“Kuwaitis, US Troops in Road Rage” Reports Arab Times’ Front Page
“Kuwaitis, US Troops in Road Rage” Reports Arab Times’ Front Page
By Kevin Stoda
On a day when the local papers were all carrying headlines, such as a “Third Kuwaiti Carries out Suicide Attack in Iraq”, another much smaller headline on the front page of the ARAB TIMES stated, “Kuwaitis, US Troops in Road Rage”.
Such was the news of the day Wednesday May 7, 2008 in Kuwait, five years after George W. Bush had told Americans that the mission in the Gulf was accomplished.
From an editorial perspective, one has to asked why these two articles are lumped together under the same banner?
The major story failed to indicate that there are problems of alienation in Kuwait society which are making it ripe for the pickings of Al-Qaeda and other supposedly-religious war-makers.
The second story was about belligerent and arrogant US soldiers driving on the streets of Kuwait, claiming they were above the law.
THIRD KUWAITI SUICIDE BOMBER IN A MONTH=ALIENATION
The announcement this week that once again a male-Kuwaiti in his 30s had left his family to commit suicide in an attack in Iraq followed last weeks reports of two other Kuwaitis having done the same thing.
The suicide killer who came to the fore in the May 7 newspapers of Kuwait was Bader Al-Harbi. Unlike the other two Kuwaiti suicide bombers in April, Al-Harbi had never been imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay.
However, Al-Harbi had been in Afghanistan recently, but upon his return to Kuwait, authorities had arrested him. Then, a short time later, police decided to release him.
Al-Harbi then quickly escaped Kuwait and made his way to Syria with the help of others—ostensibly with some other Kuwaitis’ help.
Al-Harbi’s family claimed that he had told them that he was on a visit to Mecca in Saudi Arabia when news of his death arrived via a call from Iraq a few days ago. The caller had announced that Al-Harbi was a martyr.
The idea of taking part in a suicide bombing in Iraq is generally so far from the daily- or public experience of life in Kuwait—i.e. where mall shopping and fast cars dominate the day—that every single one of the 3 million people living in this Gulf country needs to pause and reflect on the whys and hows of the recent spate of suicides (bombings) carried out in Iraq.
This is because, unlike more radicalized regions of the Gulf, Asia, and Africa moderate Islam still dominates in Kuwait. That is, no imams are found shouting out for volunteers to commit suicide. Moreover, as is often stated here: suicide is not permitted in Islam.
Investigations and arrests have begun in Kuwait on what sort of recruiting ring has been active here, but Kuwaiti politicians and public must do some soul searching as to why these men (with wives and children) would do such a thing.
Are the social, economic, and political options for individuals in Kuwait society so small that many young men are extremely alienated and adrift that they become prey to recruiters promising them release from their worldly misery through hope in some act of terror?
GULF ROAD LIFE, KUWAIT
In a juxtaposition to the senseless violence carried out by international parties in Iraq, there was a major fight involving a few American soldiers in Kuwait on the Arabian Gulf Street, which is the center for cruising Porsches, Lamborghinis, and Hummers in Kuwait on most nights of the week.
The ARAB TIMES reported: “A fight broke out between Kuwaitis and US army soldiers on the Arabian Gulf Street Monday evening when the driver of a bus belonging to the US army allegedly drove recklessly and almost caused several accidents.”
The episode eventually led not only to a great traffic jam but to U.S. soldiers getting out of the bus, shooting in the air and adamantly shouting again-and-again that they were above the law in Kuwait, i.e. they were untouchable.
As I read the line in the paper: “An eyewitness told the Arab Times that the US soldiers were driving recklessly” and “more than once the soldiers said there is no authority over them and that they are above the law in Kuwait”, I thought to myself:
That is exactly what a lot of Kuwaitis in the country say as they break the law or flout their tribal, political or social connections in this country through a system called “wasta”.
Many Kuwaitis should see themselves as that arrogant.
I am certain that many expats here feel the same way as I do after seeing how some Kuwaitis drive and break laws—believing that their bloodlines or passports will get them out of any jam.
On the other hand, perhaps this ARAB TIMES article is intended to send a message to the US forces to clean up their behavior in the Gulf—or there stay will be shorter hear than anticipated.
By Kevin Stoda
On a day when the local papers were all carrying headlines, such as a “Third Kuwaiti Carries out Suicide Attack in Iraq”, another much smaller headline on the front page of the ARAB TIMES stated, “Kuwaitis, US Troops in Road Rage”.
Such was the news of the day Wednesday May 7, 2008 in Kuwait, five years after George W. Bush had told Americans that the mission in the Gulf was accomplished.
From an editorial perspective, one has to asked why these two articles are lumped together under the same banner?
The major story failed to indicate that there are problems of alienation in Kuwait society which are making it ripe for the pickings of Al-Qaeda and other supposedly-religious war-makers.
The second story was about belligerent and arrogant US soldiers driving on the streets of Kuwait, claiming they were above the law.
THIRD KUWAITI SUICIDE BOMBER IN A MONTH=ALIENATION
The announcement this week that once again a male-Kuwaiti in his 30s had left his family to commit suicide in an attack in Iraq followed last weeks reports of two other Kuwaitis having done the same thing.
The suicide killer who came to the fore in the May 7 newspapers of Kuwait was Bader Al-Harbi. Unlike the other two Kuwaiti suicide bombers in April, Al-Harbi had never been imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay.
However, Al-Harbi had been in Afghanistan recently, but upon his return to Kuwait, authorities had arrested him. Then, a short time later, police decided to release him.
Al-Harbi then quickly escaped Kuwait and made his way to Syria with the help of others—ostensibly with some other Kuwaitis’ help.
Al-Harbi’s family claimed that he had told them that he was on a visit to Mecca in Saudi Arabia when news of his death arrived via a call from Iraq a few days ago. The caller had announced that Al-Harbi was a martyr.
The idea of taking part in a suicide bombing in Iraq is generally so far from the daily- or public experience of life in Kuwait—i.e. where mall shopping and fast cars dominate the day—that every single one of the 3 million people living in this Gulf country needs to pause and reflect on the whys and hows of the recent spate of suicides (bombings) carried out in Iraq.
This is because, unlike more radicalized regions of the Gulf, Asia, and Africa moderate Islam still dominates in Kuwait. That is, no imams are found shouting out for volunteers to commit suicide. Moreover, as is often stated here: suicide is not permitted in Islam.
Investigations and arrests have begun in Kuwait on what sort of recruiting ring has been active here, but Kuwaiti politicians and public must do some soul searching as to why these men (with wives and children) would do such a thing.
Are the social, economic, and political options for individuals in Kuwait society so small that many young men are extremely alienated and adrift that they become prey to recruiters promising them release from their worldly misery through hope in some act of terror?
GULF ROAD LIFE, KUWAIT
In a juxtaposition to the senseless violence carried out by international parties in Iraq, there was a major fight involving a few American soldiers in Kuwait on the Arabian Gulf Street, which is the center for cruising Porsches, Lamborghinis, and Hummers in Kuwait on most nights of the week.
The ARAB TIMES reported: “A fight broke out between Kuwaitis and US army soldiers on the Arabian Gulf Street Monday evening when the driver of a bus belonging to the US army allegedly drove recklessly and almost caused several accidents.”
The episode eventually led not only to a great traffic jam but to U.S. soldiers getting out of the bus, shooting in the air and adamantly shouting again-and-again that they were above the law in Kuwait, i.e. they were untouchable.
As I read the line in the paper: “An eyewitness told the Arab Times that the US soldiers were driving recklessly” and “more than once the soldiers said there is no authority over them and that they are above the law in Kuwait”, I thought to myself:
That is exactly what a lot of Kuwaitis in the country say as they break the law or flout their tribal, political or social connections in this country through a system called “wasta”.
Many Kuwaitis should see themselves as that arrogant.
I am certain that many expats here feel the same way as I do after seeing how some Kuwaitis drive and break laws—believing that their bloodlines or passports will get them out of any jam.
On the other hand, perhaps this ARAB TIMES article is intended to send a message to the US forces to clean up their behavior in the Gulf—or there stay will be shorter hear than anticipated.
Labels: arrogance "above the law" suicide bombers Kuwait US soldiers Iraq
posted by Kevin Anthony Stoda at 6:47 AM
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