2/8/1990 marked the day when the propaganda of Saddam failed to penetrate the will of the Kuwaiti people. Seven months of torture, rape and atrocities inconceivable to man. Yet like any other war, the 2nd of August left Kuwait in a dichotomy, where everything dear and valuable was gone never to return yet it was an opportunity to rebuild a nation, independent and more fortified.
Nineteen years on, we can choose not to remember this day with remorse, but rather live on the dreams of those who gave up their lives in return for our liberty. We can choose to reinstate Kuwait as the Pearl of the Gulf. We can choose to learn from the atrocities we witnessed as children and evolve into a productive generation, making Kuwait an independent nation with promising endeavors ahead. In the words of the late Jaber Al-Ahmed (RIP), "Our love for Kuwait is measured by our actions, not our words." This isn’t a cry out to the government, nor a plea to the parliament. This is a wake up call to our generation. We can choose to learn from the wisdom of our late Emir and let there be no doubt that Kuwait was liberated because of its peoples' resilience and unity behind their rulers. We can choose to honor that generation by rebuilding a nation which we are forever indebted to no matter how measurable our actions be.
To every mother who sent out her child to fight for our freedom never to come back… we salute you. To every resistance fighter who valiantly defended our country with their courage… we salute you. To every diplomat who fought for every resolution to liberate our country… we salute you.
And to all Saddams around the world, I say… We are all Jaber Al-Ahmed. We are all Kuwait. We will forever be free!
