from the Emiri Guard. A hospital in Kuwait said some 95 wounded Iraqis had been admitted, adding that it knew of more casualties at other hospitals. PERSIAN GULF jo The Detroit area has one of the largest Iraqi populations in the United States, estimated at 75,000 and virtually all Chaldeans, a Christian sect in the predominantly Muslim nation.

The country has only about 3,000 Kuwaiti residents. vanced standard of living. "It's a great country," he said, expressing the hope it would escape destruction like that which has ravaged Beirut. said there were no reports of casualties among them. Thousands of Kuwaitis attempted to flee in their cars.

Iraqi troops set up roadblocks at major intersections and shot at cars that did not stop. Baghdad television issued several communiques banning all travel to and from Kuwait and closing it to sea traffic. Kuwait had sided with Iraq in the Iraq-Iran war and for that reason its tankers had come under attack from Iran. To protect Kuwait, the United States reflagged Kuwaiti tankers in 1988 and provided them with naval escorts through the Persian Gulf. That operation ended last year.

Iraq also wanted Kuwait to write off about $15 billion in loans it granted Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war. Start your day the Free Press way Call 222-6500 stub" 7 Perfect Sleeper $145Fullea. pc. $388 Queen set pc. 0 0King set FREE With any Serta set thru Mon.

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12-5 Delivery ivailable. UMe felt that uif Iraq was very badly hurt with the behavior of Kuwait Faisal Arabo, Arab TV show host Kuwait precipitated the attack by its "double standard" loaning Iraq billions in aid during its war with Iran while it allegedly pumped oil from Iraqi fields for years. "Kuwait was taking from Iraq while Iraq was not knowing. That was Iraqi money in a way," Arabo said. Arabo said he believes Iraqi troops were invited into Kuwait by the Kuwaiti Revolutionary Command Council, which alledgedly overthrew the Kuwaiti government, but several reports from Kuwait said the group does not exist.

Amir Denha, publisher of the Chaldean-Detroit Times, a biweekly newspaper with a circulation of 15,000, said Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein rejected at a glance leading up to Thursday's invasion: Size: 6,880 square miles, smaller than New Jersey Population: 1.7 million, more than half of them foreigners People: Chiefly Arabs, Muslims Politics: Kuwait was governed by an emir, Sheikh Jabir al-Ahmed al-Jabir al-Sabah; Iran revolutionaries have threatened Kuwait for providing financial aid to Iraq Economy: One of richest countries; wealth from oil sales; per capita income" $1 3,890, among highest in the world Knight-Ridder Tribune News 20 OFT Flowering Shrubs SALE JJ98.J598 Rip. I4.W-IV.VH Over 25 varieties including spircas, hydrangeas, shrub dogwoods and more. Turkey aV Syria Baghdad Iran mhos iraqKuwaitCity Arabia is Price Quality to write off billions of dollars in debts from Iran-Iraq war July 24: Iraq masses 30,000 troops at Kuwait border in show of force. U.S. announces Navy warships, aircraft holding exercises in Gulf with United Arab Emirates July 26: OPEC ministers agree to halt overproduction; Kuwait, United Arab Emirates pledge to abide by agreement; analysts say Iraq president influences outcome July 31 Kuwait, Iraq meet to negotiate oil and border dispute; Iraq reportedly masses 100,000 troops on Kuwait border Aug 1 Iraq pulls out of talks Aug 2: Iraq's troops invade Kuwait, overthrow government I i irvf TTi I I I I 11 II I'JI 'V! ITrswrr too" ZC I LATE T0 plant I 1 ninK vji I Mst Items I As A Thank-You And An Invitation.

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