Listen Up: Terrorism & Kuwait: A Sleeping Giant
Terrorism & Kuwait: A Sleeping Giant
If you asked anyone in Kuwait if they like living in Kuwait, the majority would tell you "NO!" The impression you get from Foreign Nationals who have lived in Kuwait for severals years is a very negative one. They constantly complain about how mean, disrespectful, entitled, selfish, careless, abusive Kuwaitis are. And in some cases that is completely true. While the countries around Kuwait face war- whether it be civil wars in Libya, Tunisia, Syria, Bahrain, or a US Invasion in Iraq with frequent suicide bombers, or constant threats from Iran...Kuwait has been a pretty low-key country in all this.
My boyfriend likens the 'peace' in Kuwait to a sleeping giant, the giant being insurgents from other countries starting chaos in Kuwait. Just this week the press has revealed that
Kuwait's foreign minister said an Iranian spy cell uncovered by the Gulf Arab state last year monitored the U.S. military presence and possessed explosives to bomb "strategic" facilities. "We are talking about a cell whose task was not only to monitor and record the (U.S.) military presence that is in their view hostile -- the American forces presence on Kuwait lands -- but it exceeded that," Sheikh Mohammad al-Salem al-Sabah told Dubai-based Al Arabiya television.
SOURCE: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/21/oukwd-uk-kuwait-iran-spying-idAFTRE73K3NC20110421
Another article I read said that there are at least 8 more Iranian spy rings that have not yet been investigated.
Let me tell you, ANY terrorist who wants to target Westerners (Americans & Euros), would find Kuwait is a GOLD MINE. I mean, there are SO many people from so many other countries in Kuwait. I hop in a taxi & they have their License, Civil ID, & other forms of identification hanging on the back of the drivers seat. I've been driven by Syrians, Bengalis, Indians, Sri Lankas, Iranians, Afghanis, Pakistanis, Lebanese, & Jordanians. These cab drivers also know where Westerners live, shop, & frequent since they drive them from location to residence.
I will credit Kuwait though with their fierce anti-terrorism efforts within their country. They have foiled attempts & put to justice- immediately- those involved. Yet Kuwait seems to be stuck between a rock & a hard spot. They remain pretty moderate although highly conservative, but the pressure for stricter Islamic laws is building from countries around them & from a few within the country.
I do however, greatly appreciate the 'tolerance' of Kuwait to non-Muslims. There are churches even though it's illegal to evangelize & try to convert someone from Islam. Grocery stores sell Christian holiday decorations & products. Kuwait is moderate because so much of the residents are from other countries. There is a huge Christian (Catholic) population here since most are Philippino or Indians. There are also many Hindus.
Sometimes Kuwait surprises me- in a positive manner. The journalists who write for the Arab Times Online can be pretty balanced & show a different side to the form of Islam in Kuwait (or the form that they are trying to keep from getting 'radicalized.') Below is an article written about the persecution of Christians in Pakistan & one village dominated by Christians, whose light shines in the darkness. This was posted by the Arab Times. Another article on their website reported how China was detaining Christians who went to a specific church for Easter b/c they were planning to hold service outside of the building they were evicted from. But other churches still held their services.
For that, I want to say THANK YOU ARAB TIMES, for your compassionate thoughts towards Christians & fair reporting. I appreciate it.
BTW, I found out that the Arab Times is banned in most Muslim Countries!
Please take a few seconds to read the article below.
KHUSHPUR, Pakistan (AP) -- A church bell, not a mosque loudspeaker, calls people to prayer along the dung-lined streets and inside the crumbling houses of this village. The body of Pakistan's most recent Christian martyr is buried in its graveyard.
Still, occasionally there have been threats -- or at least rumors of threats -- against Khushpur. After Bhatti was killed, talk of a potential bombing swept the village. For a couple of days, residents manned 24-hour watch posts, bearing what few weapons they had, said Ijaz Masih, 42, a farmer.
SOURCE: http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/168328/reftab/36/t/Fear-in-Pakistani-village-dominated-by-Christians-/Default.aspx
Posted by Jessica Vasquez at 3:02 AM
Listen Up: Terrorism & Kuwait: A Sleeping Giant
Terrorism & Kuwait: A Sleeping Giant
If you asked anyone in Kuwait if they like living in Kuwait, the majority would tell you "NO!" The impression you get from Foreign Nationals who have lived in Kuwait for severals years is a very negative one. They constantly complain about how mean, disrespectful, entitled, selfish, careless, abusive Kuwaitis are. And in some cases that is completely true. While the countries around Kuwait face war- whether it be civil wars in Libya, Tunisia, Syria, Bahrain, or a US Invasion in Iraq with frequent suicide bombers, or constant threats from Iran...Kuwait has been a pretty low-key country in all this.
My boyfriend likens the 'peace' in Kuwait to a sleeping giant, the giant being insurgents from other countries starting chaos in Kuwait. Just this week the press has revealed that
Kuwait's foreign minister said an Iranian spy cell uncovered by the Gulf Arab state last year monitored the U.S. military presence and possessed explosives to bomb "strategic" facilities. "We are talking about a cell whose task was not only to monitor and record the (U.S.) military presence that is in their view hostile -- the American forces presence on Kuwait lands -- but it exceeded that," Sheikh Mohammad al-Salem al-Sabah told Dubai-based Al Arabiya television.
SOURCE: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/21/oukwd-uk-kuwait-iran-spying-idAFTRE73K3NC20110421
Another article I read said that there are at least 8 more Iranian spy rings that have not yet been investigated.
Let me tell you, ANY terrorist who wants to target Westerners (Americans & Euros), would find Kuwait is a GOLD MINE. I mean, there are SO many people from so many other countries in Kuwait. I hop in a taxi & they have their License, Civil ID, & other forms of identification hanging on the back of the drivers seat. I've been driven by Syrians, Bengalis, Indians, Sri Lankas, Iranians, Afghanis, Pakistanis, Lebanese, & Jordanians. These cab drivers also know where Westerners live, shop, & frequent since they drive them from location to residence.
I will credit Kuwait though with their fierce anti-terrorism efforts within their country. They have foiled attempts & put to justice- immediately- those involved. Yet Kuwait seems to be stuck between a roc
k & a hard spot. They remain pretty moderate although highly conservative, but the pressure for stricter Islamic laws is building from countries around them & from a few within the country.
I do however, greatly appreciate the 'tolerance' of Kuwait to non-Muslims. There are churches even though it's illegal to evangelize & try to convert someone from Islam. Grocery stores sell Christian holiday decorations & products. Kuwait is moderate because so much of the residents are from other countries. There is a huge Christian (Catholic) population here since most are Philippino or Indians. There are also many Hindus.
Sometimes Kuwait surprises me- in a positive manner. The journalists who write for the Arab Times Online can be pretty balanced & show a different side to the form of Islam in Kuwait (or the form that they are trying to keep from getting 'radicalized.') Below is an article written about the persecution of Christians in Pakistan & one village dominated by Christians, whose light shines in the darkness. This was posted by the Arab Times. Another article on their website reported how China was detaining Christians who went to a specific church for Easter b/c they were planning to hold service outside of the building they were evicted from. But other churches still held their services.
For that, I want to say THANK YOU ARAB TIMES, for your compassionate thoughts towards Christians & fair reporting. I appreciate it.
BTW, I found out that the Arab Times is banned in most Muslim Countries!
Please take a few seconds to read the article below.
KHUSHPUR, Pakistan (AP) -- A church bell, not a mosque loudspeaker, calls people to prayer along the dung-lined streets and inside the crumbling houses of this village. The body of Pakistan's most recent Christian martyr is buried in its graveyard.
Still, occasionally there have been threats -- or at least rumors of threats -- against Khushpur. After Bhatti was killed, talk of a potential bombing swept the village. For a couple of days, residents manned 24-hour watch posts, bearing what few weapons they had, said Ijaz Masih, 42, a farmer.
SOURCE: http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/168328/reftab/36/t/Fear-in-Pakistani-village-dominated-by-Christians-/Default.aspx
Posted by Jessica Vasquez at 3:02 AM