Newspapers here on Sunday blasted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's message to the Kuwaiti people, which has triggered a new war of words and reinforced the emirate's deep mistrust of its former invader.
"Saddam changes colour, but not his nature," read Al-Watan's headline a day after the Iraqi leader apologized for the August 1990 invasion in a "message to the people of Kuwait".
The daily's front-page editorial criticized the "farcical speech" as "threatening and provocative" and said Saddam's "actions don't compare with rational logic."
"At a time when he needs to improve his image with the world, he again returns to threatening Kuwait and provoking its citizens to kill Americans," it said.
"He is indeed an isolated person who does not know anything about what is going on around him ... He foolishly believes Kuwaitis will respond to these provocations.
"He loves to kill, he loves to conspire and shed blood," said al-Watan.
Al-Qabas meanwhile described Saddam's speech as a "coarse threat" and his apology as "invalid".
The Iraqi leader is a "time bomb that threatens international peace," al-Qabas said. "Saddam doesn't learn from catastrophes he caused for Iraq, Kuwait and the region" and he "can't hide his aggressive nature," it added.
"He did not apologise for the occupation. The only apology actually revealed his hostile intentions against Kuwait and justifies his vicious occupation of the country," the daily said.
Al-Rai Al-Aam called it "an apology worse than guilt" and a "pack of lies" similar to the Iraqi leader's speech prior to the seven-month occupation.
The message contained Saddam's "many faces of terror ... He made an apology while wearing a military uniform," Al-Rai Al-Aam said, likening the apology to a war declaration.
"Speech of Lies," read a headline in Al-Anba, which stressed in its front-page editorial that, "In Kuwait, we don't separate people from the legitimate leadership."
Al-Siyassa meanwhile described it as "an apology disguised in arrogance."
Kuwait said late Saturday that the Iraqi president's message was an attempt to divide the oil-rich emirate.
"The message is an unveiled attempt to create a rift in the united ranks of the Kuwaiti people and leadership," Information Minister Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahd al-Sabah said.
"Instead of deliberately ignoring the strong bonds tying the Kuwaiti leadership and people, Saddam Hussein should confirm his peaceful intentions in words and deeds by implementing all UN Security Council resolutions pertaining to the invasion of Kuwait," Sheikh Ahmad said.
The Iraqi leader also sought to "encourage acts of terrorism which the whole world deplores," he said, referring to Saddam's praise of Kuwaiti militants who recently attacked US troops stationed in the emirate.
Movements across Kuwait's political spectrum also ridiculed Saddam's message.
"He is lying about everything," liberal lawmaker Mohammed al-Saqer said after the televised speech.
"He's apologizing to us 12 years later, why did he have to be put in a corner to apologize? It's not convincing to us," said Saqer, who heads parliament's foreign affairs committee.
"The timing of his speech proves he's scared." But he added: "This is a direct threat to Kuwaiti officials. It's unacceptable."
Islamist MP Waleed al-Tabtabai said he rejected attempts by Saddam to divide Kuwaitis as a government and a people.
"Kuwaitis will unite to face these threats embedded in the speech. The subject of the existence of US forces in Kuwait is not a matter of dispute between anybody in Kuwait.
"Saddam's attempt to drive a wedge between the people and government won't succeed because the Kuwaiti regime is legitimate," Tabtabai said.
Kuwaitis, who have never forgiven the Iraqi regime for invading, generally said they were disappointed, yet not surprised that the message made no reference to the 600-odd missing people and POWs from the invasion.
"Saddam changes colour, but not his nature," read Al-Watan's headline a day after the Iraqi leader apologized for the August 1990 invasion in a "message to the people of Kuwait".
The daily's front-page editorial criticized the "farcical speech" as "threatening and provocative" and said Saddam's "actions don't compare with rational logic."
"At a time when he needs to improve his image with the world, he again returns to threatening Kuwait and provoking its citizens to kill Americans," it said.
"He is indeed an isolated person who does not know anything about what is going on around him ... He foolishly believes Kuwaitis will respond to these provocations.
"He loves to kill, he loves to conspire and shed blood," said al-Watan.
Al-Qabas meanwhile described Saddam's speech as a "coarse threat" and his apology as "invalid".
The Iraqi leader is a "time bomb that threatens international peace," al-Qabas said. "Saddam doesn't learn from catastrophes he caused for Iraq, Kuwait and the region" and he "can't hide his aggressive nature," it added.
"He did not apologise for the occupation. The only apology actually revealed his hostile intentions against Kuwait and justifies his vicious occupation of the country," the daily said.
Al-Rai Al-Aam called it "an apology worse than guilt" and a "pack of lies" similar to the Iraqi leader's speech prior to the seven-month occupation.
The message contained Saddam's "many faces of terror ... He made an apology while wearing a military uniform," Al-Rai Al-Aam said, likening the apology to a war declaration.
"Speech of Lies," read a headline in Al-Anba, which stressed in its front-page editorial that, "In Kuwait, we don't separate people from the legitimate leadersip."
Al-Siyassa meanwhile described it as "an apology disguised in arrogance."
Kuwait said late Saturday that the Iraqi president's message was an attempt to divide the oil-rich emirate.
"The message is an unveiled attempt to create a rift in the united ranks of the Kuwaiti people and leadership," Information Minister Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahd al-Sabah said.
"Instead of deliberately ignoring the strong bonds tying the Kuwaiti leadership and people, Saddam Hussein should confirm his peaceful intentions in words and deeds by implementing all UN Security Council resolutions pertaining to the invasion of Kuwait," Sheikh Ahmad said.
The Iraqi leader also sought to "encourage acts of terrorism which the whole world deplores," he said, referring to Saddam's praise of Kuwaiti militants who recently attacked US troops stationed in the emirate.
Movements across Kuwait's political spectrum also ridiculed Saddam's message.
"He is lying about everything," liberal lawmaker Mohammed al-Saqer said after the televised speech.
"He's apologizing to us 12 years later, why did he have to be put in a corner to apologize? It's not convincing to us," said Saqer, who heads parliament's foreign affairs committee.
"The timing of his speech proves he's scared." But he added: "This is a direct threat to Kuwaiti officials. It's unacceptable."
Islamist MP Waleed al-Tabtabai said he rejected attempts by Saddam to divide Kuwaitis as a government and a people.
"Kuwaitis will unite to face these threats embedded in the speech. The subject of the existence of US forces in Kuwait is not a matter of dispute between anybody in Kuwait.
"Saddam's attempt to drive a wedge between the people and government won't succeed because the Kuwaiti regime is legitimate," Tabtabai said.
Kuwaitis, who have never forgiven the Iraqi regime for invading, generally said they were disappointed, yet not surprised that the message made no reference to the 600-odd missing people and POWs from the invasion.
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