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.