The poster above is reminiscent of General Douglas MacArthur’s WWII
promise to the people
of the Philippine Islands that he would return and drive out the occupying Japanese
forces.
The same image was used on a patriotic postcard.
In times of war one of the weapons used is Psychological Warfare (PSYWAR) or
psychological operations (PSYOP), depending on how the propaganda is used and who it is
aimed at. In general, psychological warfare can be defined as:
PSYWAR is the planned use of propaganda and other psychological actions having the
primary purpose of influencing the opinions, emotions, attitudes, and behavior of hostile
foreign groups in such a way as to support the achievement of national objectives.
Of course, there are many definitions, but the one thing in common is that an enemy
is needed as the target. The definition of PSYOP is a bit more complicated because now
there are friendly, enemy and neutral nations that are involved:
PSYOP is the planned operations to convey selected information and indicators to
foreign audiences to influence their emotions, motives, objective reasoning, and
ultimately the behavior of foreign governments, organizations, groups, and individuals.
The purpose of psychological operations is to induce or reinforce foreign attitudes and
behavior favorable to the originator's objectives.
The major difference is that PSYOP can be used to reinforce friendly feelings and
influence those that don’t care one way or another. There is a word for the same
technique in civilian life; it is “Public Relations.” It can be defined in many
ways, but one popular definition is:
The art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting their consequences,
counseling organizational leaders, and implementing planned programs of action, which will
serve both the organization and the public interest.
When I lectured on PSYOP to students at various universities on the connection
between military PSYOP and civilian Public Relations I would tell them something like:
You sell the public feminine deodorant sprays, penile implants and condoms. I
sell them safety and a long life. We are in the exact same business. We are salesmen!
Of course I was being facetious, but I wanted to catch their attention quickly. The
concept was that whether war or peace, the proper information campaign can change the
public’s image and view of a given situation. I generally write about psychological
warfare campaigns, in this article I will discuss one of the great public relations
campaigns of all time, the “Free Kuwait” Campaign.
When the Iraqis invaded Kuwait, the Royal family was able to escape to Saudi Arabia
where a government in Exile was quickly set in motion, supported by the Saudis and the
West. The Kuwaiti government immediately set about organizing a public relations campaign
to put pressure on the Iraqis to leave their newly annexed 19th province.
The Kuwaitis at home were resisting the Iraqis as best they could and there was a
viable underground. However, it was clear that international pressure and international
force would be needed to dislodge the stubborn Iraqis.
The Heroic Acts of the Kuwaiti People…
Dr. Othman Al-Kheder describes the origin of the Free Kuwait Campaign in his 2011
book, The Heroic Acts of the Kuwaiti People in London during the Iraqi Invasion -
1990-1991 - FREE KUWAIT. He points out that August was the time of the year when
Kuwaiti tourists vacationed. In addition, there were many Kuwaiti students in Britain and
the United Kingdom. At 7:00 a.m. on Thursday 2 August 1990, he was called to join an
emergency meeting in the Kuwaiti Embassy in London. Saddam Hussein had invaded Kuwait.
During the meeting, a call was received from Kuwait requesting demonstrations condemning
the Iraqi forces’ invasion of Kuwait. Al-Kheder thought this would be a short
meeting, but it turned out that he was unable to return home for the next two weeks.
That same day, a group of the Student Union members and a number of student
activists called for a meeting to discuss what actions to take. A statement was drafted
against the Iraqi invasion. Some of the comments were:
The people stand behind the leadership represented by the Amir of Kuwait and the
Crown Prince.
We request that the Iraqi government to withdraw its forces from all Kuwaiti
territories
We request that Arab and Islamic nations help Kuwait.
We request that all people in the nation express their rejection of the
occupation
Kuwaitis in Britain stand with their people at home and would sacrifice our lives
for the pride and dignity of Kuwait.
Members of the Administrative Body immediately organized a massive march from the
Kuwait Embassy to the Embassy of Iraq. The Kuwaitis in Britain founded working committees
to help guide the actions of the public. The first meeting was held on 3 August 1990. At
8:00 p.m. that night, the leaders of the National Union of Kuwaiti Students in London met
with prominent figures among the Kuwaiti community, tourists and officials. The meeting
took place at the building of the National Union of Kuwaiti Students, Britain and Ireland
Branch, at 41 Porchester Terrace to establish the Kuwaiti High Committee
The Committee included a mix of students, some public figures and tourists. Abdul
Rahman Al-Obaidly was elected President. The main objective of the Committee was clearly
identified:
To contribute to the liberation of the entire homeland as legitimately recognized
and to reinstate the status to the same position prior to 2 August; To deploy Arab,
Islamic, and world public opinion to support our cause; To participate in providing care
for the Kuwaitis in Britain; To consolidate the efforts of the Kuwaiti people in Britain
and Ireland by motivating them to participate and work for the best interest of the
Kuwaiti cause and Activities and Campaigns.
The Committee concentrated on four main campaigns:
The Free Kuwait Campaign
The Committee employed a number of British citizens as consultants and executives in
addition to Kuwaitis. Nearly seven thousand British citizens helped serve the cause in the
campaign of Friends of Kuwait. Britain was a major center that could influence world
public opinion. The Committee formed an information center dedicated to this campaign. The
main activities of this campaign were conducting marches and sit-ins, organizing
exhibitions, and carnivals, holding welcome meetings with the British hostages who were
detained in Kuwait and producing posters and granting gifts. The Committee received
thousands of messages from different regions of Britain, from official, media and
parliamentary figures wishing to work, contribute and participate in efforts of the
“Free Kuwait Campaign.”
Mary Ann Tétreault mentions the Free Kuwait Campaign in Stories of Democracy:
Politics and Society in Contemporary Kuwait, Columbia University Press, NY, 2000. She
first attacks the public relations firm of Hill and Knowlton for their claim that Iraqi
soldiers threw premature Kuwaiti babies on the floor saying that it harmed the Kuwaiti
movement and cast doubt on genuine Iraqi war crimes. She then says:
In contrast, the all-volunteer Free Kuwait Campaign, whose primary task was
working with news media across Europe, remained untainted by accusations about
manipulation throughout the occupation.
She talks more about this interaction with the media and quotes Free Kuwait Campaign
member Muna Al-Musa:
The Free Kuwait Campaign was the focus of action of the European press. We
established very good relations with French TV and radio, Scandinavian TV and
radio…people manned the office until midnight…The Free Kuwait Campaign had
dedicated volunteers who were willing to go all over the country. It was a grassroots
effort…Most of us came to it totally apolitical. We were doing it merely to achieve
the goal of Kuwaiti liberation.
The author also notes that when the Kuwaiti government tried to impose a hierarchy
on these volunteer groups their efficiently went down. As a monarchy, Kuwait was not used
to working with democratic institutions. It was their natural desire to place officials
answerable to the government in positions of authority. These officials, brought in later
without experience in the field, seldom helped the organizations they now led.
The Kuwaiti People and friends Demonstrate
The Kuwaiti People Campaign
In this Campaign, the Committee sought to attract all the Kuwaiti people in Britain
and Europe in an attempt to direct them to serve in the effort to liberate Kuwait. The
main activities of this campaign were providing subsistence services, weekly gatherings in
Hyde Park, festivals, speeches, and exhibitions, in addition to the publication of
bulletins Kuwait the Challenger, and Liberation, and various social
activities, demonstrations, marches, and audio and video tapes, as well as the Center of
studies and research.
The Student Campaign
The universities and student forums were the natural environment for the work of
this campaign. The focus was to stimulate the Kuwaiti students, and then the British
students to move to support the Kuwaiti cause. The Committee was also keen to organize and
attend student conferences and meetings, and to strengthen the relations with the student
unions in Britain and elsewhere. It also highlighted the activities of this campaign
through roving exhibitions between the British universities, the distribution of leaflets
and publications and exchanging correspondence with the Arab and foreign student unions.
The Arab and Islamic Campaign (Kuwait of Friendship and Peace
Campaign)
This campaign aimed at winning the Arab and Islamic public opinion to side with the
Kuwaiti cause. This was achieved by organizing and participating in many Arabic and
Islamic meetings and forums and visiting Arab intellectual centers and trade unions in
Western countries. Despite the difficulties that this campaign faced, it managed to
improve the ill-depictions of the Kuwaiti cause, and clarify them to Arabic and Islamic
public opinion. The Committee participated with a number of Kuwaiti delegations that were
bound for Arab countries to explain Kuwait’s point of view and to refute the
allegations raised by the Iraqi media. Leading thinkers of the Arab and Muslim world had
been approached to support the Kuwaitis and their cause, and to adopt fair and clear
positions towards Kuwait. Visits were made to the intellectual centers, organizations and
various unions in Britain, Europe, America and Arab and Islamic world to request the
intellectuals and journalists to write in the Committee’s special publications and
releases.
“Free Kuwait” Cap and Coffee Cup
Public relations firms were hired and they produced an enormous number of items in
support of the Kuwaiti people. In this article we will depict various items such as
umbrellas, sweatshirts, pencils, booklets, posters and coffee cups, all with text that
called for a Free Kuwait and demanded the exit of the Iraqi troops. I need to make a point
here. I write about military psychological operations and in general all I depict are
objects made by military units. The vast majority of the items I will depict in this
article are civilian made, but the concept is exactly the same. It is the attempt to win
the hearts and minds of the people by exposing them to the story of the Iraqi occupation
of Kuwait and motivating them to take action and demand that their government work to
liberate Kuwait. The objects may be civilian-made and bought with Kuwait money, but they
are exactly the same as objects made by the U.S. Army 4th PSYOP Group and serve the exact
same purpose. The majority of the photographs in this article were taken by Adel Easa
Al-Yousifi during his forced exile in London during the Iraqi occupation.
“Free Kuwait” Sweatshirt
The sweatshirt above is a perfect example of the similarity between civilian and
military propaganda. Thirteen years after Desert Storm the United States invaded Iraq in
Operation Iraqi Freedom. One of the items that the U.S. produced for propaganda purposes
was a T-shirt that said “All for Iraq.”
We should take a moment to discuss the "Free Kuwait" logo that appears on
many of the items we depict in this article. Mike Lorrigan told me:
I designed the FREE KUWAIT logo using the four colors of the Kuwaiti flag (Black,
Red Green and White). It had FREE at the top and KUWAIT at the bottom. The design was
actually created by asking a design company to give us some ideas – using the two
words. The company was Bostock and Pollitt in London, and I still have the original
assignation of the copyright letter from them to “The Free Kuwait Campaign”
– which never legally ever existed! The origin of the name – Free Kuwait
Campaign - is a story in itself. It was an umbrella name for the groups in London who were
vying for power and so it seemed easier to get them to agree to a name and three
objectives anyone could identify with. When I presented the sample designs to the small
group who comprised the “Campaign” at the time, Ali Al Mulaifi (an interior
designer by profession) suggested making the word “FREE” bigger than the word
“KUWAIT.” We asked the designers to redo a sample with this idea, and we all
liked it. That is the symbol that went around the world. Two simple words –FREE and
KUWAIT. The logo was actually used by Kuwait TV to introduce the news for years
afterwards. I was surprised to see it once on a visit to Kuwait introducing the news.
“Free Kuwait” Umbrella
This umbrella is an excellent use of a needed product that when carried
and opened displays an oversized political message to viewers. I have never seen a
propaganda umbrella produced by the United States military, but it is a perfect media for
a propaganda message.
Various Patriotic Labels and Stickers
In his Campaign to Restore a Free Kuwait presentation to the Kuwaitis, Dr.
Luca M. Venturi of Hill and Knowlton International planned to utilize the
resistance for positive propaganda throughout Europe:
Kuwaitis are maintaining a heroic struggle to resist Iraqi oppression. The Sumood
armed resistance must be covered as much as security allows. The passive resistance by
Kuwaiti citizens must also be put in full light, such as the fact that Iraq hasn't been
able to recruit a puppet government…The Kuwaiti resistance is strong and active,
committed to freeing its country from those who illegally occupy it by force…
He later told me:
I centered on Kuwaiti Resistance stories, alluding to the WWII anti-German partisan
Résistance in France and Italy, which is surrounded by a heroic mystique. Nobody dares to
criticize the “glorious deeds” of the resisting Partisans. I issued Press
releases for the Kuwait Government-in-exile at Taif and organized Press conferences for
the then Prime Minister and Interior Minister, including a huge one in Rome. The Kuwaiti
Prime Minster opened his speech there with the wail: “Women and babies! The Iraqis
killed even the women and babies.” There was no outcry in Europe. Europeans were used
to women and children being murdered by bloody dictators.
Various “Free Kuwait” Campaign Buttons
Child with Various Campaign Buttons
So, how did Hill and Knowlton help to legitimize the Kuwaiti Government-in-Exile and
make it into a legitimate and viable force in Europe? How do you take a beaten monarchy
and sell it as a desirable democracy that free people should stand behind and support?
Some of the details from the campaign starting in late 1990 are known thanks to Dr.
Venturi who ran the operation. We list just a few of the practical suggestion relative to
media relations:
1. Formally create a Kuwait Information Bureau.
2. Mail or fax daily communications to international journalists covering the Middle
East.
3. Develop a mailing list of opinion leaders in politics.
4. Translate and distribute the “US Citizens for a Free Kuwait” background
press kit.
5. When possible, arrange media exposure for Kuwait Government officials or leaders.
6. Make available videotape and other background materials on Kuwaiti resistance,
the destruction of the country and atrocities against Kuwait citizens. Whenever possible
make interview subjects available.
7. Develop and distribute material focusing on Iraqi human rights violations.
8. Depict the Saddam regime and its history of terror and murder.
9. Reassure the market about Kuwait’s wealth and financial commitments.
10. Conduct multi-media press conferences when major new developments occur.
11. Identify and conduct media training for designated Kuwaiti spokespeople in
Europe.
The New York Times mentioned the H&K campaign their edition of 3
September 1990.
Hill & Knowlton is sending video press releases to television stations around
the United States. The video releases can be broadcast either as provided or edited by
news directors. Such video releases are used by a number of American companies, and
producers say they can cost roughly $30,000 to $50,000 apiece. But so far, the Kuwaiti
videos have attracted limited attention. ABC News has a policy against using such
sponsored footage, and neither NBC nor CBS has picked up any of the six Kuwaiti videos
even though they have no formal policies barring their use. CNN used the first video
release issued by Hill & Knowlton, an interview with Kuwait's Ambassador to the United
States. Other releases have included pictures of a Kuwaiti resistance leader, interviews
with people who had fled Kuwait and footage of the Iraqi invasion smuggled out of Kuwait.
We should mention that not all the public Relations campaigns were designed and
operated by Hill and Knowlton. It is clear that they were very involved with government
leaders, politicians, the press and the military. One executive told me:
I was in daily contact with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior in
Taif, Saudi Arabia, via fax and phone, and personally in various European cities, such as
in Rome, a hub for Middle Eastern discussions and deals. I spent a lot of time at the
United Nations in Geneva, most of the time in the underground briefing room at the Kuwaiti
Embassy.
Hill and Knowlton apparently was involved in the major operations; the Congressional
meeting that made headlines when it was stated that the Iraqis had thrown Kuwaiti babies
on the floor when they stole their hospital incubators and the very powerful campaign
comparing of Saddam Hussein to Adolf Hitler. Much of what H&K did was clandestine and
still secret today and most of their operations were under the umbrella organization
“Citizens for a Free Kuwait.” One of the H&K executives who worked in the
field told me:
The operation I ran was too sophisticated, dangerous, confidential and serious to
have involved any “volunteer” students or any volunteers at all for that matter.
We were (and are) professionals with an immaculate track record and a wealth of experience
in crisis and government relations and a fair military background. We had to deal with an
invasion, an occupied country and, last and least, a Palestinian spy.
Another executive who was deeply involved in London told me:
I am not able to discuss details of what was done and by whom even with former
colleagues. In London we were mostly involved with media and media strategy. Several other
organizations were involved and directed from the USA on support activities.
I answered:
Thank you for your answer. I am chuckling because after 27 years in the military
I am used to dealing with classified material, but I have never considered public
relations a clandestine operation that required so much secrecy.
Since this entire public relations campaign is still “classified” and few
facts are available, I can only give an opinion about what I think was going on. I believe
that besides H&K there were other groups that sprang up from patriotism; citizens and
students that came forward to demonstrate for Free Kuwait. American and British
intelligence organizations or the Kuwait government might have secretly sponsored some of
these groups or they might have been completely independent. We will never know. Continued
research into the London campaign indicates that there was more than one organization
working toward a free Kuwait. One former member of what we might call the Kuwaiti
volunteer resistance said:
The Spiritual Center of the Free Kuwait Movement - Porchester Terrace
During the first week of the occupation we were all gathering in front of the
Kuwaiti Embassy in London. By the 4 or 5th day the Kuwaiti Students Union called for an
all Kuwaiti meeting in the Students Union (Porchester Terrace) building. In that meeting
the Free Kuwait Campaign was born, first as the Media Committee and later on it became the
Free Kuwait Committee so that we could interact with the British public and be a true
grass-root movement. That we did achieve. Other committees were formed in that meeting,
but we became the most powerful and vocal. The Free Kuwait Committee had no single leader.
We held a meeting every morning and planned our strategies accordingly
We had nothing to do with Hill and Knowlton; we got no money from the Kuwaiti
government. The Kuwait Investment Office did furnish our offices and provided us with
computers and photocopy machines. Most of our financing came from donations, some very
good donations.
The highly furnished offices, highly paid consultants and staff... and so on,
were with the “Association For Free Kuwait” at Curzon St, paid by the Kuwaiti
Government.
There seems some debate about when the movement came into being. Some contacts say 2
August, others 3 August. It is of no importance, except to note that it sprang up almost
immediately after the invasion.
Michael Lorrigan Speaks at Trafalgar Square "Free Kuwait"
Rally,
Michael Lorrigan, currently the Managing Director of Spearhead Training in
the United Arabic Emirates says in his biography:
Michael believes that his greatest achievement to date was setting up the Free
Kuwait Campaign in London, just a few days after the Iraqi invasion. With a number of
volunteers, some of whom were his ex-Kuwaiti students, he co-ordinated the campaign’s
activities full time until the liberation of Kuwait in February 1991. The campaign made a
significant contribution to maintaining public support across the world for Kuwait’s
cause.
When we asked about Lorrigan some of the Kuwaitis remembered him. One said:
Michael Lorrigan was a teacher in Kuwait who came to join the demonstrations in
front of the Embassy and became one of the main active members of the Free Kuwait
Campaign. The Free Kuwait Committee was made up of Kuwaiti and British volunteers. Later
on we helped support some of the non-Kuwaiti staff financially.
Michael told me:
We were the grass roots campaign that was launched in London on Monday, 5 August
1990. As an ex-resident of Kuwait I travelled from Bristol to London on the evening of
Friday to make a 48 hour protest outside the Iraqi Embassy in London. During that weekend
I met a number of Kuwaitis, including one or two ex-students (I had been a vice principal
in Kuwait at a school). There was a march from the Kuwaiti embassy around the corner to
the Iraqi embassy on the Saturday and a small rally in Hyde Park on the Sunday. A visit to
the embassy to discuss the lack of a structured campaign produced a visit to the National
Union of Kuwaiti students building in Porchester Terrace London. When I got there it was
clear that the Kuwaitis were disorganized had no structure and were not clear what to do.
I met a group and told them they had to get a media campaign going. I had politics as my
subject, had recently had a great deal of PR experience, knew Kuwait, and knew the nuances
of the political parties in the UK. I told them they had a week to get organized and get
British public opinion on their side. I offered my services free for a week. I turned up
the next day to the Students building, asked for a phone and a clipboard and started
calling the media and telling them that the Free Kuwait Campaign had been established and
to call me if they wanted to interview Kuwaitis. That was the beginning of the campaign.
I designed the Free Kuwait logo and from those early days we spread the word.
This was very different from the work that was done by Hill & Knowlton who were
appointed some weeks later to lobby in the US. They eventually set up an organization
called “The Citizens for a Free Kuwait” whose work, personally, was not what I
would have done. We organized an event about the 2nd of each month. This was a silent
“Stop the Atrocities March” through London, with thousands, all dressed in black
and carrying a picture of Ahmed, a Kuwaiti who had been tortured and killed. It had a
dramatic impact because it was silent until we got to Trafalgar Square and the speeches
started. We got a lot of media coverage.
There seems to be some debate about Lorrigan’s being in charge of his group. There
may be some Kuwaiti nationalism at work here. Some Kuwaitis have named Ali Al-Mulaifi as
being involved from the start and Mousa Marafi as the leader of the Information Committee
and implied that Lorrigan had Public Relations expertise and was paid for his contribution
but was not present every day. Others state that Lorrigan was a very important part of the
campaign but not the overall leader. Marafi brought his two sons, Bader and Yousif, to
work for the campaign as well. There was also a Free Kuwait Campaign radio station run by
Bader Al-Refai. We know nothing about this station.
I asked Mike about the leadership question and he said in regard to Mousa Marafi:
I believe that he arrived at Porchester Terrace about October, but I could be wrong.
His two sons worked hard when they arrived and I have nothing but praise for their efforts
after they came. They helped in the administration side, even stapling banners together
and delivering mail to the post office for posting at night. They were both young –
about 16 or 17 if I recall.
It seems clear that the confusion is caused by the fact that nobody was ever elected
or appointed to run the campaign in those early days. Mike Lorrigan came on the scene, saw
what needed to be done and did it. He told me:
I was the person who gave the whole campaign its “strategic direction”
from day one. Because I knew Britain, knew its political structure and knew the media. On
the day of the invasion I gave an interview on BBC Radio Bristol about the matter as I
knew some of the journalists there. I then decided to do a 48 hour protest outside the
Iraqi embassy in London, intending to return on Monday to Bristol. I was the first British
person to stand with the Kuwaitis. The group was allowed to march to the Iraqi Embassy
later in the day and a microphone was given to me to say a few words outside the Iraqi
Embassy.
The Strategic Direction Chart
I went back to the Kuwaiti embassy the next morning and spoke to someone there
who was not even Kuwaiti. It really was unbelievable that they were not gearing up. I
personally reckoned they had one to two weeks to get public opinion behind them. There was
a rally in Hyde Park in the afternoon. I went to it and it was a bit of a shambles. There
did not appear to be any media of note there, so the Kuwaitis were really talking to
themselves, and not the wider British public. Again, I was asked to speak and made a short
impromptu speech. At the end of the event in Hyde Park I was told that people were trying
to organize something at the National Union of Kuwaiti Students building in Porchester
Terrace.
Someone told me that there was an “Information Committee” in one of the
rooms upstairs. I went up and basically stated that we needed to get public opinion behind
Kuwait and keep it there for what could be a long campaign, and we needed to start
immediately. I said I would be happy to volunteer my services for a week and help get the
media sorted. We agreed I would turn up the next day and start. I then started to call the
media to ask if they wanted Kuwaitis to interview. This was the Monday after the invasion
(Monday 6th August). I said I was from the British Friends of Kuwait (I made up the title
that morning! It never existed as an official body.).
As requests for interviews came in I had to train up the Kuwaitis. The first was
Ali Mulaifi. I gave him a crash course in speaking to the media; British history and
expressions like…The British people are fully aware from their history of what
happens when you appease aggressive dictators. Ali was the first person I trained for the
media, but others eventually emerged, including some great ladies. Most of the time we
operated under pseudonyms because of possible threats to families in Kuwait. Indeed, many
Kuwaitis would not go on the media because of this, but people like Ali had the guts to do
it.
I believe that Mike stepped in and gave guidance and leadership to the campaign when
there was none. Later, I assume the Kuwaiti Government wanted one of their people in
charge and sent Mousa Marafi as their official representative. In reality, after a sudden
Iraqi invasion and mass confusion and tourists cut off from home and college students
having no idea of what the future would bring, there was probably nobody truly in charge,
just some individuals that stepped forward and made the hard decisions.
We cannot always say with any certainty what organization was specifically behind
any demonstration, poster or patriotic object depicted in this article. We can say that in
all cases the idea was to manipulate public opinion into supporting the use of force to
drive the occupying Iraqis from Kuwait. The various groups worked together knowingly or
unknowingly and were eventually victorious.
It seems clear that for the most part, no other group besides the Free Kuwait
Campaign organized marches, rallies, meetings, lectures, ceremonies, and other such
events. It also seems clear that because they were amateurs, volunteers and non-paid
activists, the members of the Free Kuwait Campaign were never treated with the respect
they were due. Some members of the campaign tirelessly worked 7 days a week and allegedly
the Kuwaiti government has never officially thanked any of them. By contrast, those
Kuwaitis who helped U.S. troops during the Gulf War by translating a document or a
conversation got letters of appreciation from the U.S. government. The recipients
treasured those unexpected so much that they were framed and hung on the wall in their
workplaces. It has been over two decades, but perhaps the Government of Kuwait in the near
future will see fit to thank those volunteers who worked so unselfishly for them.
A Devastating Blow to Islam
Another group that we know almost nothing about was the Association for Free Kuwait
(AFK). It appears that this group was not involved with marches and rallies. They focused
on dealing with the news media, meeting with British Members of Parliament, producing
propaganda literature, and possibly taking public opinion polls. The AFK seems to have
published at least one propaganda book, A Devastating Blow to Islam, in English
describing the tragedy and destruction of the Iraqi invasion. The book was published in
November 1990 and distributed in more than 300 mosques in London.
When the Kuwaiti Crown Prince visited Rome it was suggested that he mention that the
visit occurred on the same day as the EEC foreign ministers to express the gratitude of
Kuwait for European solidarity. There should be no lengthy lamentation on the invasion,
premature babies and other old facts already largely reported by the media. The main
objective was to be vocal and present the Kuwait Government in exile and remind Europe
that it was still a viable and legitimate entity (the European media did not consider the
Emirate of Kuwait as a full democracy). Over 100 journalists, between newswires,
newspapers, television networks and foreign correspondents, attended the Prime
Minister’s and Minister of the Interior press conference.
Free Kuwait” giant cap, pencil and audio tape
The government of Kuwait may have funded as many as 20 public relations, law and
lobby firms in its campaign to mobilize US opinion against Saddam Hussein. Hill &
Knowlton served as mastermind for the Kuwaiti campaign. Nine days after Saddam's army
marched into Kuwait, the Emir's government gave Hill & Knowlton a contract to
represent the “Citizens for a Free Kuwait.” Over the next six months, the
Kuwaiti government channeled almost 12 million dollars to the Citizens for a Free Kuwait
organization. The Wirthlin Group, the research arm of Hill & Knowlton received a
little over one million dollars in fees for research assignments to discover what would
motivate the Free World to help the Kuwaitis. Some of the more important firms were the
Rendon Group, and Neill & Company. Over 7 million dollars were paid to the pro-Kuwait
organizations: “Coalition for Americans at Risk” and the “Freedom Task
Force.”
Hill & Knowlton arranged hundreds of meetings, briefings, calls and mailings
directed toward the editors of daily newspapers and other media outlets. Jack O'Dwyer, who
has an Internet blog entitled “O’Dwyer’s” and runs a company that
covers and ranks public relations companies in New York said at the time:
Hill & Knowlton . . . has assumed a role in world affairs unprecedented for a PR
firm. H&K has employed a stunning variety of opinion-forming devices and techniques to
help keep US opinion on the side of the Kuwaitis. . . . The techniques range from
full-scale press conferences showing torture and other abuses by the Iraqis to the
distribution of tens of thousands of 'Free Kuwait' T-shirts and bumper stickers at college
campuses across the US.
"Free Kuwait" Bumper Stickers
119 Hill & Knowlton executives in 12 offices across the US were overseeing the
Kuwait account. The firm's activities included arranging media interviews for visiting
Kuwaitis, setting up observances such as National Free Kuwait Day, National Prayer Day
(for Kuwait), and National Student Information Day, organizing public rallies, releasing
hostage letters to the media, distributing news releases and information kits, contacting
politicians at all levels, and producing a nightly radio show in Arabic from Saudi Arabia.
Citizens for a Free Kuwait also published a book about Iraqi atrocities titled The Rape
of Kuwait, copies of which were stuffed into media kits and then featured on TV talk
shows and the Wall Street Journal. The Kuwaiti embassy also bought 200,000 copies
of the book for distribution to American troops.
Auto with Various "Free Kuwait" bumper stickers
Hill & Knowlton produced dozens of video news releases. Throughout the campaign,
the Wirthlin Group conducted daily opinion polls to help Hill & Knowlton take the
emotional pulse of key constituencies so it could identify the themes and slogans that
would be most effective in promoting support for US military action. Wirthlin's job was to
identify the messages that really resonate emotionally with the American people. The theme
that struck the deepest emotional chord, they discovered, was the fact that Saddam Hussein
was a madman who had committed atrocities even against his own people, and had tremendous
power to do further damage, and needed to be stopped.” Curiously, that sounds a lot
like the current campaign to oust Libyan strongman Colonel Gaddafi.
The bottom line is that the public relations campaign clearly worked. When Saddam
invaded Kuwait the United States showed no interest. The U.S. did not get its oil from
Kuwait (Germany and Japan did), and there was no interest in going to war for the Emir.
However, when Saddam foolishly moved his divisions close to the Saudi border and
threatened America’s source of oil, it was a different story. Talks were held with
Saudi Arabia and American troops were sent to protect that country. At this stage it was
entirely a defensive posture called “Desert Shield.” As time went on, and the
public relations campaign had time to affect the American people, a demand grew to turn
this into an offensive campaign and drive Saddam from Kuwait. That operation was called
“Desert Storm.”
I don’t want to imply that the United States went to war because of a public
relations campaign. Much of this had to do with oil, some of it had to do with politics
and fear that Iraq might be working on an atom bomb or weapons of mass destruction and
some of it probably was the noble belief that no people should be occupied and enslaved.
When I spoke to the man who ran the European portion of the “Free Kuwait”
campaign he told me:
The whole time I ran the operation at this end (European media), including
facilitating contacts with the Arab Ambassadors), I never received any order, pressure or
conditioning on how to run the activities, except for being given by the H&K American
and British headquarters the initial “strategic” responsibility of the project
in my area of competence. I took most, if not all the tactical decisions on my own, based
on my competence, experience, good faith and the belief that it was a “good
cause” to counter an invasion and to reclaim a free country. And most of the time my
interlocutors were Kuwaiti (from the then Prime Minister to Ambassadors and citizens).
Of course, there was a lot of money moving around. The American war machine was paid
for to a great extent by the Kuwaitis, Saudis, Germans and Japanese. It was war “on
the cheap” and allowed the United States to show its military power by beating an
experienced foe, well dug in behind strong defensive lines in just 100 hours. In the case
of Desert Storm, the cost of the war was 61.1 billion dollars. 53.7 billion dollars was
paid by the following countries: Saudi Arabia (16.8), Kuwait (16.1), Japan (10.0), Germany
(6.6), United Arab Emirates (4.1), and other nations (0.4). It was one of the greatest
military victories in American history and I do not believe that General Schwarzkopf ever
got the recognition he deserved.
Magazines in Support of the “Free Kuwait” Campaign
Kuwait the challenge
There were a number of Arabic-language magazines published in support of the
“Free Kuwait” campaign. We show a few of them here. The first depicts a hand
holding the Kuwait flag and the Emir of Kuwait. This cover was designed by Abdulmohsen
Hussein Sheshtar. The Arabic text is:
Kuwait the challenge
If there is no escape from death…Then it’s shameful to die a coward
Special edition
A documentary file on Kuwait from the past until today.
The Emir at the United Nations starts the journey toward liberation and peace.
Kuwait will return…The victory of Kuwait and its people…October 1990
There is also English text from the inside of the magazine that tells the story of
the Iraqi invasion and the United Nations response to it.
The Country
This magazine depicts people demonstrating against the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait.
The title is Al-dira which is an old Kuwaiti word that means “The
country.” The Arabic text on the cover is:
The Country
1st edition 23 January 1991
God is great, Oh Kuwait.
Our people inside shout: “there is no god except god and the victory from
god.”
Our heroes helped the international forces bomb Iraq’s military locations.
We must stand with our legitimate rulers in this difficult time.
The Kuwaitis inside and outside yell:
“Yes for our legitimate rulers”
Kuwait Al Tahdi – Issue 13 – 13 January 1991
I had a number of issues of this magazine dedicated to a Free Kuwait but this is the
one I chose to depict because the image of a Kuwaiti fighter pilot ready to defend his
country was most impressive. The pilot makes Winston Churchill’s old WWII victory
sign with his fingers as he awaits the call to duty. The text is:
FREE KUWAIT:
A motto remembered by the Kuwaiti air force while standing ready and eager to
liberate our country.
Free Speech Platform
The actual title of this magazine is Manbur al-hur which means “Free
Speech Platform.” The cover depicts a street in Kuwait City with the famous water
towers in the background. The text is:
Free Speech Platform
2nd edition 27 February 1991
The Kuwaitis will soon Return
Propaganda Brochures of the “Free Kuwait” Campaign
Saddam with Hostage Stuart Lockwood and photo of Hitler with children
as seen in Booklet
Probably the most effective propaganda piece produced by the Kuwait
Government-in-Exile was a large tri-fold booklet extolling Kuwait and attacking Saddam
Hussein. One page says simply “Kuwait” and depicts 10 photographs of burnt and
destroyed buildings. Another page depicts Hitler with children at the top and Saddam with
a 5-year-old British boy named Stuart Lockwood who was being held hostage below. A third
page is entitled “The Iranians – The Kurdish” and has eight photographs of
dead children that Saddam’s forces had murdered. A fourth page is entitled “The
Kuwaitis – The Hostages” and depicts seven pictures of the dead Kuwaitis and
live hostages. Another page asks, “Who is the next victim?” A final page is all
text in Arabic, English and French and is entitled “Saddam…Crime of the
Age.” Some of the long anti-Saddam text is:
In all of history there has never been a tyrant quite like Saddam Hussein, the ruler
of Iraq who has risen to power on the corpses of thousands of his own people...His attack
on the Islamic Republic of Iran resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands and
destroyed the economic and social structures of both countries...He has killed thousands
in Kuwait, driven most of the population from their homes, plundered the country’s
wealth and traded civilization for barbarity….
We should note that the brochure cover was also made into a postcard. The text on
the back is:
On the morning of 2 August 1990, the independent, sovereign state of Kuwait was
subjected to an unprovoked invasion by Iraqi forces. Following the invasion, Iraqi troops
committed brutal atrocities against the population. This attack, contrary to all
fundamental principal of International law, and in total breech of the Charter of United
Nations, has been condemned by all the civilized nations of the world as a naked act of
aggression.
Your voice and vote can make a difference. STOP Iraqi aggression and prevent
further atrocities. Please write to your government representative for action. Oppose
Iraqi aggression now.
Free Kuwait Campaign – Citizens for Free Kuwait
Handmade Hitler Poster
The Kuwaitis discovered early that the British and the Americans despised Hitler and
any mention of his name brought forth an immediate negative reaction. Adolf Hitler had
used poison gas on the Jews and Saddam Hussein had used it against the Kurds. This sign
that was created by a Kuwaiti patriot and carried in a solemn procession mentions the
German Fascist leader twice.
Kuwait the Defiant
Kuwait the Defiant was a weekly publication printed by the Kuwaiti Resistance
Movement to keep up the morale of the people in exile. Abdulmohsen Hussein Sheshtar did
much of the design along with the Kuwaiti High Committee. The second issue depicted
above is an address from the Amir to his people.
Posters in support of the “Free Kuwait” Campaign
To All Children, Worldwide…
There were many posters printed to support the ouster of the Iraqis from Kuwait. We
show one of the better ones at the top of this article. Another that is extremely well
done from an emotional standpoint shows a crying Kuwaiti child with tanks and explosions
in the background. The poster was printed in English and Arabic. We depict the
English-language version here.
Like many of the posters, this image was also used on a postcard. There are two
varieties of the card, one in English, the other in Arabic. The back of the card has no
political message, just the address:
Kuwaiti Information Centre - Cairo
Have you seen these Atrocities…
Apparently, at some point in the occupation Saddam Hussein had told
reporters that there were no atrocities caused by his troops. The Kuwaitis answer in this
poster.
Kuwait says NO
This poster is filled with scenes of loyal Kuwaitis protesting the illegal Iraqi
occupation of their nation. We know that this poster was designed by Abdulmohsen Hussein
Sheshtar while in London during the occupation.
Free Kuwait
This poster, more than any other, seems to represent the spirit of the "Free
Kuwait" campaign. It was used extensively, and at the bottom of this article where we
show the 20-year commemoration exhibit in Kuwait, this poster was the first thing visitors
saw when approaching the exhibition.
The Oppressor and the Oppressed...
One of the most impressive of all the posters depicts a pair of hands that have
broken their shackles; one holding a flag, the other a book. The text on the paper is:
International Islamic Student’s Convention to Support Kuwait
National Union for Kuwait Students
National Union for Emirates Students
[Inside the flag] God Is Great
[Book title] The Oppressor and the Oppressed in the Kuwait Crisis
By Abdulhameed al-Belali
Oppose Iraqi Aggression
This poster was printed by the Free Kuwait Campaign and tells the history of the
Iraqi occupation and why it was illegal under international law.
We ask the Free World...
This poster depicts scenes of Iraqi vandalism in Kuwait. The
photographs were taken at great personal risk by Kuwaiti patriots and smuggled out of the
country where they were combined by the Gulf Committee to Support Kuwaiti People to
produce this poster.
We Will Return
This poster printed for Kuwaiti Airlines shows a jet liner approaching Kuwait. It
was a promise to the Kuwaitis in exile that they would soon be returning to their country.
This poster was designed by Abdulmohsen Hussein Sheshtar.
Postal Propaganda
Many of the propaganda items produced by the free Kuwait Campaign were in the form
of postcards, labels and stamps. The idea is simple. When an item moves through the mail
it is seen by many people, and when delivered the postcard or the envelope can be passed
around and the patriotic symbols on them are a source of patriotism and inspiration to all
who see them. Both propaganda postcards and stamps were used in WWII. The Germans, British
and Americans all produced propaganda postcards and propaganda stamps. They have been used
ever since in in some of the wars of the 20th Century. It is an extremely effective media
for propaganda.
An Eid Postcard
Most Muslims fast during the religious holidays known as Ramadan. The fast is broken
with a feast know as Eid ul-Fitr. The Free Kuwait Campaign in London produced several
postcards to keep up the morale of the Kuwaiti people. The card above shows a glorious sun
behind a silhouetted Mosque. Note that the three horizontal postcards depicted below were
all designed by Abdulmohsen Hussein Sheshtar. The text on the front of the Eid card
is:
We wish you many happy returns and good health
The text on the back is:
CONGRATULATIONS…WE WISH YOU MANY HAPPY RETURNS - Compliments of the Higher
Kuwaiti Committee – London
Symbol of the Free Kuwaiti Campaign
Asakum Min Awada
This religious postcard also celebrates Ramadan with a common Kuwait phrase that can
be translated as “Wishing you celebrate it again.” It is a greeting that really
means “We hope you are alive next year to celebrate another Ramadan.” The card
shows the Kuwait colors in the form of waving flags over a number of mosques. What is
particularly interesting at the lower left is one of the symbols of the Free Kuwait
Campaign, a flag waving in the breeze from a rifle. The text on the card is:
Wishing you Celebrate it Again
With the compliments of the Kuwait high Committee, United Kingdom
Telephone: 706 2535 Dewanyiah: 224 9493
Together for Kuwait
This card shows the Kuwaiti flag on the front and the text:
Together for Kuwait
The text on the back is:
Blessed Eid
The three rings at the bottom right of the card which almost look like Olympic rings
were a symbol used on many labels and badges. The badges were very popular during the time
of resistance and they were distributed to patriotic Kuwaitis and children eagerly
collected and wore them. The badges usually said one of two messages:
Together for Kuwait
Compliments of the Higher Kuwait Committee - London
The National Day Postcard
This card features a beautiful photograph of a Kuwait waterfront, the sun shining
brightly in the background. The date, “25 February,” Kuwait’s National Day,
is in a circle at the lower left. The text is:
We will return... by God’s will
The back has an English-language message:
On the morning of 2 August 1990, the independent, sovereign state of Kuwait was
subjected to an unprovoked invasion by Iraqi forces. Following the invasion, Iraqi troops
committed brutal atrocities against the population. This attack, contrary to all
fundamental principal of International law, and in total breech of the Charter of United
Nations, has been condemned by all the civilized nations of the world as a naked act of
aggression.
A postcard from the Consititution series
The Free Kuwait Campaign seems to have prepared many other postcards. There is a
series on their Constitution that depicts wonderful full-color photographs of buildings
and children on the front and parts of the Constitution on the back. For instance, the
card made for the Sixth Article of the Constitution says on the address side:
The System of Government in Kuwait shall be democratic, under which sovereignty
resides in the people, the source of all powers. Sovereignty shall be exercised in the
manner specified in this Constitution.
Free Kuwait Labels and an Envelope
Although the Free Kuwait campaign could not produce genuine postage stamps, they
produced many labels that could be placed on envelopes. Although in theory the
“stamps” added no value to the envelopes, many collectors do pay a premium for
an envelope bearing a postally used “Free Kuwait” label. The labels and
envelopes above are from the author’s personal collection.
Additional Patriotic Labels Created for the "Free
Kuwait" Campaign
The London Demonstrations
My friend Adel Easa Al-Yousifi published an illustrated book entitled A Testimony
from London. While Adel was in London during the occupation he documented many of the
events that the Free Kuwait campaign sponsored. He says that as early as 5 August 1990,
Kuwaitis living in London met at Hyde Park London to mobilize against the Iraqi
aggression.
On 7 September, the London contigent of the Kuwaiti People’s Movement was
formed. Some of the Movement's Committees of the movement were the Kuwaiti People's
Committee, and the Kuwaiti-British Women's League to support the families of British
forces in the Gulf.
On 16 September the Kuwaiti community met in Hyde Park for a rally. Some of the
chants were:
Tell them: our homeland will never vanish
Tell them: our rights will never be lost
Tell them: we are determined to return
On 7 October, the Kuwaitis and their friends marched from their Embassy in London to
Trafalgar Square.
A “Free Kuwait” march
Although there were demonstrations in all the western nations in favor of freeing
Kuwait from the Iraqi yoke, London seems to have taken the lead. There were numerous
demonstrations and displays set up around the British capital; above the people march
holding signs telling of Iraqi atrocities.
On 2 November, three months after the invasion, the High Kuwaiti Committee organized
a procession in London. There were smaller “Free Kuwait” processions in 200
cities and villages across the United Kingdom and in Ireland.
Free Kuwait Day Atrocity Poster
On "Free Kuwait Day" a special ceremony was held at St. Martin in the
Fields to pray for the freedom of Kuwait and its prisoners-of-war. A photo exhibit was
held outside the Church to demonstrate the atrocities committed by the invading Iraqi
Army.
On 2 December a silent rally marched from the Kuwait Embassy. All the participants
were requested to wear black jackets or shirts bearing the words “Free Kuwait.”
Mike Lorrigan was asked to make a speech at the plinth of Nelson’s Column in
Trafalgar Square. Mike later heard that his speech was broadcast into Kuwait, possibly by
the Rendon Group under the direction of Hill and Knowlton who were regularly recording
events and broadcasting into occupied Kuwait. Some of his former students, who were inside
occupied Kuwait, later told him they had heard it and it had helped their morale. During
the speech he held up the picture of Ahmed, who had been tortured and killed by the Iraqis
and was the symbol of the march. The Free Kuwait Campaign had debated using his picture
for a poster because of the impact on his family.But, it was the only picture that showed
the burn marks on the hands of any of the victims.All the other pictures that were
smuggled out by doctors from morgues in Kuwait could have been discredited by the Iraqis
as “accident victims,” so the picture was selected for good reasons.
On 13 January 1991, another silent march was held; Balloons were released and the
marchers carried signs that said:
We are with Kuwait’s Legitimate leadership
Kuwait…God is Great
Counter-demonstrations were also held
Of course, not everyone in the United Kingdom was in agreement with military
force in defense of Kuwait. For instance, both the Socialist Worker's Party and the King's
Cross Woman's Center (who achieved fame for trying to unionize prostitutes) were active in
London and staged counter-demonstrations.
With the final victory of the Coalition, the various committees throughout Europe
and the United States were able to dissolve. The public relations firms had been
successful in showing the people of the neutral nations that Kuwait was a country that
needed to be liberated and that Iraqi expansion and occupation would not be tolerated. The
work that those firms did helped to build a coalition of 38 nations that were willing to
go to war for Kuwait. It was a brilliant example of the use of words and pictures to
influence countries to come to the aid of a nation in need.
A 2011 Commemorative Exhibition of the "Free Kuwait"
Campaign
In February 2011, Nada Sheshtar was walking in “The Avenues” (Kuwait's
largest shopping mall in the outskirts of Kuwait City) when she saw an exhibition
featuring many posters and objects designed by her father, Abdulmohsen Hussein Sheshtar
while the family was in the United Kingdom during the Iraqi invasion and occupation of
Kuwait in 1990. She told me:
It was an exhibition dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the London “Free
Kuwait Campaign.” When I saw the posters from afar I stopped in my tracks and I
remembered my father drawing them in our flat while I watched in fascination. My father
designed a poster I have not seen anywhere; a Kuwait Airways Airplane high in the sky
flying back to Kuwait. It was symbolic of our return. He also produced several post cards.
He wrote the text on some posters. His calligraphy was wonderful, and it should be since
he has a Master’s degree in Arabian Calligraphy.
He was both a teacher and the Vice-principle of the boys section of the Kuwaiti
school set up in King Fahad's Academy. At night he was the art director of the
publications and magazines produced by the Free Kuwait Campaign.
The Kuwaiti people are still proud of the patriots in far off lands who worked day
and night to bring freedom back to their country, occupied by a foreign tyrant.
As always, the author encourages readers with comments or suggestions to write the author at Sgmbert@hotmail.com
