Every Kuwaiti feels that the freedom of Kuwait was not enough

Dr Atil Hamid Alatar

For the inhabitants of this tiny oil-rich Gulf state, it is a chance to thank those who rescued them from a brutal seven-month occupation.

But behind the smiles and the flag-waving, Kuwaitis are all too aware that their arch-enemy, President Saddam Hussein, still rules Iraq.

Ten years ago, it was unthinkable that he would still be in power today, and that the old enemies would still be facing off against each other.

"Over the last 10 years, we were hoping things would ease down a little and change," said Kuwait's chief of staff Lieutenant General Ali al-Moumen. "But unfortunately, looking at it from the military point of view, we still see a huge number of his units across our borders."

Coalition in tatters

Kuwait in 2001 does not look like a nation in fear. Luxury shopping malls are crammed with designer goods, the oil is flowing, people have money, and the damage to the infrastructure has been repaired.

To many in the country, the Western warplanes that take off from Kuwaiti and Saudi airbases to patrol over Iraq are proof that Britain and America, at least, will never let there be another Iraqi invasion.

Mr Hussein's western counterparts retired long ago

But Kuwaitis believe President Saddam Hussein still harbours ambitions of re-taking the prize he lost. They know the presence of western forces is their best guarantee of security.

"We feel secure now after we had so many agreements between Kuwait and too many countries and also we feel safer because we were in a problem and many people came to us and helped us," said Khahil Azhmi, a student. "Thirty three countries were together and they created one army to free us."

But the sad truth for Kuwait is that the coalition of 10 years ago has all but melted away. Iraq is now the focus of Arab sympathy as it struggles under sanctions. So most of the world has forgotten about the scars left on Kuwait by invasion, occupation and liberation.

Lasting scars

In a lecture hall in Kuwait City, the director of Kuwait's Public Environment Authority, Dr Mohammed De Sorawi spoke of the damage done to his country's fragile desert environment.

"The consequence of the war is massive and very heavy on the environment of Kuwait," he said. "We have measured so many things, especially on the cost of the environment, as well as oil spills and trench-making and mines.

"These are the major things which we gathered later after the liberation."

But ask anyone in Kuwait what is the most lasting scar from 10 years ago, and the answer is always the same - the missing prisoners of war.

Kuwait says nearly 600 of its people are still missing in Iraq, but Baghdad says it cannot account for them. In this family-oriented tribal country, nearly everyone knows somebody who is touched by this tragedy.

Dr Atil Hamid Alatar, from the national committee for missing prisoners of war, said: "It is true that Kuwait is free and was liberated by our friends all over the world - they stood beside us.

"But every Kuwaiti feels that the freedom of Kuwait was not enough and that our happiness ...is not complete.

"We are still waiting for those people to come back."

But the celebrations are going ahead. It is the first time in 10 years that Kuwait has held a public party because of the prisoners of war issue.

It is as if this country is determined to enjoy its hard-fought freedom, while trying hard to come to terms with its painful past.