American writer Thomas Friedman says, “The American-Israeli war with Iran proved that the small can act like the big, with great power, high precision, and at a low cost.”
The security situation in the region may deteriorate further, and in Iran’s eyes, we could become the most tempting target. Even if war does not break out, the Iranian regime will continue to harbor hostility toward us. Conceding to any of the regime’s demands could inevitably lead to further blackmail in the future.
The entire situation is unsettling, particularly after the American administration declared, albeit indirectly, that it is no longer concerned with the security and safety of its allies in the region, now that its military bases there have become a burden for both the administration and the host countries.
This is something that would have been unimaginable over the past four decades. It is also clear that American frustration with the situation in Iran has reached its peak. The next major step by the US administration, which is already burdened with significant responsibilities, remains uncertain. It is alarming that Iraqi militia leaders, who are strongly and openly supported by Iran, have issued a series of statements rejecting the Iraqi government’s plans to disarm them.
The Iraqi government announced yesterday that it would not use force to impose its authority over these Iranian-backed militias. Several senior Iranian officials have recently visited Iraq, meeting with leaders of these factions and reaffirming their material, political, and military support. Reports have emerged indicating Iran’s readiness to conduct military operations within the territories of its adversaries and to expand the role of Iraqi militias in this regard.
This is of particular concern to us, as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are geographically closest to Iran, increasing the possibility of ground movements or provocations along our northern borders, which appear to be outside the Iraqi government’s complete control. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have already experienced attacks involving missiles and drones launched from Iraq by pro-Iranian militias. When a regime feels that its survival is threatened, it will often seek to shift the threat to other fronts, following the principle of “me against my enemies.”
Therefore, the possibility of war breaking out and escalating is real. Even if war does not occur, that possibility should not deter us from preparing thoroughly and seriously, using all our human, military, and technological resources, as well as our regional and international relationships. We must act swiftly and on multiple fronts simultaneously. We do not have enough time. We must strengthen the home front, mobilize civilians, and provide military training to all capable and qualified individuals so they can carry out various tasks and provide additional support to the army, police, and National Guard. The best defenders of the homeland are its citizens, provided they have the necessary resources and proper training.
Our military forces have already proven their reliability by successfully intercepting almost 100 percent of the missiles and drones launched by Iran against us. Kuwaiti youth also demonstrated their capacity for fierce resistance during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. We have experts and specialists who can be utilized to monitor borders, ports, coastlines, oil wells, desalination plants, and vital industries.
All of these measures are necessary and would not cause harm even if Kuwait faces no future security threats. We must also strive to build alliances with several major powers and seek to join the tripartite alliance between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Türkiye. We should also consider bringing in military and technical experts from Taiwan and Ukraine. Despite Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia, it is prepared to provide Kuwait with technical and logistical support in the field of drones, particularly given its adversarial relationship with Iran due to Russia’s support for Tehran.
With regard to artificial intelligence applications, cybersecurity, and supercomputing, we must avoid putting all our eggs in one basket, whether that basket is the United States or any other country. It is essential to diversify our sources of expertise and technology, particularly from China.
By Ahmad alsarraf
email: [email protected]
email: [email protected]
