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Kuwaitis are getting the Lebanese “scourge”

To every Lebanese with even a remote interest in politics, Kuwaiti Newspapers from the serious Al Rai Al Aaam to the frivolous Al Seyassah are household names. The papers’ interest in nitty-gritty Lebanese affairs raised many eyebrows, and their occasional scoops have made headlines in Beirut and caused noises in Parliament and on the streets. Just yesterday, on a popular Lebanese talk show (kalam Ennas), a Kuwaiti caller made an impassionate attack on Syria and on its Lebanese allies, causing the Hezbollah guest on the show visible irritation.

It is fair to wonder then: Why is Kuwait, a remote oil-rich gulf state among many others, so particularly interested in our politics?

Some people would argue that it’s because of the similarity in our geo-strategic positions: Small liberal states constantly bullied by bigger and stronger neighbors are likely to sympathize with each other. Others would argue that it’s because of Hariri’s connections in Kuwait. President Emile Lahhoud recently accused PM Hariri of sending ready-made news to Kuwaiti newspapers, only to re-publish them on his own Almustaqbal media.

Fair enough, but I think that there is one more, largely overlooked factor that greatly affects Kuwait’s behavior: Competition with other Gulf countries.
In a globalized world, Rich oil states, which at one point looked very similar, are discovering the need to differentiate themselves and find their own unique “niches”. Qatar created Aljazeera; the UAE wore a business-friendly face, Saudi Arabia emphasized its scale. Kuwait, after some soul searching, found itself in Parliamentary Democracy.

Kuwaiti Politicians never miss an opportunity to say how happy they are with their democracy and freedom. They tout their free and fair elections and (depending on who you ask) are proud of the fact that women will be allowed to vote and stand in parliamentary and local elections.

Since Lebanon is an Arab democracy with older and more mature institutions, a lot of Kuwaiti became Lebanonphiles, accepting the messiness that can come from such a role model as a necessary collateral.

But has this gone too far? A writer in Al-Arabiya thinks so. This is the best part of his article entitled “The Lebanonization of Kuwait:”

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Any observer of recent developments in Kuwait can see how similar their issues are to ours: from election districting (small versus large) to Al-fassad (corruption), to orange-clad demonstrators and politicians. If you’re still not convinced, just check this post by a popular Kuwait blogger. “Eat more mangoes,” he said, “they’re messy, delicious, and ORANGE!!!”