The recent war was a severe test for the Arabian Gulf states, including Kuwait. It exposed hidden issues that were not obvious enough to the authorities, or rather, issues that the authorities used to turn a blind eye to avoid stirring up sensitive matters. However, the truth is that this policy did not preserve the national security of the Gulf states.
For example, Kuwait, since its liberation in 1991, has experienced several problems stemming from the lack of decisive action on issues that were once considered minor or insignificant. Over time, it became clear that many of these issues lay at the core of the problem.
The cells that have since been uncovered have not been ordinary; rather, they have encompassed security, political, and economic aspects. Here, I am not referring to a specific segment of the population. Rather, we have witnessed groups openly declaring their intention to undermine ruling regimes, reshape the state entirely, and restructure society according to their own interpretations based on an outdated ideology that is no longer suited to the 21st century.
Therefore, the events of the war urgently call for the establishment of new standards to safeguard the national security of the Gulf states as a whole, as well as the development of a new security, political, and economic framework. In this regard, several observations require careful examination, and the policy of turning a blind eye should be reconsidered. Issues that may appear minor today could, in the future, develop into major problems.
In Bahrain, for example, authorities uncovered a large group involved in terrorist activities and in financing hostile entities.
These individuals also used religious cover to advance their agenda. The response, therefore, involved drastic measures, including the revocation of citizenship and the issuance of strict sentences against the suspects. A similar situation occurred in Kuwait, where a major plot targeting the very existence of the state itself was uncovered. This plot, which came to light in the context of the recent war, posed an existential threat that transcended the Abdali Cell.
The UAE authorities uncovered an organization working on inciting sedition and financing Iranian proxies, as well as other groups designated as terrorist organizations in most Arabian Gulf states.
No Gulf state has been spared from the presence of these groups, which are not confined to any single religious doctrine or political ideology. These entities are the result of the policy of turning a blind eye or favoritism based on tribal, sectarian, or doctrinal considerations. In contrast, the constitutions of the Gulf states clearly prohibit discrimination among citizens based on color, race, sect, or tribe, and emphasize equality among all citizens. Perhaps there is a flaw in the national culture, or a lack of clarity regarding the foundations upon which the state is built.
Therefore, it has become imperative for the Gulf states to put an end to the issue of divided loyalties, so that loyalty is either complete to the nation or not at all. On this basis, first, the relevant institutions must work to redefine important national concepts. Second, it must be emphasized that the Gulf states currently have an opportunity to eradicate these cells at their roots, based on the principle of strict justice. Any tendencies that contradict the concept of the “nation-state” must be eliminated.
The loyalty of Gulf citizens should be fully directed towards the nation, in both spirit and body. Sectarianism and religious division within the Gulf, whether Sunni, Shiite, or otherwise, can become a destabilizing factor. These individuals should not be allowed to enjoy Gulf national identity, lest they become a Trojan horse. We have witnessed dangerous consequences over the recent years. Will we be bitten twice by the same snake?
Any attempt to prioritize narrow or questionable interests over the interests of society should be confronted and uprooted. The battle facing the Arabian Gulf states is, in essence, existential and rooted in matters of principle.
