Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Connections

What is the connection between petty violence and larger acts of terrorism? A look at recent events in Kuwait (and you can check below in some of my posts) may give clues to their relevance towards worse things to come.

A few years ago in Kuwait, the crime section in most papers was limited to a few stories. Now, it takes up almost an entire page. The current talk in Western circles revolves around the recent bombing outside the US Embassy in Yemen. Let’s look at the violence in Kuwait and their relevance towards larger acts like bombings.

Riots: Rioting laborers, riots in malls, riots during normally peaceful holidays.
Road rage: Commonplace acts of violence on Kuwait’s roads.
Violence against women: Women being pulled from their cars and beaten. Domestic violence.
Violence against children: Various rapes of children, most infamously in current events: the Hawalli monster.
Domestic violence: Family members either harming or killing each other.
Retaliation: Entire families coming to “defend the honor” in retaliation for fights.

There has been a feeling of foreboding doom in Kuwait for some time now. I don’t think that I’m alone – as I’ve talked to other friends about it. Unfortunately, what I don’t see is the presence of security forces. I’m seeing examples of bad things happening and then the police showing up; not of prevention. When the guard is down; it is the time for very bad things to happen.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi..was goin thru ur blog nd was really surprised to find no comments in this section..well i totally do agree with ur point tht violence has aggravated 2 a new high in Kuwait and don't really think the officials are doin anythin bout it coz most of these guys comittin the crime usually come free after bribin,wastha etc..(Kuwait after all is the second most corrupt nation in the Gulf ,after Saudi)..My only advice, stay at ur homes..watch HBO,ESPN,play video games or somethin..Chill outside only in ur respective native country's.

Anonymous said...

Still no comments ??? How odd ??? This would have been a very interesting topic to debate on..well wht d heck..i better go watch a movi now ...

Chatterbox said...

Was there a sudden decline in the economy? That is what always happens here when the economy goes south, the powerless in the area, turn on the ones with even less power, the women and children.