Kuwait’s Emir Dies, Succession Smooth So Far

Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah was not a household name in the US, but he was one of America’s closest allies in the Arab world. The ruler of Kuwait since December 1977, he was the man America, under George Bush the Elder, put back in power after kicking the invading Saddamites from Iraq out of Kuwait. His successor, former crown prince Sheikh Saad al-Abdullah al-Sabah, now takes over. Sheikh Saad, unfortunately, is 76 and may be diabetic. For now, things are peaceful.

There is no reason to believe that Kuwait is about to explode into violence as the al-Sabah family takes turns sitting in the big chair. As Arab monarchies go, the al-Sabah version takes a rather benign form. The late emir supported women’s right to vote and hold office, and essentially allowed some sort of rubber-stamp parliament for some. After a brain hemorrhage in 2001, he was largely a titular ruler, with Sheikh Saad running things as prime minister.

However, Kuwait is a potential trouble spot for two reasons. First, it is stinking rich and that has allowed the ruling family to buy off the local opposition, much as the Saudi royal family has done next door. It produces 2.68 million barrels of oil per day; it has a population of 2.34 million citizens – in other words it produces a barrel per citizen per day. As Sheikh Jaber himself said, Kuwait is “too rich for its own good.” That has gone into a cradle-to-grave welfare system that Nye Bevan could only dream about. Second, it is definitely aligned with the USA, hosting as it does 30,000 American troops. Thus, it is seen among the poor in the Arab and Muslims worlds as a rich sell-out.

However, it is among the small Muslim states where the future can best be created. The reconciliation of Islam and modernity is going to be easiest where there is wealth and a small, relatively cohesive population. Additionally, a ruling family that has a tradition of noblesse oblige may be able to translate that into top-down reform that can cut out the Fascislamic forces.

Kuwait can offer the Arab and Muslim worlds a model, just as Turkey and Indonesia have put their experience forward. Another such country is Dubai, whose ruler, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al-Maktoum, passed away just ten days before Sheikh Jaber. American policy would be better off paying more attention to these places than in some grand, crypto-imperialist adventure in Mesopotamia – but it’s a bit late to do much about that.


© Copyright 2006 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.
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