The war-merchandise train

The liberation of Iraq is the talk of the town. In diwaniyas, coffee shops, restaurants and elsewhere in Kuwait City, the talk is not so much about the Iraqi Governing Council, the interim constitution or the 'fatwas' of Shiite spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani.

It's about the golden money-making opportunities, which came about with the onset of the US-led war on Iraq.

They call it the 'war-merchandise train'. Kuwaitis and expatriate residents alike have profited from the phenomenal post-war surge in demand for services and goods. There are opportunities for average-income investors to make a quick buck, and there are opportunities for wealthy investors to rake in a sizeable fortune.

Kuwait City has become a metropolis for US army personnel and foreign firm vying to do business with Iraq. The boon is felt by everyone - from trade to real estate and even men's salons.

Shabeeb, a truck driver, quadrupled his service prices due to the increasing demand for transportation. His best customers? The US army, whose personnel require transport to and from their residence.

Eid Al Adwani, a retired Kuwaiti and owner of a laundry shop, had witnessed a long period of sluggish trade before the war broke out. After the war, however, he scored a highly lucrative contract with a foreign company. He made a quick fortune and now leads a luxurious life.

Jassim Al Hamad, a 42-year-old Kuwaiti stock-investor, was elated to see his fortune triple within a year because of the profits windfall gained by Kuwaiti companies offering services to the US forces in Iraq.

On the other end of the spectrum, the post-war boom has made life a little difficult for lower-income Kuwaitis. The price of land, flats and properties soared within a single year.

Another blemish marring the so-called "war merchandise train" in Kuwait is the immoral practices, which are often committed by investors to win contracts.

A Pakistani resident, who was born in Kuwait and works in one of the US army's logistic centres in Kuwait, says he was able to wean a fortune from commissions he received in granting business opportunities to favoured investors.

He admits that his entire family could not have made such a fortune in 50 years of continuous work. By way of backdoor negotiations, he granted contracts to favoured Kuwaiti merchants, thereby pocketing a sizeable "commission", which he duly split with his superior.

The writer is a Kuwaiti journalist based in Kuwait City.