“THE Iraqi political arena witnesses a hectic rivalry between election blocs — the List of the State of Law Coalition headed by the incumbent Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki and the Iraqi List of the former prime minister Ayad Allawi are neck and neck in race to victory podium but both the ‘lists’ have won almost an equal number of MPs in the new Iraqi National Council,” columnist and professor at Kuwait University’s Political Science Department Dr Abdullah Al-Shayji wrote for Awan daily Sunday.

“In spite of the above, the Iraqi political scene in general still looks vague and because the Commander-in-Chief of the US Central Military Command in the region General David Petraeus has described the security situation as fragile.

 “However, the counting of votes over the past few days was of utmost significance to major election blocs and this was evident through the progress made by the Allawi bloc at the expense of the List of the State of Law Coalition.
“In spite of the above, none of these two blocs are able to go it alone and form the next Iraqi government without seeking the help of a coalition with other parliamentary blocs because it is evident the next government is expected to be born through a Caesarean operation and this can be mostly attributed to the fact that none of the contesting parties will gain a complete parliamentary majority required to form the government.

“However, and as expected the Iraqis have cast their votes keeping in mind sectarian, ethnic and provincial sentiments not for Iraq as a homeland, State and its sovereignty.
“Meanwhile, we have observed the recent Iraqi parliamentary elections were significant given the rivalry between the two major powers present in the country — the United States of America and Iran, and the latter is currently playing a vital role on the Iraqi arena embodying Tehran’s readiness to fill the vacuum in the country of Two Rivers.

“In this context, we describe the competition between the United States of America and Iran in Iraq as a struggle between contradictory powers with Washington looking forward to see the formation of a moderate government in Baghdad and Tehran striving to keep Iraq as an entity and strategic zone that shall not constitute a danger to its national security and stability.
“Returning to the prospective outcome of the Iraqi parliamentary elections, we have observed that the expectations show the Iraqi National Coalition comprising many Shiite parties is likely to win 67 parliamentary seats and the Kurdish Coalition 38.”

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“It is not very important for us who will be the next Iraqi prime minister because the Iraqis are at loggerheads with everything, but united against us,” columnist and former MP Talal Al-Saeed wrote for Al-Seyassah daily Sunday.
“In other words, neither the Iraqi List nor the List of the State of Law Coalition will suit us when it comes to dealing with Baghdad on the political front. Hence, we don’t care which of the two major parties win the election battle.
“Recently, the Iraqi foreign minister who is a Kurd complained that the neighboring countries were interfering in Iraq’s affairs. However, although the Iraqi minister meant Turkey and Iran, he used the names of both Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a reference to the Turkish-Iranian intervention in his country’s affairs.

“He then went on and apologized and said Kuwait is a special case. He added his statement in question had been misconstrued. Meanwhile, it is worth observing the Iraqi foreign minister has not referred to the Iraqi parliamentary elections. This happened although, it is a well-known fact that every Iraqi candidate in the election — Kurd, Shiite or Sunni — want to win the support of the electorate and would like to refer to Kuwait either as the 19th Iraqi governorate or as the country that opened its doors for the American imperialists to enter and occupy Iraq, ignoring the fact that were it not for this ‘imperialist power’, none of them would be contesting the parliamentary elections.

“Not just that, Kuwait is the only country which has not benefited from the changes in Iraq, particularly since we know the agreements related to the demarcation of the borders between the two countries were concluded during the reign of the former regime.
“However, what we would like to emphasize here is that the next government in Iraq will not be different from its predecessor. In other words, the new government will follow the same example and call for writing off the Iraqi debts payable to Kuwait and the compensations payable to Kuwait for damages resulting from the Iraqi invasion and occupation of Kuwait.”

“According to the former British prime minister Tony Blair, Kuwait will face bankruptcy in 2030 unless firm measures are taken to prevent this from happening,” columnist Fuhaid Al-Busairi wrote for Al-Rai daily Sunday.
“Meanwhile, the report that has been issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) last year in this regard shows Kuwait will be a victim of famine in 2015.

“However, the report has spurred Kuwait to increase its expenditure to meet the requirements of the agricultural sector to cast away the ghost of famine as if the area of Kuwait is as big as that of China and situated along the banks of the River Amazon. However, nobody in Kuwait has discussed the report in question although it was issued by one of the UN organizations.
“For its part, the Al-Shall office in its evaluation of Blair’s report, said the report is worth every fils spent on it as if we have only money and no brains and as such we sought the help of Blair team or the Manchester team to know what we want and what we don’t want.

“Blair’s report shows Kuwait in five to eight years will suffer from major economic, social and political problems. However, personally I do believe the economic problem will be enough to open the door for the other problems. But the worst case scenario in Blair’s report shows the government will stop recruiting more people and is likely to reach a phase during which it will be incapable of paying the salaries of employees.”

“The Al-Seyassah daily yesterday published a report issued by the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) which said by the end of 2009, the Kuwaiti population was 1,118,911 million — 570,620 women and 548,291 men,” prominent Kuwaiti columnist and attorney Mohammad Musaed Al-Saleh wrote for Al-Qabas daily Sunday.
“The report also said the number of the non-Kuwaitis is 2,365,970 million. These figures need to be analyzed by the statisticians and analysts, particularly since we know the number of women exceeds that of men among the Kuwaitis.
“I hope the MPs of political Islam will consider this fact while working to curb the role of women in the Kuwaiti community and dealing with them as inferior people subjected to the custodianship of some MPs.
“The second fact is that the number of expatriates in the country is double than that of Kuwaitis, given the fact most expatriates are men. Here, let us imagine what will happen if the expatriates go on strike or what will happen if their governments request them to return to their homelands.
“The third obvious fact perceived by both the citizens and expatriates is the increase in the number of crimes in Kuwait compared to pre-Iraqi invasion period.
“In this context, we suggest the increase in the crime rate and rampancy in drug trafficking and consumption in the country are mostly attributed to post liberation factors because we opted to import cheap Asian menial workforce.
“Needless to say crimes committed by the Asians did not prevail in the country prior to 1990 because we know the Arab expatriates in general and the Palestinians in particular worked morning and evening shifts and lived in rented apartments with their families and unlike the Asian workforce spent most of their earnings in Kuwait.
“In conclusion we suggest a Swiss Blair must be hired to set up a plan to deal with the population structure in Kuwait.”

“Minister of Information and Oil Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah doesn’t own the satellite channels that allegedly tried to sow discord in the society, he did not give the inflammatory speech which hurt the sentiments of a particular tribe and he doesn’t have the authority to close satellite channels without a court sentence,” columnist Mubarak Mezyed Al-Moasharji wrote for Arrouiah daily.
“Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah was made scapegoat, because the main culprits couldn’t be held responsible. The grilling, however, was weak and lacked substance.
“If the grilling was filed due to the minister’s long absence from the ministry or for leaving all matters to his assistants without any supervision or following up, we would have supported it. We would have definitely supported if the grilling addressed the problem of the deteriorating standard of programs on TV or some satellite channels’ attempts to plunder equipment of the ministry.”

“Most people didn’t believe the government will reach its current stage. They didn’t expect it to survive this long,” columnist Hussain Ali Bujara wrote for Al-Sabah daily.
“Who can believe that HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad faced a grilling, besides his Cabinet ministers. The  most amazing thing is government’s determination to confront its opponents and refute all accusations directed against it.
“Apart from the above, Minister of Interior Sheikh Jaber Al-Khaled and Minister of Public Works Dr Fadhel Safar successfully countered all accusations against them.”

“We are sick and tired of the new rules and conditions that are imposed in this country. There are rules and conditions for everything - for women’s sports, parties, segregation, cafes, book fairs, attire, freedom of thought and everything else. Who are these people who are imposing these rules on us? Who has given them the right and authority to do so? Can anyone answer these questions please?” columnist Hassan Al-Essa wrote for Al-Jarida daily.
“These ‘rulers’ won’t even let us breathe without the rule of Islamic law. These ‘guardians’ of the society won’t even allow us to eat without following the customs and traditions of the society. We can’t even move without taking permission from these mighty people. As per these so-called scholars, we don’t know the difference between vice and virtue; our dressing styles are vulgar and we don’t lead proper lives. If we don’t realize their ‘holy’ message, they will supervise and control us.”

“Questions linger in my mind every time I compare the heated exchange of words between the Liberals and Islamists in Kuwait with members of the multicultural society in India,” Faisal Abdulaziz Al-Zamel wrote for Al-Anba daily.
“In India, many Muslims had established colleges using their own money.  Hindus, Christians and Muslims have equal access to education.  Muslims attend classes on Islamic Studies and Arabic.  They go to the mosques during prayer time without facing any problem with the non-Muslim students.
“A non-Muslim principal manages the affairs of one of the colleges and has been successful in this field over the last 28 years.  These colleges produce 30,000 engineers and other experts every year.  Social interaction among students with various religions is possible because they know how to respect each other and deal with people from different communities.
“In the Arab society, we seem to despise any attempt to promote tolerance.  We do not want to live harmoniously with people from other communities.  Liberals have been propagating ideas on elimination and agitation.  Even Islam has been used erroneously to discriminate members of other communities.”

“The Catholic Church was the major reference of the people during the Middle Ages.  At the time, most of the Christians labeled anyone who opposed the church as non-believer,” Dr Ahmed Yousuf Al-Daeej wrote for Al-Watan Arabic daily.
“Non-believers were not allowed to enter the church, use its facilities or avail of its services.  These people were social outcasts as they were not allowed to interact with the so-called believers.  In 1076, the pope declared Roman Emperor Henry VI a non-believer, so he lost his power and none of his followers wanted to be associated with him.
“At the moment, the church can no longer isolate anyone because it does not have the power it enjoyed before or during the Middle Ages.  The current pope in Vatican has no authority similar to that of his predecessor. “

“Some ministers are used to the saying about one project or the other being executed in line with the desire of His Highness the Amir” Ahmad Al-Dayyen wrote for Alam Al-Yawm daily.
“The First Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah spoke in the same manner while discussing the French airplanes deal and construction of the nuclear power plant. It is significant that all Kuwaitis accorded the direct and indirect desires of the Amir with utmost respect, based on our allegiance to him, besides the fatherly and honorable office he holds.

However, the ministers express this in a different manner, whilst they address the public or grant interview to the media.
“Assuming such desires exist, it should be an innate thing between the Amir and his ministers without necessarily turning it into public consumption, particularly if it has to do with politics or other technical details rather than a general national strategy. All ministers are bound to abide by the rule of law, which stipulates that the Amir assumes certain responsibilities through his ministers”.

“I was impressed by the speech of Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah when he spoke about the vision of our leader HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad,” columnist Bader Al-Rashidi wrote for Al-Hurriya daily.
“HH the Amir wants to transform Kuwait into a commercial and financial hub. His great vision and thoughts emerge from his sincere concern for the stability and development of Kuwait.
“There is no doubt the Amir’s noble objectives and his vision for the country until 2035 will be achieved through strategic and long-term planning.”

“The era of seriousness has taken off with a workshop long behind schedule, which declared open a new dimension to the modern Kuwaiti political and economic history,” Jawad Ahmad Bukhamsin wrote for Al-Nahar daily.
“His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah has blown the whistle for the most important race, whereby all officials and citizens are participating with the hope of reaching the end line, following the talks he held with senior officials from all the ministries. This is part of efforts to return the country to her rightful position with booming economy, while strengthening her position as financial and economic hub in the region, in line with wishes of HH the Amir and the Crown Prince.
“The meeting was not like any of the previous meetings, because the Prime Minister laid down the responsibilities of all officials, and emphasized the seriousness by government to accomplish the development plan. He affirmed the era of planning was over, indicating it was time for execution of the plan, with no anticipation for failure or dereliction of duty, reiterating the period requires close monitoring and determination to succeed”.

“There is a negative phenomenon common in our society lately, which we never experienced in our good old days. It is the segregation among a country of one people,” AbdulMohsen Al-Mishari wrote for Al-Shahid daily.
“In the past there was no discrimination between the rich and the poor, civilized and Bedouin, Sunni and Shiite; they were all united, sharing happy and sad moments. Sadly, these are all gone with the wind, and replaced with discrimination among citizens.
“Today, we are facing the bitter reality founded on class, social, tribal, political and even religious differences. This problem requires serious action by the people in the country, who must fight segregation by boosting the concept of patriotism”.

“For the coming generation of Arabs and Muslims, 2010 will be in the records as a year of destruction, devastation, and shame with the governments in Arab and Islamic nations, for the reason that they took position with the audience,” Abdullaziz Abdulkarim Al-Hendal wrote for Al-Dar daily.
“Governments in the Arab and Islamic nations are still, watching the Zionists violate what remains of Jerusalem, the Al-Sakhra mosque and Al-Aqsa mosque, and this year, Zionists have begun creeping toward changing the history, culture and population structure of Jerusalem, in their bid to control the city by implementing Orshalem’s plan, as revealed by the Palestinian Supreme Judge Tayseer Al-Tamimi.
“The Zionists are even trying to build 1,600 residential units to change the population structure of the city. Amid the chaos taking place in the city, we have heard no Arab or Islamic nation condemning the aggressive act, which is aimed at consolidating Jewish control of Jerusalem and Palestine”. 

— Compiled by Zaki Taleb