Kuwait parliamentary elections: NO women & NO Oil, just dry well of cargo cults

Al Tarrar:

The first women participation in Kuwait parliamentary elections has certainly drawn much publicity and disappointment as women have failed to secure a single seat in the parliament.

However, and far from the frivolous women emancipation movement, Kuwait’s opposition alliance of mostly Islamic fundamentalists, ‘liberals!’ and nationalists, which swept to victory in the parliamentary elections on June 30th, are quite busy in pertinent issues in hands, such as rejecting the government plan to raise oil production capacity in the light of reports that the country’s reserves are half the official figure!

The international Oil newsletter Petroleum Intelligence Weekly (PIW) reported in January that proven reserves were only 24 billion barrels (down from approx. 99 billion barrels) and the rest were probable reserves that include those in the eternal disputed borders with Iraq.

I remember back in fall 1990 when a Baathist capitalist had praised Saddam’s government for having invaded Kuwait, and he said to me “(Kuwait’s) royal families are living in 5 stars hotels in Paris and London and their country is falling in the hands of the gays and Islamists – referring to Kuwait’s democratic process at that time, and just before Saddam rampaged their country.

The news of Kuwait’s trickling Oil reserves, which was kept in the dark for 16 years - thanks to Saddam’s invasion! – comes in parallel with Iraq is back to full Oil production, when not long ago the Oil pipelines were being constantly sabotaged by the ‘resistance’ to stop the looting of our resources. In our country the Oil pipelines, since the dawn of Oil production and until today, are protected by tribes and for some reason it just happened that these tribes are back in good shape to get a good grip to securing those Oil pipelines!

I guess the PM’s limited amnesty plan comes with its valid incentives … How silly of me, how could I think otherwise? But I wonder what if Al-Thawra city (Sadr) had an Oil pipeline extended underneath?! Perhaps then Abu Der’ra would be busy protecting rather than destructing! And in this wonderful deregulated economy, I won’t be surprised that those heroic tribes may soon become Oil protectors that’d work closely with global conglomerates like Halliburton and Chevron to save the free world economies from ruins.

Well, back to the main topic, alas for the Kuwaiti women, I really hope that one day they will be able to win parliamentary seats and even become a majority…perhaps when the Oil runs out. Come to think of it, it’s not a bad idea.