Defending our Democracy (US)

 Trump Suffers Blow Over Unconstitutional Order

Federal judge Beryl Howell issued an injunction stopping President Trump from enforcing an executive order against Perkins Coie (law firm representing opposition to Trump – and one of many firms being targeted by the Trump Administration). Howell's opinion found the executive order unconstitutional and retaliatory, potentially undermining lawyer independence. The decision stemmed from Trump’s history of targeting law firms that oppose his administration.

Howell wrote, “No American President has ever before issued executive orders like the one at issue in this lawsuit targeting a prominent law firm with adverse actions to be executed by all Executive branch agencies but, in purpose and effect, this action draws from a playbook as old as Shakespeare, who penned the phrase: ‘The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.’”

Howell determined that the executive order primarily targeted Perkins Coie due to its past representation of Democratic political figures and litigation opposing Trump’s claims about the 2020 election. The firm has also provided pro bono support to transgender military service members asserting their right to serve against another executive order.

Howell emphasized that the executive order silences dissenting legal voices and punishes the firm for its advocacy. Howell wrote, “Using the powers of the federal government to target lawyers for their representation of clients and avowed progressive employment policies in an overt attempt to suppress and punish certain viewpoints, however, is contrary to the Constitution, which requires that the government respond to dissenting or unpopular speech or ideas with ‘tolerance, not coercion.’”

The judge's opinion shows a lack of evidence for claims of racial discrimination against Perkins Coie, noting the Trump administration’s failure to provide concrete examples. Howell stressed the necessity of independent legal representation in a free society and warned against government retaliation that could suppress advocacy for unpopular clients.

The ruling confirms that the executive order violates Perkins Coie’s rights to equal protection under the law and due process. Howell noted that the punishments lack proper legal justification, making it difficult for the firm to operate normally.

Howell added that the executive order does not cite national security as a reason for the penalties. Claims of urgency from the administration seemingly contradict the settlements reached with other law firms targeted by similar executive orders.

- End -

Source: https://www.msn.com/.../trump-suffers-blow.../ss-AA1EE3s1...

Why this is important: 500 American Law Firms have been targeted by the administration for opposing Trump. "The order against that firm (Perkins Coie) and others demands that security clearances of its lawyers be suspended, that federal contracts be terminated and that employee access to federal buildings be restricted." That would effectively shut down the firms. (See: https://apnews.com/.../trump-law-firms-threats-executive... and https://www.newsweek.com/500-law-firms-challenge-trumps...)

Please THANK the judges responsible for upholding democracy! They are facing enormous pressure and work daily with integrity and determination to uphold the rule of law in our country. Send a note:

The Honorable Judge Beryl Howell

US District Court for the District of Columbia

333 Constitution Ave, NW

Washington, DC 20001

Article: France24 - 'Stateless overnight'

 

Link:  'Stateless overnight': Authoritarian crackdown strips 42,000 Kuwaitis of nationality

Kuwait has taken a distinctly more authoritarian direction since the accession of the new monarch, 84-year-old Emir Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, in December 2023.  

Asserting that he would not allow democracy “to be exploited to destroy the state”, the emir suspended parliament on May 10 of last year and announced a revision of the constitution with the aim of ending political gridlock, which he claims has paralysed Kuwait for decades.

Several people who criticised this initiative were arrested, and members of parliament were prosecuted in a wave of repression denounced by Amnesty International.  

Nearly 42,000 Kuwaiti nationals have been stripped of their nationality since September, a radical policy shift for the Gulf country. Revocation of citizenship had previously been used in Kuwait, as in other Gulf monarchies, only sporadically and following court rulings, sometimes against political opponents or those accused of terrorism like the detainees held at the US base in Guantanamo, Cuba. 

The enactment in December of a legislative amendment authorising forfeiture of citizenship for “‘moral turpitude or dishonesty, or for actions aimed at threatening state security, including criticism of the emir or religious figures”, has broadened the scope for the revocation of citizenship. 

A Supreme Committee chaired by the minister of the interior examines cases to establish who has a legal claim to Kuwaiti citizenship. And every week, the names of those stripped of nationality are made public – with anxious Kuwaitis poring over the lists looking for their names or the names of relatives, the Financial Times reported.

Kuwaiti wives

No fewer than 464 citizens were stripped of their nationality in a single day on March 6, including 12 people accused of “illegally” holding dual nationality and 451 said to be guilty  of “forgery and fraud”, the Middle East news site Al-Monitor reported.

Kuwait does not allow dual nationality, so those who acquire Kuwaiti citizenship must give up their original nationality.

And these naturalised Kuwaitis have been particularly targeted, notably women who were naturalised after marrying a Kuwaiti. Stripped of their Kuwaiti citizenship, they find themselves stateless and without basic rights – for example, they no longer have access to state health care nor can they renew their children's enrolment in state schools. 

Non-Kuwaitis cannot access the generous social welfare benefits offered by this wealthy petro-monarchy, nor can they own land or hold a majority stake in a company. Some who have lost their nationality have reported having their driving licenses invalidated, or found their access to their bank accounts restricted. 

“The speed of these measures and the scale of the number of people affected is unprecedented in Kuwait. The government is proceeding in a haphazard manner,” says Claire Beaugrand, a researcher for the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), at Paris Dauphine University-PSL. 

Faced with public alarm over the denaturalisation campaign, the government in December tried to moderate its position concerning spouses naturalised after marriage, promising to restore their pensions and social benefits. 

‘Stateless overnight’

All levels of society are affected by the new rules on nationality, according to a report in the Financial Times. The British daily describes the story of Faisal, a Kuwaiti businessman, who has been in despair since having his passport confiscated at the airport as he was about to travel. No reason was given, he says. But his father, a naturalised Kuwaiti, was also stripped of his nationality. “They made me stateless overnight,” Faisal said. “Today, all I can think about is leaving and settling in Dubai.”

Another potential victim of these revocations is the political opposition. “Rumour has it in Kuwait that the threat of administrative proceedings against ‘fraudulent’ naturalisations is aimed at intimidating people from tribal backgrounds who formed the breeding ground of the parliamentary opposition, considered by the authorities to be ‘disloyal’,” says Beaugrand.

The revocations are a reminder that there is another category of stateless Kuwaitis, the Bidoon, many of whom are descendants of nomadic tribes. Bidoon, literally “without nationality”, have never been able to prove they are Kuwati nationals and have remained in legal limbo for several generations.  

Their applications for citizenship are processed by a specific institution that considers them neither citizens nor legal foreign residents. Because of this unsettled status, they are deprived of the social, political and economic rights accorded to the rest of the population. There are an estimated 100,000 Bidoon in Kuwait. 

Xenophobic rhetoric 

To justify its campaign against foreign nationals, the government at times uses xenophobic rhetoric mirroring that used by the far right in the US and Europe – notably, warning that foreign criminals are taking advantage of the generous welfare benefits meant for Kuwaitis and should be punished.   

Kuwait has been “hijacked” by other nationalities, Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad al-Yousef said on Kuwait’s Alrai TV in March. “I will not mention these nationalities. There are nationalities that are foreign to Kuwaiti society – its social life, language, character and social relations.” Yousef, a member of the royal family, cited the danger of undermining the “authentic nature” of Kuwaiti society and generating “lineage confusion”. 

The government has even opened a “hotline” to encourage Kuwaitis to report dual nationals and to denounce those they suspect of procuring false documents in order to obtain nationality. 

Kuwait's lagging economy 

The government also makes an economic argument to justify its campaign that is sometimes echoed in the media.

“The government and the press describe these measures as a way of reducing state expenditure by reducing the number of citizens benefiting from the generous advantages offered by the Kuwaiti welfare state,” says Beaugrand. 

Faced with economic stagnation, the Kuwaiti authorities are worried that they are lagging behind their Gulf neighbours, who are successfully diversifying their economies away from dependence on oil. 

“When he came to power, the emir promised to launch economic reforms to boost growth,” notes Beaugrand. But ever since he dissolved parliament, despite promising reforms “we've mostly seen denaturalisations”. 

Article: Foreign Affairs Observer - Kuwait Revokes Citizenship of Women En Masse

 

Link:  Kuwait Revokes Citizenships of Women En Masse in Latest Pattern of Repression | Foreign Affairs Observer

by Anonymous Author

Once lauded as a pioneer of social democracy and progressive ideals, Kuwait has embarked on a sweeping program of citizenship revocations. Alarming not only for its scale but also its discriminatory execution, as this program has disproportionately affected Kuwaiti women. Most notably, the wives of Kuwaiti men who were lawfully naturalised as citizens.

In December 2024, amendments to Kuwait’s Nationality Law meant women married to Kuwaiti men are no longer eligible for naturalisation, regardless of whether their husbands were born Kuwaiti or were naturalised themselves. Through retrospective application of this amendment over 47,000 people, predominantly Kuwaiti women, have had their citizenship revoked.

As these women were required to renounce their original citizenship at the time of naturalisation, many of have now become stateless, unable to reclaim the original citizenship they once surrendered in good faith. But under the false guise of anti-corruption reform, Kuwait’s sweeping de-nationalisation campaign reveals far more about Kuwait’s uncertain future. Raising urgent questions about human rights, statelessness, and gender-based discrimination.

Kuwait’s Nationality Law

In 1959 Kuwait’s Nationality Law provided the legal framework for citizenship, beyond those eligible since its enactment or being born to Kuwaiti fathers. Through this law, non-Kuwaitis could acquire citizenship through legitimate channels which included marriage.

Previously, under Article 8 of Kuwait’s Nationality Law, wives of Kuwaitis could apply for citizenship by notifying the Ministry of Interior, which would issue a nationality certificate if the marriage lasted five years from the date of notice. Since Kuwait’s liberation from Iraqi occupation in 1991, women married to Kuwaiti men grew to account for the single largest group of naturalised citizens.

Article 9 contains a safeguard so that a woman will not lose Kuwaiti nationality if her marriage comes to an end, unless she regains her original nationality or she obtains another nationality. No such safeguard exists where nationality is revoked in other circumstances.

Article 13 of Kuwait's Nationality Law outlines the preconditions for revoking citizenship which largely focuses on cases of fraud, criminal convictions, and perceived threats to national security.

Not only has retroactive application violated Constitutional protections under Article 32, but this has also consigned tens of thousands of naturalised wives, divorcees, and widows to either interim or permanent statelessness.

Widespread Revocation Campaign

What initially began as efforts to tackle forgery, corruption and fraud quickly devolved into a widespread campaign that systematically targets naturalised Kuwaiti women. Between 2011 and August 2024, the number of revocations issued averaged at roughly 788 per year. However, over the past 7 months alone authorities have issued revocations at a staggering rate approximately 15 times higher than the past 13 years.

The revocation programme is led by the Supreme Committee to Investigate Kuwaiti Citizenship. Chaired by the Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Al-Sabah, the Supreme Committee also includes high-ranking government figures such as the Minister of State for Council of Ministers’ Affairs, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the General-Secretary of the Council of Ministers.

The Supreme Committee has not publicly disclosed any criteria for identifying individuals subject to the revocation process. There appears to be no semblance of due process involved, as no notice is given to inform individuals their nationality is under review. There is no opportunity to make representations to the Supreme Committee or its representatives at any stage in the process. Worst of all, affected individuals are only made aware when the Kuwait Gazette publishes a decree, issued by Kuwait’s Amir, that includes their names in the latest nationality revocations list.

Any path for judicial recourse has also been suspended. As of December 2024, the Minister of Justice issued a new directive under Administrative Circular no.23 of 2024, that requires proof of citizenship to file a lawsuit in any Kuwaiti court. This appears to be designed specifically to prevent affected Kuwaitis, mostly women, from seeking access to the Kuwaiti judicial system or challenge the legality of their revocation.

Although in February 2025, the Kuwaiti Council of Ministers approved the establishment of a grievance committee to ‘oversee cases of nationality withdrawal and revocation’. But beyond its announcement, no additional information has been provided on the committee's mandate, eligibility criteria, or instructions on how to access it.

Consequences of Revocations

Once revocations are issued, documents like passports and national identification cards are immediately invalidated. It has been reported that immigration officials are seizing the passports of affected individuals if they seek to leave the country or upon their return. As a consequence, women are trapped, either within or outside Kuwait depending upon their location at the time of revocation. There have been plenty of instances where women were left stranded outside of Kuwait, separated from their families.

Although the Minister of Interior issued a statement in November 2024, reassuring women who have had their nationality rescinded that they would not lose their jobs or benefits. It has been reported that the Ministry of Social Affairs stopped issuing salaries to female employees who have been subject to the revocation process.

Meanwhile, the Public Institution for Social Security stated on 9 December 2024 that pension payments due to be made the following day would not be issued to retirees whose nationality had been revoked, as there is no legislation permitting this.

Bank accounts of disenfranchised women are frozen while all social insurance payments are also stopped. For women who own businesses, their files in the Public Authority for Manpower are suspended.

According to recent reports, Kuwait Credit Bank has been asked by the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy to prevent any property disposals by individuals whose nationality has been revoked until they have settled outstanding utilities charges .

Worryingly, restrictions also extend to essential services including healthcare. As hospitals and medical staff are now required to verify national identification cards prior to admitting patients to any public healthcare facility. A Kuwaiti woman recently appealed to leaders via social media to permit her cancer-diagnosed mother to travel abroad for chemotherapy, after being stripped of her nationality.

A Pattern of Repression

Kuwait’s democratic regression began when the newly sworn Amir, Shaikh Mishaal Al Ahmad Al-Sabah, dissolved Parliament and suspended crucial Constitutional articles under the guise of national security, in May 2024. Supporters praised the move, arguing in favour of a parliamentary pause to address systemic issues ranging from corruption and administrative issues to infrastructure reform. This was viewed as a means to accelerate economic growth, particularly as Kuwait continues to lag behind GCC counterparts like the UAE and Qatar, despite comparable oil resources and wealth.

Critics, however, suspected a more nefarious context. The Emir, with his background in Kuwait’s national security apparatus, had little patience for democracy and the distribution of power beyond the ruling Al-Sabah clan. Over a decade before Shaikh Mishaal ascended to power, a leading Kuwaiti journalist captured his disdain for Kuwait’s constitutional democracy in what many now consider a prescient article.

Shortly after, the Minister of Interior launched a campaign of arrests targeting political opponents and government critics. Despite Constitutional protections for free speech, those detained include critics of the Amir such as Anwar Hayati, Mohammad al-Bargash and Abdullah Fairouz. This also extends to former members of parliament such as Waleed al Tabtabaei and Musaed al Quraifa.

Through its indiscriminate scope, the denationalisation campaign has forged a rare moment of national solidarity among Kuwaitis who would otherwise coalesce around ethnic and tribal affiliations.

Former Kuwaiti MP, Saleh Al-Mulla, has been among the vocal critics who recently denounced the revocation campaign via social media in January, where he said: “Naturalised women include the wives and mothers of Kuwaitis. What is happening to them every week is shameful. Women are anxiously waiting for their names to appear in the official gazette as if they are criminals. We will not accept this.”

The backlash took Kuwait’s leadership by surprise. But the scale of criticism has seemingly emboldened the Supreme Committee’s resolve to carry out its agenda.

In November 2024, popular Kuwaiti social media personality, Lulwa Al Husainan, posted a video that criticised the Minister of Interior, Shaikh Fahad Al Yousuf, for publicly mocking disenfranchised women. She was then summoned by Kuwait’s National Security Agency (NSA) where, she alleged, the Minister himself had assaulted her at a detention centre where she was held in custody.

Popular Kuwaiti journalists, such as Hassan Al Essa and Mohammed Al Saqer, have also been warned against publishing critical articles around the cancellation of citizenships.

While former member of parliament, Muhannad Al Sayer, was detained by Kuwait’s NSA in January after posting a video on social media in which he demanded the government cease its revocation of citizenships. Reports have also surfaced that the government’s most vocal critic, Saleh Al Mulla, was also summoned to the NSA.

Despite the wave of repression, even the government's inner circle of advisors has begun to voice deepening concerns.

In December, Ambassador Abdulla Bishara, the former Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and one of Kuwait’s leading foreign policy advisors, wrote an article warning that Kuwait’s revocation policy could undermine its moral standing. In which he emphasised: “I register these concerns because I am a participant and witness to Kuwait's history in international organizations and I defended Kuwait’s lofty values and its inherent faith in the principles enshrined in the UN Charter.”

Similar sentiments have emerged from within the Al Sabah family itself, with Shaikh Ali Jabir Al Ali Al Sabah being the most vocal critic of the government’s program.

An Uncertain Future

Few Kuwaitis are hopeful that the Amir, now 84 years old, will change course, or that he places any value on how history records his legacy. As leaders run out of opportunities to scapegoat Parliament, it is important to remember the social contract that all Kuwaitis are bound to.

In October 1991, just two months into Iraq's occupation, the exiled Kuwaiti government held a conference in Jeddah where 1,200 Kuwaitis came together in moment of national unity. Opposition leaders argued that reform and liberation must go hand in hand. They called for the restoration of the 1962 Constitution and the 1986 National Assembly, the same institutions now under threat.

The conference issued a final communiqué that affirmed the political leadership of the Al-Sabah family, with a vital caveat: Kuwaiti society post-liberation should be based on " national unity and legitimate systems that we have chosen and accepted, strengthened by consultation, democracy and popular participation and guided by our 1962 Constitution."

Regardless of whether the government alters its course, time is running out on efforts to shield these transgressions from the unforgiving gaze of global criticism. But when the veil inevitably drops, this will be seen as a historic betrayal to Kuwait’s hard-won freedom and the profound sacrifices upon which its democratic vision was built.

Losing Kuwaiti Nationality

 

This has been the big talk in Kuwait that no one in Kuwait is talking about in public for fear of repercussions from the powers that be. Kuwait has revoked thousands of Kuwaiti nationalities. Many of the people who have lost nationality are law-abiding wives of Kuwaiti men who were granted nationality - some as far back as 3 decades if not more.

What does this mean? It means that if they own businesses or property - may be confiscated. Employees under those businesses would lose their visas. Many women will become stateless ("bedoon" in Arabic - meaning "without" nationality) - meaning people of NO nationality. (There are already hundreds of thousands of stateless people living in Kuwait - which is in itself a huge security issue. No hope causes a range of issues.) Once a woman renounced her original nationality from some countries (for example, Saudi Arabia, China, etc), there is no way to get it back. Others, like widows, may lose their livings. Mothers, grandmothers, business owners....

A list was published and distributed with the names of all women who were having their nationalities revoked. It was public and women friends would call each other after seeing their names to console each other.

It was all done quickly and without answers. They were promised travel documents and answers, but when? Some of the women were out of the country and afraid to return to Kuwait for fear that they couldn't leave again.

I'm writing this now because publicly, the cat is now out of the bag (however, you haven't seen any of this in international news just yet - again, probably because people who have lost nationality are most likely afraid to tell their stories).

I don't have a dog in this fight. I don't have a personal story to tell (and I never held Kuwaiti nationality), but my friends do. I heard lots of stories when I recently visited Kuwait.  It is heartbreaking. Some of the women who have lost their nationality gave a LOT to Kuwait during the Gulf War and more. They've always been a proud group. I remember them well - serving Kuwait through networking at a time (1990-91) when there was no internet and any news was reproduced on paper and sent out in the mail. (I still have the copies of "Kuwaiting for News" and "Voice of Kuwait." (See my post below)  Others helped from inside Kuwait towards the liberation of Kuwait.

Some of the comments I've read online regarding this story are similar to: "Good! Bunch of gold diggers. They deserve..." etc. The kind of global xenophobia that seems to be rampant these days.

A report has just been published. It is the first published story I have seen on the subject. The link is https://www.gc4hr.org/amendments-to-kuwaiti-nationality-law-pose-serious-threats-to-human-rights/


"Report Highlights:

• Kuwaiti authorities have recently made amendments to the Nationality Law and started a massive revocation of nationalities from previously naturalised persons. The state claims that the move is due to concerns for national unity and national security.

• The massive revocation has affected more than 30,000 people, mainly the foreign wives of Kuwaiti citizens, who obtained their nationality based on the regulations of the Law by previous governments since 1980. All of them had to revoke their former nationality as a prerequisite to obtain the Kuwaiti nationality at the time.

• The state did not offer a comprehensive plan to address the needs of those who were stripped of their nationality. They found themselves without access to documentation for basic travel or services, such as resuming jobs, accessing bank accounts, or the ability to own their property or run their businesses. Some were disabled individuals in need of proper medical care, or patients who needed to travel for care.

• Kuwait has one of the highest numbers of stateless populations in the world, amounting to more than 90,0000 persons, because of its restrictive Nationality Law, that limits naturalisation for those who reside in Kuwait for marriage, work, or lack of other nationality. Amendments to the Law over the years have never addressed these issues, rather, they have exacerbated them.

• Community figures, former parliamentarians, scholars, economists, and activists have been advocating against these amendments, demanding referral to legal experts and a legal recourse to address nationality concerns. All are advocating against amendments to Article 8 of the Law which stripped thousands of naturalized wives of Kuwaiti citizens of their nationality.

• Many of those who advocated against stripping of nationalities, have faced legal intimidation and fabricated charges by the authorities, and some had to leave the country.

• Facing a public backlash, authorities promised to treat the naturalized wives, who were stripped of nationality, as Kuwaiti citizens, therefore raising legitimate concerns of the rationale of stripping of stripping nationality in the first place.

• Kuwait is not party to the Refugee Convention of 1951 or its 1967 Protocol, both are crucial instruments to meaningfully address the growing stateless population rights."

Another Tragic Accident in Kuwait

This Kuwaiti "fashionista" (I hate that term!) social media person ran a red light in her boyfriend's Bentley while under the influence (supposedly 4 boxes of Lyrica and alcohol were found in the vehicle) and killed 3 young Kuwaitis.

It is now the talk of the Arabian Gulf because there are so many lethal accidents in Kuwait committed by people under the influence - and very little is being done about it. I was in a bad accident years ago in Kuwait; hit by a young Kuwaiti making an illegal U-turn while on drugs and T-boning my sports car. I get the outrage. I never got reparations; he went to jail for the drugs, not for causing me injuries.

 Anyhoo, this story is in Arabic (Al Arabiya network - Saudi Arabia), but what it basically says is just what I said - she was going 140 km (roughly 87 mph) in what looks like a residential area. The dark grey car is the one she hit.

 

It probably wouldn't even have made the news if the people she killed were foreigners in Kuwait.

 

My personal opinion is that Kuwait should name an shame criminals.  Put their full family name and photo in the media. The argument against this is, "Kuwait is small and there are only so many families and everyone knows each other and it would be a big shame." To which I say, GREAT!  Do it.  Dubai does and Dubai is a smaller country than Kuwait and with the same type of social dilema to publishing names.  However, not much else seems to work in Kuwait besides the shame game.  Maybe their family members would have more luck teaching criminal offenders good behavior?  Fines and jail time don't seem to work.  Maybe having your grandpa call you aside and tell you that you're no longer allowed to visit the family during Ramadan or Eid or even Friday lunches will do it.  Machboos is a strong influencer.

Ku-Waiting for News and Voice of Kuwait - Occupation Time (1990-91) Newsletters from the US

When I moved to Kuwait in October of 1996, to start the “real adventures”, I stored most of my remaining belongings in my sister's basement.  She has just done a Spring cleaning and asked me to go over and see if I wanted anything that was still there.  I found a box of books and documents from the Gulf War (you know - the first one - in 1990 and 91).

I'm so happy to have found these newsletters!  It was a very sad time, but as I re-read these, my faith in humanity is reaffirmed once again.  When disaster strikes, people help each other. 

Some were compiled by American wives of Kuwaitis (Ku-Waiting for News) and the Kuwaiti Student's Union (Voice of Kuwait).

 

Back then (90/91), we didn't have e-mail or the internet (shocking, right?) so all these newsletters were hard-copied and mailed to people on their mailing lists; and copies of copies were made and distributed. As you can see in the photos, it looks like the newsletters were hand-typed. Microsoft Word wasn't even around then and most people couldn't afford a computer.)

 

Once received, most of us would make copies and distribute to anyone we thought might be able to help liberate Kuwait (like Congress or the Senate, etc.). I find them super interesting because they gave first-hand accounts/perspectives of what was happening at that time; full of all the raw emotion that everyone was feeling.

 

You may recognize some of the names. I never met most of these people in person, but we kept in communication often to keep the news flowing (I love you all and God bless you for everything you did and the endless support you provided!).

 

I ran a not-for-profit called, Kuwait Link, at that time to connect people and resources and disseminate information.  I had a 214/7 “help line” (a phone next to my bed!).  I connected TV and newspaper news outlets to Kuwaitis for stories; like Um Salah who watched in February, 1991, as her sons, Jamal and Salah met on the street in Kuwait.   (I met Um Salah Dashti, mother of former MP and friend, Rula Dashti, while they were in DC during the Occupation.) Anyways, one son studied in the US at the time and joined the US military to liberate Kuwait; and the other son was in Kuwait through the entire occupation and worked with The Resistance.  (I can’t remember which son was where.  It’s been a long time.)  Anyways, Um Salah watched on live television as the sons reunited, hugging each other in the street; one not knowing if the other was even still alive. Often, I would receive calls late at night (after the Kuwait Embassy in DC was closed) from people ask for help to find their friends inside Kuwait.  I would sometimes refer them to a nameless expat man who had a HAM radio (amateur radio) that operated secretly inside Kuwait and he would try to find Kuwaitis and get messages and information to them.  He literally risked his life to help people.  Had the Iraqis caught him, he would likely have been taken to Iraq and then, God knows what would have happened to him.  Or the time after the liberation when I received an onslaught of calls from concerned people asking if they could help the starving animals in the Kuwait Zoo. 

 

Um Salah volunteered with me and a group of Kuwaiti women who trained at the Red Cross and with the US Marines at Quantico.  Her shells hit my head on the firing line as we shot our M-16’s at the targets.  25 Kuwaiti women joined the US forces with the honorary rank of Sargant to volunteer as translators in the liberation of Kuwait.  There is NOTHING in the history books about them and probably never will be.  They rode with seasoned soldiers and slept in mud.  The often had to beg their parents to go, but they did and I’ve never met a better group of determined women in my life.  Some of whom you would never in a million years guess wore combat boots!  Mothers and grandmothers in diamonds and couture.  Women of pure determination and strength.

 

And I want to say something about the amount of online hatred I’ve come across from mostly young people who say things like, “Go back to your country.” Or “America only helped liberate Kuwait for oil and money.”  The expat people (from the US and the other 35 nations that formed the Allied Coalition Forces) I personally knew during that time SACRIFICED for Kuwait.  Americans VOLUNTEERED to go to fight for Kuwait.  People risked their lives.  So, I take it personally when people say these things. And if you are here to do that – please just go away.  God watches us all and you may find yourself in need of human compassion someday.

 

The newsletters copy is a large file in .pdf (about 9MB and 106 pages long), but if you would like me to email it to you, drop me a DM with your email address and I'll get it to you.

Kuwait Local Tours - Fly World

 

Failaka 2022

This is a post that was on Facebook about Farah Yusuf Khan’s experience recently at Facebook.  It is such a good account that I thought I would pass it along, as many people are looking for things to do and Failaka is always a popular option.

This is a post that was on Facebook about Farah Yusuf Khan’s experience recently at Failaka. It is such a good first-hand account that I thought I would pass it along; as man people are looking for things to do and Failaka is always a great option.

Since I inquired last time about Failaka Island and found that there isn't much info about it available on fb. I decided to make a small guide for you all to refer before visiting.

We visited last Friday and booked our tickets 3 days in advance and better to book it even earlier. It all depends on the availability. It was 30 kd per person above 2 years of age with buffet and 25 kd without buffet. We went by Ikarus marine. We boarded from Marina mall. They are quite punctual so be there at least half hr prior given time.

It takes 30 to 40 mins to reach the island. They drop u off at the heritage village and to your right is Wanasa Beach and to your left is the tour of the Iraqi tanks and other places. At the heritage village u will find the mini supermarket from where u can buy stuff, as the restaurant at heritage village will open only at 2 pm for buffet and then close after that's done. I would suggest u carry some rolls or sandwiches right under your clothes in your bag pack as everyone gets to carry a bag pack and no one checks your baggage (they say no drinks and food). The buffet was amazing so better to book your seats with lunch buffet.

In the heritage village u have the museum, the reception, beautiful site of room areas and pathways to see. The industrial lake, the mini zoo. You can take a map from the reception to help you navigate. Also your baggage can be kept behind the reception with safety unless you don't have any valuables in it. We carried extra winter jackets and shawls as the temperature there is way colder than Kuwait city.

When you enter the heritage village you can book your bus trip to the Iraqi tank and other places which is like a 45 mins to and hr trip by bus and they show you places around costing 3 kd per person. We had taken that trip too and liked it. The last bus goes at 3 pm. They also have mini cars for 20 kd an hr and other cars for 30 kd an hr without guides. Later on we left for Wanasa Beach which is a 2 mins walk from the heritage village and u have like a little dance show or other shows in the evening. There is a restaurant which serves from morning till night, Baskin Robbins, other small items like corn, spiral potatoes, baked potatoes, popcorn all available at the beach. They accept KNET only throughout ur trip but do keep a little cash as some places ask you incase they are unable to deduct thru KNET. Also there are many power sockets at all the places in the reception so u can carry your charging cables, electric kettles with tea bags and stuff like that. Our trip was from 10 am to 10 pm as we had a Kuwaiti band performing but generally the trip is from 9 am to 8 pm. 

Juman

 

I watched all 30 episodes of the Kuwaiti drama series, Juman (2019), on Netflix with (not always so accurate) English subtitles.  I’ll tell you my impressions, but I would like to know what other people who saw it think about it.  It was disturbing in many ways but also touched upon some forward-thinking points.

 I found myself somewhat depressed watching the series through so many episodes and it had a lot to do with the solemn music score throughout - as much as the subject matter.

The plot of Juman revolves around an extended Kuwaiti family and their marriages and relationships. It also underscores the social problems affecting Kuwaitis (which can also be felt by expats married to Kuwaitis, although that point is not brought up in the series). 
 
The main message of the series is the importance of keeping families together, regardless of what problems a couple may face. Marital problems in “Juman” included a lot of domestic abuse/violence and adultery (committed by husbands in the series). (On a positive note, the directors never showed the actual violent acts against the women, which is a plus.)  Husbands that took zero ownership or accountability for their actions while their wives were told by an older generation of women and parents  that of course it isn’t right, but to go home and make it work; that a good wife should appease her husband and calm him. That is her job.
 
It was a disturbing message to give to young generations of strong, smart, educated Kuwaiti women. A message that they should give up their careers and/or educations to be stay home wives and mothers for men who flauntingly married second wives, or who forced their wives to cover - not out of religion, but out of jealousy (which supposedly means love in this series). And to return to husbands that were “sorry” after beating them; of course, to return and accept for the sake of the family.
 

I kept watching to see how they would wrap things up. You may have guessed it - happily ever after with family units intact and lots of babies; and wives who were content to stay at home and do what their husbands told them to do.
 
I wonder if the series will have the same affect as “Bye Bye London" (1982).  “Bye Bye London” was designed to show that London had vices and Kuwaitis were better off not to go there for vacations (as so many Kuwaitis do – for decades).  The series actually had the opposite affect and made people want to travel to London (team vice!).  Maybe “Juman” will make women consider what they (not anyone else) really want to do with their lives.  Dunno.
 
Ok, a few progressive messages I caught:  there was a brief discussion about Kuwaitis marrying foreigners and how their marriages have just as much of a chance of working out. The same was said about age difference in marriages and arranged vs love marriages.  It’s a matter of luck.  There was also an episode with a message about domestic workers and how they should be treated kindly.  
 
And something that I should mention is the quality of acting: Really good acting all around. Although I didn’t agree with or like the plot, it evoked strong emotions and made me think. And as an afterthought- the series had some of the most beautiful and obviously talented female actresses imaginable.  Hopefully, women who are living their best lives without any of the issues in the series.

Reflections

Carol was one of the poorest students in a rich Southern university; getting a scholarship at the age of 17.  Her mother, my grandmother, Anne, was a sibling to 9 who had immigrated from Finland.  They had very little.  Grammy pushed mom to get an education.  Even when Grammy passed away, mom spoke to her spirit every morning in gratitude and love (which is what I do daily with my mom, holding the folds of her robe or touching the last birthday card I have from her hanging on my wall). 

Mom became an award-winning journalist and was the only person I know who could make you smell something just by her vivid descriptions; weather it be food on the table at a restaurant review or the spray of the ocean on her cheek standing on a beach or breakwater.  She wrote for the Providence Journal in Rhode Island for almost 40 years and various magazines and newspapers as a travel writer.  Before that, she had a pretty fabulous journalism career where she worked in Washington DC, and interviewed Presidents, politicians and Hollywood stars (and was herself often likened to the beautiful actress,  Kim Novak).   I’m secretly thankful that mom never learned to drive because I got to travel with her as her driver to many of the world’s most romantic places (like Australia and Ireland and Tahiti and beautiful small islands, Isles de la Madeline in Canada where she loved the sunlight on the cliffs).  Beautiful, strange and amazing romantic places -  with my MOTHER.   It has been a blessing.

Mom was one of those unique people who could make a friend wherever she went; frequently embarrassing her daughters as teenagers as she would always compliment or have a nice word to say -often to the people who appeared to need it the most.  (“Mom!  Why do you have to talk to everybody?!”)   She taught us to look around the room and tip the busboys in restaurants as they were the lowest paid.  She sent money to people she met along her travel writing journeys who she thought needed help.  Like on the Navajo reservations and in the South on her “Hunger in America” series.   She was always kind that way. 

Because of mom, Cait and I both have “ears like dogs.”  As part of mom’s restaurant reviews, she listened to (ok, eves dropped) other patron’s conversations about the food.  She would shush us and turn an ear to listen.  Cait and I can now hear a conversation across a crowded room while never letting you know that you don’t have our full attention.

Mom always taught us to be independent – sometimes/mostly fiercely independent.  She never relied on any man and she instilled the same in Cait and I.  I remember once receiving an expensive gift from a male friend as a teenager.  She was very upset because she said, “I don’t have much money right now and we have to go buy him a gift of equal value.  You should never owe anyone anything.”  I loved that silk dress!   But I’ve never owed anyone anything.  And neither has my sister.

To those she left behind:  Mom was super proud of her businesswoman daughter, Cait, and loved to hear Cait talk about her work adventures (often humorously).  She was proud of me and my adventurous spirit leading me to work in the Middle East.  She was equally proud of her grandson, Alex, who has inherited the writing gene in the family (whether he chooses to use it or not, she knew that he has it because of several eloquent stories and letters he has written) and of the man and father he has become.  She was happy to have known her great-granddaughter, Avery who brought her so much joy in the later part of her life; and admired Kelsey for being such a wonderful mother to Avery.  She loved the fortitude and support of Cait’s husband, Wayne, and his calming presence in all of our lives.  Mom loved the bond that cousin, Margaret, had with her and our Finish side of the family; a reminder of who she was and where her side of the family was from.

And she loved the friendship and support of her neighbors, Liz, Trish, Gary, and Amy who orchestrated the little things that meant so much to her daily life;  like visits,  baked goods deliveries, taking out the trash for her and making sure her newspaper was delivered close to her door.  Little things that make a big difference to an elderly person who was once so much more independent.

Mom often said that even though your body is aging, you are still the same person inside.  People who knew her knew that – she had a sharp sense of humor and fascinating perspective of life right to the end. 

 

Mom - The Departure

One of the major reasons I moved back to the US from Kuwait was to help take care of my mother in her elder years.  I had 4 great years with her.  She might not think they were so great, as she was declining in health and couldn't get around, but I still had time with her and I'm so grateful I was able to be there with her.  She has been my best friend for as long as I can remember.

I haven't been able to write about her death in November.  It is too fresh and I get too sad.  Still having sobbing fits every night.  It feels like it was yesterday; it feels like it was 10 years ago.  I'm waiting for signs.  I've had a few; my sister has had a lot more.

I talked her her 5 times a day.  She lived only 15 minutes from me, but we were always in touch.  The most difficult thing about my days is the drive to work when I would always call her and hear her perkly little voice in the morning - telling me how great a day I was about to have, and asking where on the road I was.  "Where are you now?"  I heard her on my drive the other day, and I responded, "No, where are YOU now?" and we both had an imaginary giggle.  I play her voicemails sometimes on my way to work now just to hear her voice and pretend that she's still here.

Mom had lived in a beautiful condo next to a lake for the past twenty-something years.  She spent her days looking out at the water and the people on or near the water.  The geese, the foxes, little boats.  My sister and I moved her into assisted living after some bad falls.  She really missed the lake and was sad because she was no longer mobile and had to be helped to do most things.

So, I'm going to write about her transition and departure and then backtrack a little when I can push myself to write more.  I have a terrible memory and blogging helps me keep the details in mind.

Mom had had several falls at her condo and mom agreed that it was time to move into assisted living.  Mom moved close by to my sister and me in June.   The home looked like the Ritz Carlton and I think mom was reluctantly happy there.  Mom had lost a lot of mobility during 2020/Covid when she basically stayed at home much of the time and wasn’t walking (which she loved).  Mom was no longer able to get up the stairs (2 inside the condo and 10 to get up to street level).  At the AL home, she was helped 24/7 by some very loving caregivers (most attended her funeral).  She had a walker and had started using a wheelchair to get around.  My sister got her the Cadillac of all motorized wheelchairs and although mom never learned/wanted to drive (and had to learn the basics of “driving” her chair), she got around pretty well.  All of the other residents were envious.  

Mom was taken to the ER several times for unstable blood pressure.  She had a very bad geriatrician/GP (in my opinion) who didn’t’ listen to her symptoms (swollen ankles, loss of voice, difficulty breathing, BP spikes and lows).  We found her another GP and about 10 days before her final admission to the hospital.  The new GP had ordered oxygen and the appropriate tests (blood/echo).  It was, at that point, too late.  I’m not a doctor, but I feel very bad/guilty that I didn’t understand her symptoms better and that they were classic of congestive heart disease.  Had we known, we may have had more time with her.  However, mom was 89 and by her own accounts, ready to let go.

She was admitted to the hospital on November 14, and it wasn’t looking good. Mom was in/out of consciousness and coherency (kept telling me to take care of the sandwich mom had left on the table and to get her blue sweater from the cleaners) and her color was bad.  She spoke to the nurses and told them what a wonderful life she had lived (I think she knew it was bad). 

The next day, her best friends and us/immediate family gathered around her.  Mom regained consciousness for about 45 minutes (“rally”) and made us all laugh, thanked us for loving her, and told us mom loved all of us.  Some of her last words were, “This is weird.  I’ve never done anything like this before.  Have you?  You’re all here!  I guess it is true what they say that you are surrounded by ‘your friends and family.’  Are these going to be my famous last words?”  She also advised her grandson, my nephew, to trim his beard.  Mom asked if we could sneak in a bottle of her favorite wine (Meursault) the next day; we were planning it.   She then went to sleep again. 

We admitted her into hospice that afternoon, and at 4am the next morning, mom passed away.  True to form – with humor, grace and dignity.

It was the best transition any of us could have hoped for.  She didn’t want to have a prolonged death or be in hospice for any long amount of time (I believe that less than 12 hours was sufficient for her!)  Her best friend, Liz, suggested that we play Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” at her funeral. 

Mom left VERY specific instructions on what mom wanted at her funeral and we followed them pretty precisely.  (She left a file folder for everything.)  She was cremated and has a beautiful blue hand-blown glass urn (which is in my living room); eventually I will make the trip to the UK to her favorite islands (Channel Islands) to scatter her ashes  (“on a beach, somewhere sunny”).   We were asked NOT to have “one of those online obituary things” but these days, it is the best way to get the information out there, so it is out there.

Her celebration of life was the best funeral that I’ve ever been to (and better than any wedding I’ve attended).  We laughed, we cried, we had great food and music surrounded by loving, interesting people.  Mom would have loved it.   We expected maybe 65 people and over 140 showed up; many who had just known her briefly or who mom had touched lives with like check out clerks at the grocery store, people who she had met on the trail with their dogs, handymen, her hair stylist (MY hair stylist), contractors, etc. She had a posse of close friends who mom had found late in life and they were all there for her.   The service was held here in Virginia at a venue on a lake with vaulted ceilings.  Mom had asked for a song to be played (“Ascent of the Lark” by Vaughn Williams) which is usually played by a violinist or cellist, so we had a string quartet that played and it was amazing.  A few of the guests said that they saw a heron take flight from the lake right after the song; befitting.  We had asked for yellow roses and peonies and the woman who coordinated the celebration did a stellar job of finding them – in bloom – in the winter.  Everything was beautiful and perfect and happy and sad.

Getting Old Just Sucks for Everybody Involved

 My mom (89) moved into assisted living (by her choice) a few months ago. It has been really hard.   After a few bad falls at her condo, she needed 24/7 care to help her get around.  Staying home for almost a year during COVID had a negative affect on her mobility.  She used to be able to walk several miles around the lake where she lived.  It was hard for her to get to the kitchen alone.  She hated moving out of the beautiful condo with a direct view to the lake where she would sit and watch the beautiful sunsets and changing of seasons.   

I was the one who orchestrated (with her help) giving things away and storing others; effectively dismantling her life for the move. She was a beauty queen in her 20s and 30s and later a decorated journalist that traveled the world (often taking me with her). Newspaper and magazine articles, photos, and a lifetime of memories locked in things she loved or had loved had to be sent to different corners. I was thankful that we were able to sift through it all together:  If I had had to separate the pieces of her life after she had passed, I would be inconsolable and most likely, just put everything into a storage unit until I could deal with it,  potentially years later.  

It has been hard watching my mom’s health decline - and sometimes, when she gets tired, her memory.  I find myself getting really angry and frustrated when I'm around her and I have had to stop and question why am I doing that? What the Hell is wrong with me that I would get angry at my mother - a helpless little old lady?! But I have figured it out: she has been my best friend all of my adult life and I am angry that my energetic, vibrant, active, social buddy has gone somewhere. It is completely stupid and awful, but now that I know why I do what I do and have discussed it with her.  The irony of it is that she said she has always understood why I feel the way I do - and she has just been patient with ME.

You just don't know all that happens - or how you will react - when your parents get old. I NEVER let her want for anything. I am there for her 24/7 and she knows it. I bring her flowers every week. I stock her refrigerator and make sure she has enough Ensure and snacks.  My sister visits often and got her an electric wheelchair so she can get around the building freely.  Mom has almost mastered it (which was difficult because she never has had the coordination enough to drive a car).  Her friends visit her weekly and even though she has a hard time talking, they call her often. Mom is also cared for by some incredibly kind and loving care givers where she lives. They make her coffee in the morning and help her get into bed at night (and everything with a push of a button in-between).  Some of them call her, “grandmother” and tell her that they love her.   

Mom’s brother, my Uncle Doc (also in his 80’s) drove with my cousin to Virginia from their home in Florida just to see her for a day on her birthday.  He is in similar shape, although his memory is failing fast.   I’m glad that they got to see each other.  They both worry about each other constantly.  Uncle Doc asked me if she is “terminal.”  I answered that we are all terminal in old age. 

You always think that you have more time.  You think that the dinners out and shopping and going for drives to the mountains will continue.  But then, just like that, they’re not able to do it anymore.