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Recent Appearances...

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Kuwait ruler, longtime diplomat Sheikh Sabah, dies at age 91

2020-09-30

Let's see how this shakes out
[AYPEE] Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, the ruler of Kuwait who drew on his decades as the oil-rich nation’s top diplomat to push for closer ties to Iraq after the 1990 Gulf War and solutions to other regional crises, died Tuesday. He was 91.In a Middle East replete with elderly rulers, Sheikh Sabah stood out for his efforts at pushing for diplomacy to resolve a bitter dispute between Qatar
Qatar

...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi...
and other Arab nations that continues to this day.

His 2006 ascension in Kuwait, a staunch U.S. ally since the American-led war that expelled occupying Iraqi troops, came after parliament voted unanimously to oust his predecessor, the ailing Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah Al Sabah, just nine days into his rule.

Yet as Kuwait’s ruling emir, he struggled with internal political disputes, the fallout of the 2011 Arab Spring protests and seesawing crude oil prices that chewed into a national budget providing cradle-to-grave subsidies.

"He represents the older generation of Gulf leaders who valued discretion and moderation and the importance of personal ties amongst fellow monarchs," said Kristin Diwan, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington who studies Kuwait. "No question he has suffered from the lack of deference and respect shown by the younger and more brash young princes holding power today."

State television announced his death after playing Koranic prayers, with Royal Court Minister Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al Sabah reading a brief statement, his hands shaking.

"With great sadness and sorrow, the Kuwaiti people, the Arab and Islamic nations, and the friendly peoples of the world mourn the death of the late His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, emir of the state of Kuwait who moved to the realm of the Lord," the sheikh said, without offering a cause of death.

Courtesy of Frank G, ZeroHedge adds:

In the past, 83-year-old Crown Prince Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, an elder statesman and the deceased emir’s half-brother, has been appointed acting ruler when the Sheikh was indisposed, as per the country’s constitutional law. Sheikh Nawaf has held high office for decades, including top positions. As ruler, his brother pushed a policy of diplomacy to solve regional problems, while also leading the 2017 boycott of Qatar by members of the GCC.

And 3dc gives us Peter Zeihan and the Wall Street Journal in one efficient tweet:

Kuwait will now go through something similar to the Saudi succession struggles of the 2000s. I don't think it'll be nearly as cloak and dagger, as the Kuwaiti royal family is so much smaller. https://t.co/Eioppevtja
— Peter Zeihan (@PeterZeihan) September 29, 2020

Link

Arabia

Trump Gives Award to Kuwait's Ruling Emir

2020-09-19

[USNews] WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has bestowed a top U.S. honor on Kuwait's ruling emir, who has played a central role in resolving a yearslong four-nation boycott of Qatar and is now ill and receiving treatment in the U.S., the White House said Friday.

Trump awarded the Legion of Merit to Kuwait’s Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, who, along with Oman, has sought dialog to end the dispute that has torn apart the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been part of the boycott that’s targeted fellow GCC member Qatar since June 2017. Egypt also joined the boycott, which saw nations close their airspace and borders to Qatar.

"A leader in the Middle East for decades, the emir has been a truly unwavering friend and partner to the United States," the White House said in a statement. "The emir is also an unparalleled diplomat, having served as his nation’s foreign minister for 40 years. His tireless mediation of disputes in the Middle East has bridged divides under the most challenging circumstances."

The Legion of Merit is a rarely awarded decoration that can only be bestowed by the president, typically to chiefs of state or heads of government of other countries. The honor was last awarded in 1991.

The emir’s eldest son, Sheikh Nasser bin Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah of the State of Kuwait, was to accept the award on behalf of the emir in a private ceremony.

In July, Sheikh Sabah flew across the world in a U.S. Air Force C-17 flying hospital, just days after undergoing an unspecified surgery at home. The dramatic airlift to the Mayo Clinic reflected the close ties between the two nations but also raised concerns over the ruler’s medical condition. The clinic declined to discuss his condition on Friday.

Link

Arabia

Kuwait’s ruler, 90, in US hospital; cancels Trump visit

2019-09-10

[DAWN] Kuwait’s 90-year-old ruling emir has cancelled a visit on Thursday with President Donald Trump

...Oh, noze! Not him!...
at the White House after being admitted to a US hospital following an earlier health scare last month.

Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah will undergo unspecified tests during his hospitalisation, the state-run Kuwait News Agency (Kuna) reported late Sunday, without elaborating.

It quoted Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al Sabah, the minister of the emir’s diwan council, as saying Sheikh Sabah would reschedule his visit with Trump.

"Sheikh Ali prayed to Allah the Almighty to bestow His Highness the Emir with good health," Kuna said.

A White House statement said Trump was aware of the emir being hospitalised.

"The president wishes his friend, the Emir, a speedy recovery and looks forward to welcoming him back to Washington as soon as he is feeling better," the statement said. "The Emir is a well-respected leader and has been a tremendous partner of the United States in tackling challenges in the region."

On August 18, Kuwait acknowledged the emir suffered an unspecified medical "setback".

That came after visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on Twitter that he was "praying for emir’s speedy recovery".

Link

Arabia

Qatar FM in Kuwait to respond to demands

2017-07-04

[Al Jazeera] Qatar
...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates...
has delivered its response to a list of 13 demands from Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
and three other Arab countries that cut have ties with it and imposed a land, air and sea embargo amid a major diplomatic crisis.

Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar's foreign minister, was received by Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah on Monday to hand over a letter from Qatar's emir, according to state-run Kuwait News Agency.

Kuwait is mediating in the dispute. The content of the letter has not been released.

Qatar's response will be the focus of a gathering in the Egyptian capital of Cairo on Wednesday of foreign ministers from the four blockading countries: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

Al Jazeera's Saad al-Saeedi, reporting from Kuwait City, said there was "a sense of relief, tinged with caution" in Kuwait.

"Qatar's response to the demands was handed to the emir, followed by an extensive meeting between the Qatari foreign minister and his Kuwaiti counterpart for more than one and half hours. After that, the Qatari foreign minister headed to the emir of Kuwait's residence to attend another meeting over lunch before his departure," he said.

Link

Arabia

Kuwait pledges $500 mn in Syria humanitarian aid

2015-04-01

[Gulf News] Kuwait City: Kuwait's emir announced Tuesday $500 million to help alleviate war-torn Syria's humanitarian crisis, which he called the worst in "modern history."

Stressing the gravity of the situation, the UN chief

the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon
... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan...
told participants at a Tuesday meeting to raise $8.4 billion (7.9 billion euros) this year for Syrian aid efforts, that four out of five Syrians are living in poverty.

"I am pleased to announce the pledging of $500 million from Kuwait's government and private sectors to support the humanitarian efforts in Syria," Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah said as he opened the conference.

"We are meeting here to face the biggest humanitarian catastrophe in the modern history of mankind," the emir said, calling on global powers to find a political solution to a civil war now in its fifth year.

He urged the UN Security Council, especially the five permanent members, to "abandon differences and find a political solution to the destructive conflict".

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Charity organisations pledge $400m for Syrians affected by war

2014-01-15

Charity organisations pledged $400 million on Tuesday to help alleviate the humanitarian plight of Syrians affected by their countrys civil war, participants at a meeting of charitable NGOs said.

Make checks out to the "Widows Ammunition Fund"...

Kuwaits International Islamic Charitable Organisation said Kuwaiti charities pledged $142 million, while dozens of NGOs attending the meeting promised the rest.

The funds will target people inside and outside Syria, where more than 130,000 people have been killed and millions displaced during the 34-month conflict, IICO said in a statement cited by the KUNA news agency.

At a similar meeting last year, NGOs pledged $182 million for Syrian refugees.

How much was collected?

Tuesdays gathering came a day before the Second International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria, which aims to raise $6.5 billion for more than 13.4 million Syrians facing extreme conditions inside the country and in neighbouring nations.

The United Nations has described the appeal as the largest ever in its history for a single humanitarian emergency.

Even more than for the Paleos?

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon will chair the one-day ministerial-level meeting, which will be opened by His Highness Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Amir of Kuwait. Around 69 countries and 24 international organisations are attending.

The UN has said it needs $2.3 billion to support 9.3 million people inside Syria and $4.2 billion for refugees, expected to nearly double to 4.1 million by years end.

Ahead of his arrival in Kuwait, Ban warned that the humanitarian situation in Syria has been deteriorating and called on donor nations to help meet the target.

At the first donors conference in Kuwait last January, participating nations pledged $1.5 billion, 75 per cent of which was delivered, according to a Kuwaiti official.

Aid agencies say 10.5 million Syrians are food insecure or severely food insecure, over a million children under five suffer from acute or severe malnutrition, about half the population has no access to adequate water sources or sanitation facilities and 8.6 million have insufficient access to healthcare.

Lebanon is currently hosting the largest number of refugees with 905,000, followed by Jordan with 575,000, Turkey 562,000, Iraq 216,000 and Egypt 145,000. By the end of 2014, these numbers are estimated to rise to 1.65 million in Lebanon, 800,000 in Jordan, 1.0 million in Turkey, 400,000 in Iraq and 250,000 in Egypt.

How many of them are loyal to the crazed buggers in the resistance?

Link

Arabia

Kuwait opposition to boycott election

2013-05-28

KUWAIT CITY - Kuwaits opposition will boycott any future poll under a controversial electoral law amended last year, even if the constitutional court upholds the amendment next month, a former MP said on Monday.

The highly anticipated verdict is due to be handed down on June 16. Opposition former MPs decided to boycott the next election if the constitutional court confirms the amendment, Faisal Al Muslim said after a lengthy meeting early on Monday.

Under the amended law, ordered by the Amir, His Highness Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, in October, each voter chooses a single candidate compared with a maximum of four under the previous law issued in 2006 after popular protests.

Al Muslim said Mondays meeting was attended by 24 former MPs and the boycott decision has authorisation from at least six others, as well as being backed by many opposition groups.

The electoral law divides the country into five electoral districts, with 10 MPs elected from each district to the 50-seat parliament.

As a result of the amendment, almost all opposition groups and former MPs boycotted the December poll on the grounds that the amendment allows the government to manipulate election results to create a rubber-stamp parliament. The opposition former MPs decided that without reinstating the 2006 electoral law, they will not participate in any polls, Al Muslim said.

The constitutional court, whose rulings are final, is due to rule next month on 23 challenges to the amended electoral law and the December election process. Among the possible decisions is that the court may scrap the amendment and order the dissolution of parliament.

Link

Arabia

Bahrain's Wefaq accepts Kuwait's mediation offer

2011-03-28

MANAMA -- Bahrain's opposition group Wefaq has accepted Kuwait's offer to mediate in talks with Bahrain's government to end the political crisis gripping the kingdom. Jasim Husain, a member of Wefaq, said on Sunday that His Highness Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Amir of Kuwait, has offered to mediate between Bahrain's government and opposition groups. "We welcome the idea of bringing in an outside element," Husain said.

He said that Wefaq had no conditions for entering mediation talks but the presence of foreign troops in Bahrain would be a thorny matter in the discussions. Wefaq and its six allies said last week they would not enter talks offered by Bahrain's Crown Prince Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa unless the government pulled troops off the streets and freed prisoners.

Husain said talks must be based on issues outlined by Shaikh Salman. These include an elected government and reform of electoral districts. Wefaq and its allies also want an elected council to redraft the constitution.

A Wefaq delegation is set to meet Kuwaiti politicians, including Parliament Speaker Jassem Al Kharafi, Kuwaiti daily Al Seyassah said.

Bahrain cut curfew times by an hour on Sunday. The curfew from Seef Mall through the financial district to the diplomatic area now runs from 11pm to 4am.

Link

Arabia

Kuwait parliament could be suspended for two years

2009-03-18

KUWAIT CITY - The Kuwaiti parliament could be suspended for up to two years after the Gulf state's cabinet resigned over a political dispute with MPs, local newspapers reported on Tuesday. Quoting well-informed sources, Al-Qabas newspaper said the most likely scenario to resolve political crises that have rocked the oil-rich emirate for the past three years will be to suspend parliament.

Al-Siyassah said the move could last up to two years and be accompanied by a number of measures to "put the Kuwaiti house in order."

A suspension would see Amir of Kuwait, His Highness Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah dissolve the 50-seat assembly but not call for new elections within 60 days as required by the constitution.

Since embracing parliamentary democracy in 1962, the Kuwaiti assembly has been suspended twice -- in 1976 for five years and then in 1986 for six years -- because of strained relations between the government and MPs. Parliament has also been dissolved and fresh election held on three occasions since 1999, the last in March 2008.

The Kuwaiti ruler on Monday accepted the government's resignation and asked it to run the country's urgent matters is until a new government was formed. Parliamentary sources told AFP that the emir could opt to change the prime minister or dissolve parliament and call for fresh elections.

The resignation came after five Islamist MPs filed three requests to grill Prime Minister Shaikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad al-Sabah, the emir's nephew, over allegations of mismangement, breach of the constitution and misuse of public funds. Since becoming prime minister for the first time in 2006, Sheikh Nasser has resigned five times due to political disputes with MPs.

Link

Arabia

Kuwaits ruler says rejects any partition of Iraq

2007-10-05

DUBAI - Kuwait will not accept any plan to divide Iraq into federal regions and wants the United States to remain there until the country is stable, the ruler of the Gulf state said in remarks aired on Thursday.

We will not accept the partition of Iraq, we consider this to be dangerous to us. It will be dangerous for the whole region, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah told Al Arabiya television, commenting on a US Senate resolution advocating the division of Iraq into federal regions. We are against this division and I think that even the Iraqis will not accept this.

Who asked him? I don't favor it, but no one in Iraq asked me either. It's not our call.

The non-binding Senate amendment, which was passed last week, says the United States should actively support a political settlement among Iraqis based on a federal system of government. The amendment has been widely interpreted as a proposal to divide Iraq along sectarian and ethnic lines into Sunni Arab, Shia Arab and Kurdish regions.

Sheikh Al Sabah also called on the United States to keep its troops in Iraq until stability is seen on the ground. I say it frankly, I would like the (United States) to withdraw its troops from tomorrow, but do you think that if they pull out there will be stability in Iraq? I think not, he said. We will hold the United States responsible for the fighting in Iraq, therefore, I wish that they will not leave now before they maintain a strong army in Iraq that can protect Iraq and its people.

Link

Arabia

Kuwaiti emir pardons 472 prisoners

2007-03-22

KUWAIT CITY - Kuwait on Wednesday freed 472 prisoners after Emir Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah pardoned them on the occasion of the emirates national and liberation days, which fell on February 25 and 26. Liberation day on February 26 marked 16 years since a US-led multinational coalition liberated the emirate after seven months of Iraqi occupation.

The pardon, which also marked the emirs first year in power, stipulated reducing the jail terms of 1,333 other prisoners, the interior ministry said. Of those released, 300 were foreigners and the rest Kuwaiti citizens. They included 64 women, most of them expatriates.

Link

Arabia

Kuwait emir urges cooperation as he opens parliament

2006-10-31

KUWAIT CITY - The emir of Kuwait Monday urged MPs and the government to cooperate in fighting corruption as he opened the new term of parliament where the opposition has gained control following June elections. I urge the two authorities, legislative and executive, to put into reality the desires of cooperation ... and to agree on national priorities, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah told the assembly.

We must reinforce among everyone the principle of respect for the law ... With such a commitment we can battle corruption, he said.

Sounds like a worried man.

The opposition has the support of 34 MPs in the house, which has 50 elected members in addition to 15 unelected ministers. The new parliament, elected at the end of June, reflects a new balance, with the opposition, comprising three blocs of Islamists, nationalists and liberals, united in an alliance pledging to combat corruption and press for economic reform.

The emir also called for appropriate use of the Gulf states huge financial resources for the benefit of the people, especially in developing public services and infrastructure. Kuwait, which sits on about 10 percent of global oil reserves, has accumulated huge financial assets of more than 166 billion dollars, mainly due to high oil prices. It has posted a budget surplus of around 54 billion dollars in the past seven fiscal years, and is forecast to post a 20-billion-dollar surplus in the current fiscal year ending next March. Kuwait has a native population of just one million people, but also has two million ~~second-class~~ foreign ~~servants~~ residents.

Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al Ahmad Al Sabah said his government wants to build a relationship based on mutual trust with parliament in order to resolve repeated political crises between the two bodies.

The previous parliament was dissolved in May one year ahead of time as a result of a crisis between MPs and the government on draft legislation calling to slash the number of electoral constituencies. Following the impressive triumph of the opposition, parliament in July passed a law to reduce the constituencies from 25 to five, which was a key opposition demand in the general elections.

Part of the "Contract with Kuwait", as I recall.

Sheikh Nasser also promised that his government would take effective measures to safeguard public funds ... and to combat all forms of corruption. He presented highlights of an ambitious government economic programme for the coming four years which envisages the building of several major public hospitals, a huge power plant, a railway, a harbour and other projects. In total, the government plans to carry out about 700 projects costing some 68 billion dollars.

And they'll have change left over.

The opposition alliance went into action immediately after the opening ceremony by proposing 12 draft laws it said were necessary to combat corruption and speed up key projects.

They include legislation that provides protection to prevent the sale of public property at low prices and another requiring senior government officials and MPs to disclose their wealth before and after assuming their posts.

The new term is expected to witness some wrangling, as several opposition MPs said they have decided to quiz Information Minister Mohammad Al Sanoussi. Outspoken lawmaker Mussallam Al Barrak told reporters after the session that the three opposition blocs plan to grill the minister within two months over alleged large-scale violations but declined to specify the nature of the alleged abuses. Barraks announcement was confirmed by liberal and Islamist MPs.

The opposition blocs control more than the 25 votes needed to oust a minister.

Link

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